It all started about two summers ago. I was walking home from my night job as a waitress as it started to rain. I cannot stand being caught out in the rain so I ran; when all of a sudden, I noticed headlights following me. Now, I was walking on the side of the road, so I didn't think anything of it. Little did I know, the best and worst thing, well guy, I'd ever imagined was inside that car. His name was Alexander, and he had beautiful blue-green eyes.
How I met him was a thing of fate. I wasn't supposed to work that night, but the woman who had that shift, just disappeared. And no one knew where she went, not even her husband. The car sped up to catch me. But as creepy as that sounds, I wasn't scared. His window rolled down and our eyes locked. I felt like it was an eternity before he finally spoke. "Hello Stella, I'm Alex. Would you like a ride home?" I didn't think id be able to speak, with his eyes looking straight through me like I was made of cellophane, so I just looked down at my shoes and carefully climbed into the black Mazda.
The rest of it was all a blur; the talking, the music; all up until the kiss. I was reaching for the door handle to get out when Alex reached over his seat, turned me around, and kissed me. I felt as though I was flying, high in the dark black, star-spotted night. I had never had a first kiss, probably because in the 17 years I had been alive, I'd never had a boyfriend. Many liked me, but none of them ever made the cut. But Alex you see, was very different then the rest.
When I walked inside, all hell had broken loose. My little sister was dancing on a table, my brother was asleep on the kitchen table, my dad was chugging a beer, and my mom was, what I hoped was passed out next to him.
This is what I have to come home to every night, evening, or afternoon. But at least Phil, my dad, wasn't hitting me today. I had missed the way our family used to be, happy. But ever since I turned 15, this is the way it had been. I just wished something could go my way for once. I had to use my money from work for food and diapers for Emily and Daniel, so I couldn't buy new clothes, or shoes, or anything else a normal teenage girl would buy. If I got lucky, I could buy clothes for the little ones when they grew out of what they had, but lately, pay has been bad. And of course Phil and Sarah use all their money, hundreds of dollars we could really use, on beer, heroin, and cigarettes.
"C'mon to bed." I called to Emily, Daniel in my arms. I hoped Phil didn't wake up soon; fear of being beat in my mind. Why did life have to be so hard for us? We never do anything wrong and life just tosses this at us. I don't care much about myself, but Emily and Daniel deserve better lives then this, a family that loves and cares for them. Instead we get violent, junkies for parents.
As I said before, our life wasn't always this hard. Our parents used to love us, but that was before Phil got laid off and started experimenting with drugs. But that was then, and this is now. Looking to the past won't help save our future. So back to this guy; every girl at my school is all googley-eyed over him, and he just recently broke up with my one and only friend. Her name is Kristen and we've known each other since we were nine. She has the life every girl wants, guys all over her, rich, and she's so pretty, she could be a model. I just can't see how we could be friends, being so different and all. But she can't stand those other two
faced sluts, so she has me.
The next day at school, I had bruises all over my face. Phil had woken up right as I was leaving for school. He pulled me right back into the house and beat me with a beer bottle until it broke. Then I made a run for it, and caught the bus just as it was pulling up. I was safe for now. Everyone at school was used to my scars and bruises, so no one asked. Kristen sauntered up to me with a scowl on her face. "Phil must've been pissed this last night." She mumbled. "Actually it was this morning I said quietly, looking at my feet. "Oh my gosh." Kristen said, hypnotized. "He's got another girlfriend already?" "I'm so sorry Kristen." I said comfortingly as she cried on my shirt. And we walked down the hallway, to confront the boy with the beautiful blue-green eyes.
"Hey!" I screamed, homicidally. I wanted to stab someone I was so mad. How could he do that to Kristen? To me? Kristen was still crying on me, so I sent her to go sit down on the floor, so she could watch. "What's your pr-?" I was cut off by his lips. Why did he have to do this now? He kissed me, right in the middle of the hallway, right in front of his ex, and soon to be ex girlfriend.
Why oh why me? I thought in my head never thinking he would let go. I pulled back instantly and slapped him. "How dare you!" "C'mon Kristen, you don't need this, this whore of a boy!" I screamed as Alex looked after us, stunned. "Are you ok?" these were the first words to spill out of my mouth after Alex was out of sight and earshot. "Yeah, c'mon we're leaving." Kristen said madly. "We are going
to hurt him with you. Make him love you, and then you'll crush him, like he crushed me. "But, but I, love him." I wish I never told her that. But I had to. To protect myself, and more importantly, Alex. I could never hurt him like that, even for my best friend. And she had to understand that. "Stella Regard, to the principal's office." Were the last words I heard before I hit the floor.