A/N: Hey guys! This is my new story: Always and Forever. The idea has been running through my mind, so I decided to give it a shot. Please review!
Four year old Loren McCall sat in her room, her back to the door, as she listened to her parents fighting again. This was a daily occurrence, but something was different about this fight. It was angrier and more intense. Loren winced at the thought that her dad, Trent, would probably come into her room and start beating her again after this fight. He always beat her and her mom, Nora. They were helpless against him, and every time they tried to do something about it either her or her mom would get beaten so badly they couldn't get up.
Loren suddenly sat up, paying more attention to her parent's fight. Trent's voice was loud and insistent
"I want you to leave. I want you to leave right now, or I will beat you senseless and throw to the curb myself."
"You can't kick me out, and I'm sure as hell not leaving Loren with you. I will always fight for her."
There were sounds of Trent beating Nora. "GET OUT NOW, AND NEVER COME BACK! IF YOU DO, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL LOREN! AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT CALLING THE COPS OR I WILL SHOOT LOREN AS SOON AS I HEAR THE SIRENS."
The door opened, and it sounded like Trent had thrown Nora out the door. There were footsteps, then Trent opened the door and looked down on his frightened four year old daughter. He smiled, the blood on his hands standing out. "Come here."
Loren's screams echoed in the night.
Nine Years Later
Loren wanted to throw her computer at the wall. There was still no evidence of Nora Tate, and Loren had tried everything to find her. After Nora had been kicked out, Loren had to take all the beatings alone. Since then, Loren had been throwing herself into finding her mother so she could get out of this hell.
Her best friend Mel tried to help, but Loren begged her not to call the police. She was sure Trent would kill her as soon as he heard the sirens, and even though he always said he loved her, she was sure love wasn't supposed to be accompanied with beatings. Trent didn't love his daughter like he was supposed to, but Nora had. But Loren was 13 now. It had been 9 years. Had Nora stopped trying to fight for her?
Suddenly the door flew open. Trent's eyes narrowed at her computer screen while Loren froze, terrified out of her mind. "So, you worthless piece of trash, you've been looking for your mother? Bad choice."
Loren was thrown to the ground as Trent started punching her face. "So you think you can get away from me? Leave, like your whore mother did? Think again!"
Loren mumbled something intelligible through her swollen lips.
"What did you say to me?"
Loren spoke louder. "I said that Nora didn't leave. You threw her out, and I'm sure it was heaven gtting away from you."
This earned her another black eye, and Loren's head fell to the ground as she blacked out.
Loren woke up, alone in her room. Wincing from the pain of her new injuries, she got up and looked in the mirror. She could barely make out her face. This has gone too far. Trent can kill me, but I'd rather he go to jail than do this again. Grabbing her phone, she called the police.
"911. What's your emergency?"
"My name is Loren McCall. My dad has been beating me my whole life. He used to beat my mother too, before he threw her out. I think he's gonna kill me. Please help me."
"Don't worry, stay calm. The police will be right there."
"Please, my dad said he would kill me if he heard or saw the police coming."
"We'll make sure the police don't use their sirens. Stay put. Help is on the way."
"Thank you."
5 minutes later, there was a knock on the front door, and the sound of it being opened.
"Police! Put your hands behind your head! Trent McCall, you are under arrest for assault, battery, and child abuse. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Loren ran out of her room, joy hitting her like a ton of bricks. She was finally safe. Trent looked at her in a mad rage, seething. "You will not get away with this. I will kill you. I swear I will kill you!"
The police forced him out the door, but one officer stayed behind to talk to Loren. "Loren McCall, my name is Officer Masters. Are you okay?"
Loren nodded. "I can't believe it's finally over."
Officer Masters smiled kindly. "You are safe now. Is there any place you know you can stay?"
"My best friend, Melissa Sanders. I can stay with her."
"Okay. You can get your stuff and I will drive you there. Anything else?"
"Yes. I want to change my name."
Five Years Later
Loren Tate sat on the couch of the Sanders house, the place she had lived in with her best friend for five years. She couldn't believe things had turned out so well. Trent was in jail, and she had been living normally for five years. The only problem was that they had still not found her mother. Loren sighed. She had not seen Nora Tate in fourteen years.
Suddenly, one of Loren's best friends, Adam Jones, came running in. "Loren! I've got a lead!"
Loren sat up excitedly. "Seriously? What is it?"
Adam sat beside her, showing his computer. "Nora Hanen. Lives in Port Angeles, California. Divorced and trying to find her daughter."
Loren sighed, her heart dropping. "Mel and I already checked that out. Different Nora. It's hopeless. I've been trying to find her for fourteen years, and I haven't yet. Maybe we should just give up."
Just as Adam was about to respond, Mel walked in. "Hey, my besties. What's happening?"
Loren shot a look at Adam. "Nothing at all. I'm going out."
Mel's frowned, concerned. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just need to think."
Loren pulled up to her spot on the hill. Sitting down, she admired the view. She had found this place a week after she moved into the Sanders house, and since then, she had come up here when she needed to think or when she needed inspiration. Loren had been songwriting since she was little, but always hid it because she didn't want Trent to know. It was a way for her to get out her feelings about Trent and her life without getting a black eye to go along with it.
Suddenly, Loren had an idea for a new song. Jotting it down in her songbook, she started to sing.
Four years old, with my back to the door
All I could hear was the family war
Your selfish hands always expecting more
Am I your child, or just a charity ward?
You have a hollowed out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it, but it's hopeless
Hopeless, you're hopeless…
Loren trailed off at the word. Hopeless. That was always how she had felt, no matter what. Hopeless.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was going to be up here."
Loren whirled around in shock. She froze, stunned.
"Eddie Duran?"
Love it? Hate it? Please review! Tell me your thoughts, ideas, I love to hear all of it! The song was For the Love of a Daughter by Demi Lovato.
