Angels really exist

Summary: Rinoa is trying to find a way to let go of her painful past and with the chance she's given by moving to college, she tries to make new and happier memories for herself. But when past memories comes back to haunt her dreams, only a Guardian Angel can help her start appreciating life again.


Part 1:

Nightmares of a traumatizing childhood


Chapter 1: Fury Caraway and a usual Monday

"RINOA!"

The raven-haired seven year old girl's eyes shot open and she immediately got out of bed, trying frantically to get dressed for school, before her father finds out she still wasn't ready. In all honesty, she hated school. The other kids were mean to her and she had no friends at all, unlike her older brother, Angeal, who was one of the most popular kids at school. But, at least, it gave her the opportunity to get away from the house. She only wanted to sit in her room and make up fictional stories with her mind, she had a vivid imagination and she liked to let it free and make her stories real through her dolls. But, unfortunately, she had to go to school again.

Rinoa managed to be ready in just five minutes and when her father eventually came in her room, for her homework's last minute check-up, she was placing her books in her schoolbag, carefully to not crumple them. She was hoping, like every morning, that this time he wouldn't check up on her. She could never learn history and this time was no exception. Even though she could tell the lesson by heart the previous night, this morning she couldn't even remember what it was about. The little girl, despite her young age, knew she would be punished for her weak memory or lack of concentration when studying, she didn't know what of the two was the reason behind her inability to learn her history lesson for school. Whatever the reason, the fact was that she would be punished for that by her father, and she knew it.

Never losing her hope, Rinoa made a silent vow to not cry this time. She wouldn't let everyone see her with bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked face again. She knew that no one believed her lame excuses, she wasn't good at lying and didn't like it either, but she couldn't let anyone know about her humiliation, it was enough that their fights could be heard to her uncles and cousin that lived just to the flat above, for a seven-year old little girl, she was far too proud.

The raven-haired girl heard her father's footsteps outside her bedroom door and she wished she could become invisible in some magical way. But she knew it wouldn't happen. She closed her eyes tightly, made a quick silent prayer to the Heavens above for a miracle to happen, and she mentally prepared herself for the punishment she would soon receive, before the door opened to reveal her father, Fury, serious and huge-compared to her short and skinny self-as always.

"Well, Rinny, let's see if you have studied for school today." He said, and Rinoa hoped that, maybe, he'd be nice to her that morning. She'd always hope, every single time. Hope was the only thing that kept her sane. Sad thought considering her extremely young age.

"Let's check if you've done your homework first. Bring me your exercise books." He said and Rinoa was quick to oblige, trembling inwardly from fear that one of her math exercises might not be correct. The girl handed her notebooks to her father and was silently praying it was time to go to school already. But deep down inside, she knew it wasn't. She'd never be that lucky, so that time would pass by quicker for her in the mornings. It was as if even time was mocking her, by slowing down instead.

Then, another thought crossed the young girl's mind. Caraway hadn't checked up on her brother yet, so if she managed to take long of her father's time, then hopefully, Angeal would go to school without encountering their father. So that, at least he, would have a good morning for once. After all, Rinoa knew that it was her brother that was facing most of their father's anger outbursts most of the times, and he was facing those situations for much longer than she was.

The sound of the notebook's cover slamming on her desk, brought Rinoa out of her reverie and made her look up at her father's face. She could see he was visibly angry and was afraid that her punishment would come sooner than she initially expected. She wouldn't be able to buy some time for her brother, after all.

Rinoa tried to hold her tears back and stop herself from thinking. She didn't want to anger her father further more.

"So you keep not paying attention to me, Rinoa." he said, his voice low and threatening.

The raven-haired girl didn't answer and instead she looked at the ground. She knew it would make the man before her even more angry, but then again, everything did. There was nothing she could do to not anger him. Even if she did try to say something, he wouldn't understand and would blame her for being disrespectful. So, she chose to just remain silent.

"Do you know who I am?" Fury Caraway shouted at his silent daughter. "I'm your father! And you should show respect and look at me when I'm talking, you little, useless brat!" he continued shouting.

Rinoa wanted to look up and answer him, stand her ground and tell him what she really thought of him, tell him that he didn't deserve anyone's respect and that good parents were the total opposite of him, that he's just her torturer, not her father! But she was too scared to even move and remained looking silently at the floor instead, her eyes glistening with fear and anger. Anger towards her father and anger towards herself, for being scared of him and a coward, for bending her head and taking everything silently and without putting up a fight, rebelling against her father, doing something, anything, to at least try and stop him.

