Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TMNT, April O'Neil, or any other TMNT characters. However, I do own Melody and the other fictional characters of this story.

Mel POV~

"Bye Rita, see ya tomorrow."

"Bye Melody. Have a nice day"

"I'll try. Thanks" I gave a warm smile to Rita, the sixty year old librarian, and walked out the door.

I just ended my shift at the library down the block from my apartment. It was a cool job I guess, if you like stacking books for three hours. But the pay is good, and I needed the money if I was going to upgrade my poor excuse of a phone. My mom had given it to me a while back as a birthday present and even offered to pay the bills for me as long as I kept my grades up, which I always tried to do anyways. But all that changed last year when she passed away in a really bad car accident, and now I was forced to live with my good-for-nothing, lousy step dad. Why my mother stayed with him was beyond me, and when she died he only got worse. So now basically I'm on my own, which isn't so bad. I mean I shouldn't really complain 'cause I could have it much worse. My best friend, April, lets me crash at her place whenever I need to get away from my step dad. My mom always used to say: 'working for something builds character.'

I fumbled to get my keys out of my bag and opened the door quietly so I didn't wake the big, lazy ass passed out on the couch from watching a UFC fight again. I tried to make it up the stairs to my room as stealthily as possible. I was almost to the stairs- just one more step. SQUEAK!

"Huh? Wha- Melody!" he yelled still a little dazed from just waking up. "Ugh, so close" I thought. "Yeah?" I answered back wincing at the fact that I knew what was coming. He stood up and staggered towards me obviously still drunk from his poker night with the boys yesterday. "Where were you?" he asked not really caring where I was. "At work. Why do you care?" I spat back. He snorted "I don't. But we're all out of beers and I'm expecting that you will go get some...now." "I am not getting you a thing." I said through gritted teeth. He picked me up by my shirt collar, and as I was trying to wiggle free, he laughed. "Listen sweetheart, you will do as I say. After all, I am your father." "You're not my father and you never will be." I said looking my so-called father dead in the eyes.

Truth is, I don't think I ever had a real father. My mom told me that he had left to go fight in some war, but the way she talked about him made me think that he never really existed or that she never actually knew him.

I saw the look in his eyes as the words spilled out of my mouth, and I knew what was coming as he raised his left hand. SMACK!

Next thing I knew was that I was on the ground, cheek stinging, and trying desperately to compose myself. I learned a long time ago that tears equal weakness and that meant another smacks across your face. "Good-for-nothing little bitch" I heard him mumble as he walked away and went back to watch his fight. I stood up, rubbed my cheek, and went to my room as fast as I could.

"Hey Mel, haven't talked to you like all day. What's up?" I heard April say on the other end of the phone

"Hey April, Can I um… crash at your place tonight?" I asked, ashamed to tell her about the latest incident with my step father

"Yeah, sure thing. My aunt won't get home until late tonight, and I just need to take care of a few things first. Let's say seven?" she asked, sounding worried for me.

"'Kay no rush. I'll grab the pizza and movie. And you get the snacks and drinks?" I said while gathering my belongings.

"Yep no problem," she said sounding a little distracted. Suddenly I heard distant voices on the other side of the line.

"Hey Raphie!"

"Mikey, I'm going to kill you!"

"Raph calm down!"

"Hey guys watch out for the-" CRASH!

"Hey, is everything alright?" I asked worried.

"What? Yeah um that's just the uh...T.V! Yeah that was just the T.V," April said trying to assure me that everything was alright.

Oh OK, well see ya," I said not really convinced.

"Heh. Bye Mel," replied April sounding a bit guilty and really distracted this time.

"That's weird" I thought. April's not the one to keep secrets, especially from her best friend, but whatever. I changed into some sweats and my favorite hoodie and climbed down the fire escape to avoid the monster in the living room and headed for the movie store.

Author's Note: Review/comment and tell me what you think! If anyone has a wattpad you can check me out there melody_pearl