So, this is a rewrite of The Things I'll Never Say. I read it over the weekend and realized that it was a terrible, god awful mess. Just the spelling alone made me wince (I was like 19 when I wrote this). So I took it down, and gave it a complete make over. Hopefully it will be better this time!

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"Lucille Katherine Milton! You get down here right now!"

The venomously sweet voice of Melissa pierced through the walls and reached my ears just as I was about to fall into a deep nap. I sighed and sat up what did I do now?

"Hold on! Hold on I'm coming!" I shouted back, getting up out of the air mattress I called a bed and quickly yanking the door open before my aunt could come storming up the stairs. I reached the kitchen, sliding in on my socks.

"What took you so long? I called you twice already." Melissa snapped at me, glaring from her spot next to the stove.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Melissa." I said quietly, hoping not to irritate her further.

"One of the granola bars is gone. Did you take it?" She asked harshly, looking up at me. I thought back for a moment….did I take one? I might have…

"No, I don't think I did." I answered

"God you're such a liar. I know you did. Those aren't for you. Do you understand me? I'm going to have to add those onto your rent for next week." She told me.

I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes. Why was I living with such a witch? Because you have no where else to go. I sadly reminded myself. I lost everything in that fire that killed my parents, so my only two options were to stay with my Aunt Melissa or live on the streets. I had no money, no house, and a shit load of student loans to pay off. I worked two jobs; one as a ballet instructor at the community college, and the other as an ABA specialist. But even with both them between my Aunt's $200 a week rent that she insisted I give her, and the $400 a month student loan I had, I barely had any left to save for my own place. It pretty much sucked. Melissa had complete control over the money my mother left, and she spent most of her time reminding me that I owed it to her now because she ever so kindly "took me under her wing."

"But I didn't take them-I swear." I answered back, and I immediately regretted it as Melissa swelled up like an angry bull frog and stalked over to me, grabbing me harshly by my hair and pulling me close to her face.

"What did you say? Did you just talk back to me, you ungrateful little-"

"What's going on?"

We both turn to see Stu, Melissa's boyfriend of three years standing in the doorway. Melissa immediately lets go of me and stepped away.

"Nothing honey, you're home early." she said with a smile. She always kept her temper around Stu and hid her anger with sweet smiles. I think deep down Stu was aware of Melissa's harsh treatment, but he was too much of a coward to do or said anything. The one time he stood up for me, she punched him so hard he had a black eye for a week. I'm surprised he's been with her for so long, I would have taken off ages ago. The selfish part of me doesn't want Stu to break up with Melissa, mainly because when he was around she was halfway decent with me-meaning she kept the screaming to a minimum and didn't hit me-and when he wasn't being a complete coward he really was a nice guy. I thought he felt a bit sorry for me, which was probably why he extended the invitation to Doug's Bachelor party to me; a present for my 21st Birthday.

"Yeah, I had to pack for this weekend." he said

"Oh right, for Doug bachelor's party in Napa." Melissa muttered through her teeth. She hated his friends; in fact she hated everything that didn't directly benefit her.

"Yeah. My best friend is getting married." Stu said

Melissa flashed him a fake smile. "Be sure to call me when you get there."

"Lucy, you packed? Doug's coming at 4 to pick us up." Stu said. I smiled and nodded; I've been packed since yesterday. I didn't really care that this was supposed to be an all boys weekend, or that we're actually going to Vegas instead of Napa. I would literally do anything to be out of the house and away from Melissa, even if it's just for the weekend.

"Yeah, I'll go get my bag." I told him quickly, but before I can escape back upstairs Melissa grabbed my arm.

"I need to talk you, sweetie.," she growled through her teeth before she pulled me into the hallway. She waited until Stu was busy with the microwave before she turned on me. She backed me into the wall and backhanded me. Hard.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going with Stu?" she hissed, shoving me again.

"He invited me-"

"You ungrateful little bitch. Don't you know what I have sacrificed for you? And now you're going to go blow all my hard work off in Napa Valley? With my boyfriend. How dare you!"

"Melissa-I'm sorry I just thought-"

"Just thought what? That you would go get away from the weekend, relax a bit before you got back to work? Do you know what your being? You little freak. You're being selfish." she whispered harshly in my face, and then shoved me away from her.

"Go then. Go have fun. But just so you know, your mother- my dear sister-didn't sacrifice herself just so her daughter could turn into a little worthless slut that runs away when things get hard." she half yelled, half hissed, and then stalked back into the kitchen.

I gripped the carpet and tried to control my breathing. Why don't you stick up for yourself? You don't deserve this. A voice that sounded very much like my mother's berated me in my head. I know, I know but what else am I supposed to do? I have nowhere else to go. I argue back, hating myself for not having a better job, for not being successful enough to support myself despite my masters in counseling. For wanting to be able to help other's in dire situations instead of making the big bucks at an accounting firm.

I sighed. There was no use complaining about it now, at least she's allowing me to go. It's not like she could stop me anyway, I'm of age and Stu invited me. It would totally being blowing her cover if she threw a fit about me going, and she definitely wants to keep her relationship with Stu "happy and healthy". I picked myself up and headed towards the stairs, rubbing the spot on my forehead where she struck me. I could already feel a bump forming.