She could only wait for her everyday routine to make its cycle, hoping that there will come a day when she'll be able to stand tall and proud and dare look Caraway straight in the eye and tell him all of these thoughts she has been having for years, unafraid. Until then, she would just wait for her mother and Angeal to come into her room and attempt to unsuccessfully save her from her father's wrath, limiting the damage he'd do to the least possible amount, so that she'd go to school with just a white imprint of his huge hand on her cheek and half of her face, or a few more bruises on her arms and a few of her long hair being pulled out. She didn't care anyway; there was nothing that he hadn't already done to hurt her.

So, when he raised his arm, ready to slap her across the face hard, Rinoa just closed her eyes tightly and got mentally prepared for the painful impact that would most likely throw her off her desk chair and on the floor, as she was too light and skinny. She heard her mother scream "STOP!" and Angeal gasp, right when Fury's hand collided with the side of her face and, as expected, the impact threw her on the floor. Rinoa knew that the mark that was left on her cheek from her father's fingers, wouldn't fade away before she had to go to school and every curious teacher that thirsted for some new gossip would once again ask her what happened, uninterested for her own well-being. Her classmates would avoid, or make fun of her and her teacher would look at her with pitiful eyes, unwilling-or maybe unable-to do anything to help her though. She didn't want people's pity. She only wanted someone to do something to put an end to that never ending routine of her life.

The little girl did no attempt of moving from her new position, on the wooden floor, but observed her mother's attempts to calm Caraway down and reason with him, unsuccessfully. Both she and Angeal knew what would be next to come, so, Rinoa made eye-contact with her brother and nodded ever so slightly, only for him to see. She knew he would catch up with her plan; they had done it numerous times before.

Their father was now dragging Julia towards the bathroom where he intended locking her in, to stop her from getting in his way, before returning back to Rinoa's bedroom. The girl had remained on the floor and only got up when Fury entered her room again. The plan was to buy enough time for her brother to unlock the bathroom's door, and let their mother out, unnoticed. Rinoa stood up, hoping that way she could distract her father. Caraway walked up to her desk and with a push of his hand, threw Rinoa's notebooks on the floor.

"Next time, you will pay attention to me when I'm talking!" he yelled.

Rinoa couldn't help the terrified look on her face. The man was mad! And unfortunately, except mad, she had the misfortune to also be her father. Even though she was just seven years old, she hated that fact. Instead of saying something back, the girl just kneeled down and started picking her notebooks from the floor and placing them in her schoolbag that was next to her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rinoa's father, once again, shouted at her.

Unfortunately for her, and despite her better judgment, Rinoa couldn't hold back her remark and answered her father's question, right when he was going to say something more.

"I'm putting my books back into my bag, father." She said, emphasizing the last word sarcastically.

At that point, his face turned red from anger and Rinoa could imagine steam getting out from his ears.

"How dare you talk to me like that, you impudent girl!" he yelled. "I'll make you regret the time you were getting out of her mother!"

(As if I don't already) the young girl thought sarcastically, even though she could only look at her father, scared.

"Maybe that way you will learn some manners! I'll make sure you show respect from now on!" Caraway once again yelled at his daughter and Rinoa felt his foot hit her stomach forcefully. She screamed in pain and didn't manage to hold her tears back as she fell on her side.

"STOP IT! What you think you're doing?" Rinoa heard her mother scream, free from her temporary jail. "You want to kill her? She's just a child!" Julia continued terrified by her husband's actions.

"SHUT UP!" Fury yelled back at her. "I'm teaching her manners and respect!" He said. "You've made them spoiled and disrespectful!" Caraway accused his wife and then turned back to Rinoa, who was still on the floor, sobbing, curled in a ball.

"Stand up and stop crying!" He ordered Rinoa, making her stand up by pulling her long raven hair.

The girl yelped and stood up, feeling a few stands of her hair being pulled out of her skull.

"Stop crying at last and go to eat! Your breakfast is ready and you have to go to school!" He ordered again stiffly and Rinoa tried to hold back a few sobs, unsuccessfully, and walked to the kitchen unsteadily, even though she felt like vomiting, after the kick her stomach had accepted, not eating. Her despair grew even bigger after seeing that her breakfast was consisted of a huge -according to her own measures and how much food her small stomach could accept- bowl of milk and cereal and a grilled sandwich. It would be impossible for her to eat all of that! This was how much her father, who was twice taller and three times bigger than her, could eat, not her!

The desperate girl felt like crying again, as she knew that if she didn't eat all of it, Caraway would be really mad and would make her suffer a serious beating. She still had half hour before it was time to leave for school, so she sat on a chair at the counter and started picking at her sandwich, waiting for time to pass by and someone to save her.

End of first chapter!

Author's notes:Well, as some of you may realize, I re-edited a bit the summary and slightly the introduction of characters, so it won't be so confusing later with all the places and ages...

Keep reading and the reviews coming!

~No one can predict the future, there are no guarantees~