Sarah POV
I creep back in through my bedroom window via the drain pipe and slide it shut behind me. It's 2AM. I just had to get out of there though. My parents are not the people you want to be living with but lately things have gotten worse...
Every night they binge out on alcohol and various types of drugs before having a screaming fit that shakes the foundations of our old house. Andrew (my older brother) used to come and sit with me in my room until they stopped shouting and passed out or left to disappear for a few days but he hasn't talked to me for a week now.
"And where have you been?" A sly voice echoes from the corner of my room.
"Out" I state, I know it's my mum and I know she's completely pissed but I'm fed up of this now.
"listen mum, I'm fed-" I start
"No, you listen you little bitch. I don't like you, actually I don't think anybody likes you and nobody ever will, but you are living under MY roof and I am YOUR mother so you tell me when you're going out... Slut" My mother rages before slamming my bedroom door shut.
That's the first time she's ever personally victimized me. Normally it's just her shouting at my dad and him shouting back and maybe they slap each other a couple of times but she's never actually come and said anything to me.
I creep along our creaky hallway to Andrew's door "Andrew? Can I talk to you?"
"No, fuck off bitch." His voice lacks any emotion and I can't see his face but I imagine it's blank. Andrew never swears, he's normally such a nice, caring person... but so were my parents 2 years ago.
I slip back into my room and crawl under my thin duvet, shiver as the cold seeps through the wall panels.
The next morning the sunlight is creeping through my small window and spreading throughout the room. Although it's sunny I know it's freezing outside. Autumn has gone and winter is finally here.
I used to love winter. Christmas, New Years; it was great but now with my parents getting drunk and Andrew ignoring me it's going to be awful.
Knowing that my parents are still asleep after passing out last night I take a quick shower and clean my teeth. I towel dry my wavy brown hair and then leave it to dry naturally seeing as I don't own a hair dryer.
I pull on my ripped, black skinny jeans and a top before shoving my feet into my old Doc Martins and tiptoeing down the stairs.
"Where are you going? Did I not tell you last night?" My mother's voice sounds from the hallway.
"I was just going to tell you-" I begin to lie
"YOU LIAR! I TOLD YOU LAST NIGHT THAT WHILE YOU ARE LIVING HERE YOU OBEY MY RULES!" My mother screams
"I'm sorry" I whisper
"You're not sorry" she snarls before slapping me hard across the face "I'll make you sorry" Suddenly I'm shoved backwards down the stairs. My head thwacks against the bottom step and I feel my ribs begin to bruise.
My mother makes her way down the stairs and I struggle to get up and back away. The next slap splits open my lip and the following one hits my cheekbone and I fall to the ground.
She walks back up the stairs and doesn't give me a second glance.
I stumble out of the front door into the crisp morning air and shiver. Every breath I take makes it feel like someone's stabbing me in the ribs. I must have really upset mum. Dabbing at my lip with one hand I reach into my thin, jacket pocket and find some loose change.
I might have about 50 cent in my pocket but that's it. I don't even have a phone. I stare at my feet as I shuffle along the pavement which is thick with frost. I don't see the person in front of me and I'm guessing they didn't see me because next thing I know I'm sitting on my ass on the hard pavement.
I look up to see a startled boy with messy dirty-blonde hair staring down at me.