I'm on my phone, texting my friends from school, until dad comes bursting into my room. "I'm goin' out tonight." He claims. I needed to know where he was going, what he was doing. Now that I found that bra in his room, I have my suspicions about him. "Where are you going?" I ask. He turns around, looking surprised at what I just said. He turns back to his normal self and says, "None of your business. Don't go anywhere, don't invite anyone over, and do not open that door for anyone. Even if they know you, and you know them." He walked out of my room without closing the door. I always get so frustrated when he doesn't close my door back, after he's been in here. Calyope growls after he exits. "Now, now, Calyope. Remember that this is the man that brought you to me..." I say, kind of motherly. She looks at me with the puppy eyes. "No, Caly." I say.
After I closed my door back, I jumped on my bed, grabbing for my phone. I know that my dad said not to invite anyone over, and I've never disobeyed him before, but I just get so lonely here, now that he doesn't really hang out with me anymore. I decided to call my friend Crystal first. She was one of my bestest friends. She helped me through all of my personal issues. For instance, if my dad hits me in any kind of way, she is always there to help me. She'll see that I have a hand mark on my face, or on my arm, and she'll say, "Bruh. You need child support." I would always laugh.
• • •
The low sound coming from the doorbell rung. Calyope quickly woke from her nap, barking like crazy. I ran to the door, so excited to tell them the news about my- wait, I can't tell them. I have to keep it to myself. I just have never kept anything from them before! They're the best friends anyone could have! They're like siblings to me!
"Hey guys... Come in..." I greeted them awkwardly. They came in, screaming and yelling like they were at a party or something. "Crystal! Brayden! Laura! You guys have to be quiet! No one can know that I'm home alone!" They all stared at me like I was crazy. I didn't know what was up with them, but they needed to calm themselves down. "Nicole, Brayden and I, well, we have something important we need to tell you..." Crystal said awkwardly. Oh no. The 'I have something important I need to tell you...' conversation. I have had these plenty of times before, and they were not good. Crystal grabbed my hand and guided me over toward the couch. She plopped down, right beside Brayden. I glared at them suspiciously. Something was definitely going on. Crystal motioned her hand for me to come sit down with her. "Brayden, do you want me to tell her, or you? 'Cause if you want to that's-" She was whispering to Brayden like I wasn't sitting right next to her. "Guys. I can hear you, you know." I said, nervous about what they were going to say next. "Okay... Sorry..." Crystal took a deep breath and let it all out. "Brayden and I are dating don't be mad at us because we were going to tell you but I got scared and I panicked so I waited until now and just please don't be mad us!" I froze. My eyes wide, my brain twisted up into knots. I was so confused I couldn't even speak. "Nick?" Brayden called. "Nick, are you in there?" I heard him but I literally couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I couldn't do anything! "Don't worry guys, I'll handle this." Laura claimed. Before I even realized it, Laura came over and slapped me in the face. "OW!" I screamed. "Well now that you know what happened we gotta go home! Byeeeeee!" Brayden and Crystal quickly rose up from the couch, and ran out the door. Laura, of course, was lingering behind. "Well, see ya later Nick!" She said as she slowly walked out of the house.
• • •
Woof, woof, woof! Woof! Woof, woof! "Cal, what the hell?!" I yelled as I awoke from my nap. I slipped on my slippers and shuffled out into the living room. I realized dad was home. He was in the kitchen, drinking...something. "You're back home..." I say. He turns around. I stared at him. Something about him didn't seem normal. He started to walk out of the kitchen, towards me. Once he reaches me, he stands really close. Out of nowhere, he reaches out and pulls me toward him so that our bodies are touching. He smelled like cigarettes and alcohol. I struggled, trying to get out of his grasp, but he only holds onto me tighter. I whimper a little. "What are you doing?" I ask him. Instead of answering my question, he takes his hand and caresses my face. I turn away from him. "Oh Nicole, you'll only make it worse if you keep refusing." He taunts. He then turns my face towards his, and he starts to lean in, trying to go for a kiss. I try to turn my head, but his hand has a tight grip on my head. Before I even know it, his lips are touching mine. I start to feel his tongue, trying to make it's way through my lips. I block his tongue from touching mine, but he managed to get his way through. His hand starts to slide down my back, and he squeezes one of my butt cheeks. I squirm, trying to stop him from doing this to me. But it only makes things worse.
