I just walked through the door with my mother hot on my heels. It was a stormy day in Phoenix, unusual weather for the area. I hated storms with a passion, only because of the fact that loud noises remind me of him. Him being the man I once called my father.

My mother and I had never had a good relationship, and it only got worse the first time he slapped me. She didn't do anything. She didn't even through a concerned look my way. After a while the slaps turned into punches, punches turned into kicks, and kicks turn into a trip to the emergency room, from accidently falling down the stairs.

On my twelfth birthday when my mother was out, Abe decided to give me a special birthday present. When the neighbours heard my screams they called the police. By the time Janine got home Abe was halfway to prison, and I was being loaded into the back of an ambulance. She acted like the concerned parent she was supposed to be and said she had no idea her husband was capable of such things. Janine has never been the same since that day. She was slowly going insane. I could see it in her eyes and today was no exception. It's been four years exactly and today was my sixteenth birthday. Not that we celebrated it at all. Later today, Janine's twin sister, Rea, is coming over with her family and we just went shopping to get some food for dinner. Even though they are twins my mother and Aunt Rea were total opposites.

Rhea and her husband Eric were the nicest people you could ever meet, and so are my cousins, Andre and Lissa. Andre is almost twenty and Lissa is just a year older than me. They are the closest thing I have ever had to a real family. None of them have pushed me to talk about what happened with Abe, but they have all told me they are there if I need to talk.

I had just finished cooking dinner when the doorbell rang. I know, I know, who cooks on their birthday right? According to my mother, I do. At least she got me a cake.

I was brought out of my thoughts by my mother's voice.

"ROSEMARIE!"

"WHAT?"

"I TOLD YOU TO GET THE FUCKING DOOR!"

That's my mother for you.

I opened the door to see none other than Rhea, Eric and Lissa. Andre must not be on summer break yet.

I was once again brought out of my thought by my name being called. This time it wasn't my mother though, it was Lissa, and by the look on her face she was excited, not angry like Janine had been.

"ROSE! It's so good to see you. I haven't seen you in ages!"

"You too Liss..." That was all I managed to choke out before I was in the middle of a Rhea and Lissa sandwich.

"Girls, I think Rose might need her lungs sometime soon." Thankyou Eric! "By the way, happy birthday Rose. Andre wishes he could be here, but he is helping his friends family move house. You'll love the Belikovs actually. They're a lovely family. Dimitri's the only man so Andre offered his help."

"Janine! It's so good to see you sis!" Rhea. Always the polite, happy one.

"You too little sister" Janine was the older twin and rubbed it in Rhea's face anytime she could. Rea just laughed it off.

Things started to get a little awkward, so I decided to break the silence.

"Why don't we move into the dining room? Dinners ready."

Everyone mumbled their agreements and we all shuffled into the other room.

Dinner was pleasant and Eric told me a little bit more about the Belikovs. Apparently there was a girl just a few months younger than me, Dimitri, who was twenty and Andre's best friend, the eldest, who was twenty-five and a twenty-three year old. Their mother, was forty-five and their grandmother, who was seventy-one. The eldest daughter also had a seven year old son and a two year old daughter and the middle daughter was pregnant.

After dinner, when things began to get awkward again, Janine decided to go and get the cake ready.

"So Rose, how's the Gymnastics going?" Lissa broke the tension. She has always been interested in Gymnastics and keeps on talking about when I went to the Olympics, she would be in the front row in the stand, cheering me on. Gymnastics was pretty much the only reason Abe was gentle with me until that one day... It was also the only reason Janine ever cared about me. Heaven forbid that I hurt myself and she will stop getting endorsement money.

"It's going good. I'm working on a new move on bars that only one other girl in the world can do."

"Just be careful dear." Another difference between Rhea and my mother. Rhea actually cares about me not money.

"Always am."

We were cut off by a loud bang in the kitchen.

"I should probably go and see what's going on in there" I announce as I slowly removed myself from my seat.

As I made my way to the kitchen, my stomach started tightening and I couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen.

I walked in to the kitchen only to see mum sharpening a knife. Not just a small knife that you use to cut a cake either, but a massive, butcher knife. Then I spotted the cake. Chocolate. I licked my lips, not being able to stop myself.

"What are you getting so excited about?" Janine snapped at me.

"The cake. How did you know that chocolate is my favourite?"

"I didn't. It's not like you're going to be eating it anyway. Chocolate is not what you need right now anyway. You're fat enough as it is." She pointed the knife at me, but being the clueless girl I am, I ignored her silent threat.

"Then why did you buy it for my birthday" I argued, although I couldn't help but feel hurt by the fact that she was calling me fat. She knew I've been training harder than usual.

The look in her eyes turned form one of warning, to one of determination as she slowly came towards me with the butcher knife griped tightly in her hand.

"JANINE!" At the sound of her voice we turned to see our compony standing in the doorway. The look in her eyes changed once again, into a look of ... fear was it?

Except it wasn't fear of being caught, it was because she realised that she was running out of time. It all happened in slow motion. She lunged towards me and a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the house. It took me a moment to realise that it was me and I braced myself thinking that it would only hurt a little before I was actually dead.

I felt the cool blade against my stomach and it hurt like a bitch. I waited for death and then... Nothing.

A/N This is my first fanfic so I don't know if you are going to like it or not. Please review telling me you like it, you don't like it and/or ways I can improve. I've already started writing the next chapter :))