When I reached my room, I checked it out in the mirror. Yup, there is a definite bruise there. I sighed and rolled my eyes at my reflection. My naturally red curly hair was sticking out in all directions from the messy bun that it was in, no matter how many bobby pins I stuck in there, it just wouldn't lay flat. I leaned closer to the mirror and examined the bruise; it's right above my right eye which was green. My left eye, a clear crystal blue gleams out from under my bangs. I sighed, I will never get used to looking at myself. Maybe Melissa was right, maybe I am a freak.

I stare at myself in the mirror for a few more minutes, wondering on how I should do my hair and if it was even possible to get an eye switch surgery when I heard Mellissa and Stu talking through the grate on the floor. It connected straight to the kitchen, and I could hear everything.

I paused with my ear to the grate, and listened:

"Remember to pack your Rograine." came Melissa's voice from the kitchen.

"Rograine check." Stu said, trying to keep the sarcasm to a minimum.

"And remember to use it. I can always tell when you don't, your hair just looks thinner."

"Using of the Rograine. Check."

"And make sure to call me right when you get to the hotel," Melissa added. "Not like that conference in Phoenix. I had to wait two hours for you to call me."

I could practically hear Stu trying not to role his eyes, "Yeah, I was the keynote speaker. I was late to the podium."

"Still?"

"Yeah, you're totally right. I'm sorry," Stu said quickly. "What is the matter?"

"I don't know," Melissa answered with a sigh, "I just hope you're not gonna go to some strip club when you're up there."

"Melissa, we're going to Napa Valley. I don't even think they have strip clubs in wine country."

"Well, I'm sure if there is one, Doug will sniff it out." Melissa tells him with a huff.

"Doug's not going to be doing anything like that. He's the one getting married, remember? He's changed."

"And what about the Phil the Psycho? Should I watch for him on the news?" she snorted.

"Please Melissa, he's not a psycho. It's a miracle I got him out of his house—errr—place that's he's living—for the weekend." He said

I pause at the mention of Phil Winneck. He had been Stu's friend they were kids. I didn't really know much about what happened with Phil—justs bits and pieces that I picked up from listening over the vent. From what I understood, Phil and been in some kind of accident. He had survived but his wife was killed. Phil hadn't been the same since.

"I wouldn't call the Ramada Inn a house…anyway, are you sure he's safe to be around? Didn't he hit you once-."

"I'll be fine. And that was different, he was scared and not in the right mind."

"But-."

"Please, Melissa.. He needs a normal weekend where he can be with people he trusts. He hasn't had that in a while. He needs us to be there for him."

"I don't understand why you are so worried about him. He did this to himself, didn't he?"

I heard Stu sigh, "What happened to him wasnt his fault. He was sick. But he's better now, nobody should be-"

"I don't consider suicide to be-." Melissa started, but then Stu cut her off.

My ears pricked, suicide?

"Look, Melissa, it's not going to be like that. It's just gonna be me, Phil, Doug, Lucy and Tracy's brother." Stu said. "Besides, you know how I feel about that stuff." He said, picking up the conversation that had started before they started talking about Phil.

"It's just boys and their bachelor parties, it's gross. And another thing, why are you taking my niece with you? She is neither your friend, nor a bachelor. I just don't get it. Plus, she's an absolute horror to look at, you know."

I wince. I hate that she always has to bring that up at every moment. She could be really shallow, sometimes.

"It's her 21st birthday, Napa seems like a good place for it. She deserves it; she's worked hard these last couple of months. And she's not a horror; heterochromia is very common among people. She should be proud of her differences."

Melissa rolled her eyes, "Well I think it looks weird. Maybe that's why she lazes around as a dance instructor, instead of getting a real job." she muttered underneath her breathe.

"She's not just a ballet instructor, she does ABA-."

"Over paid babysitting if you ask me."

"It's not…..You're right," Stu finally said after a few beats of silence. "Strip clubs are gross, which is why we're going to Napa instead of some trashy place like Las Vegas."

"Not to mention it's pathetic." Melissa added.

"Mm-hmm," Stu agrees.

"Those places are filthy."

"Yeah,"

"And the worst part is," Melissa continued, "That little girl . . . grinding and dry-humping the fucking stage up there . . . that's somebody's daughter up there." Stu said the last line with her, trying to prove that she's right.

"I was just gonna said that,"

"See," Melissa said. "I just wish your friends were as mature as you."

"They are mature, actually," Stu defended his friends "You just have to get to know them better."

I then heard a series of rapid honks from the window. "They're here."

"I should go."

"That's a good idea, honey." Melissa said through her teeth.

"Have a good weekend. I'm gonna miss you."

"They're here, Lucy!" I heard Stu shout up the stairs.

"Alright, alright I'm coming!" I shouted back and I bounded excitedly down the stairs.

"Excited?" Stu asked, laughing softly.

I nodded "Yessir. Thank you again for taking me, I really appreciate it."

I turned to my Aunt. "I'll see you on Sunday, Aunt Melissa."

Melissa nodded, "Don't forget your rent for the week is due then. I don't want it late like it was last time."

"Sweetie you know that was my fault-" Stu tried to add in but Melissa interrupts him.

"It's very rude to be late, especially with important things like rent. It won't happen again, right?"

I swallowed then nodded, "Yes Aunt Melissa."

The awkward silence was interrupted by the honking of Doug's car,.

Stu smiles excitedly. "Alright, we'll see you at the wedding."

Melissa gives him a small, hard smile. "Sure. See you then."

She escorted us to the door, and I tried to tell myself that it was the wind-not Melissa- who slammed the door shut behind them.

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