Here's another chapter. Call it a gift for not writing lately. I'm watching Mulan while typing this one. Here's Chapter 21.
Chapter 21 May
SODA'S POV
It's been a few months since I was in the hospital. I'm still dreading my fifteenth birthday. That was the worse day ever. I stayed with Darry for a couple days, but that made Robert mad. I got beat when I got to that house.
It's finally May, which means only three more weeks of school! I don't think I should be saying that. Summer vacation's gonna be hell like usual. It'll be miserable outside and I'll be inside stuck doing the chores and getting the crap beat out of me more than usual, but that's how all the summers have been since Rose died.
It's been seven months since David and Derek jumped me. My nose is healing, but my hair won't grow back out. I hate that, but the bangs look tuff just hanging there the way they are. I guess I don't hate it that much, but still.
Halloween, Christmas, New Years, and Easter were horrible as they have been since Rose died. New Years has been the worse so far since Robert gets jacked up with whiskey, vodka, and every alcohol imaginable. I have to serve them too. Ain't that the perfect New Years?
On Halloween, the guys asked if I wanted to have fun with them. Of course I had to do chores. I also got beat because I have friends who care, but no one knows except for my older brother and Mr. Jackson. They've been doing good hiding it too. I know they really want to tell someone though.
On Christmas, I get no presents. I have to clean everything up. I don't get to help decorate or undecorate. How can they do that and not do other chores? I still get beat for not helping when I'm told not to. Yeah, it's retarded.
On Easter, nothing ever happens. I just get beat. This year, I got chased up the stairs. Yeah, not safe. I haven't been thrown down them yet thank goodness. I got so many bruises that day because I didn't clean the chimney right. I did it like I normally do. He's just an idiot.
I'm so glad it's Friday, but then again I'm not. I am because we're in school, and that's out a week from Wednesday. I shouldn't be happy about that either. I'm not because that means the weekend starts tomorrow and I'll probably get a few beatings.
School goes on as normal. I go to all of my classes and eat lunch with the guys.
"Aren't you hot Soda?" Steve asks me like I'm crazy. I am, but I have to be.
"No," I lie to hide the bruises on my arms. I got flung around last night. "I don't know why either."
"Whatever," he says. I know he realizes that something's not right. He just can't put the puzzle together. I know he's been trying to the past few years, but I'm gonna let him figure it out. If he gets it, he gets it. If he don't, he don't. Tough luck on him.
I forget it and continue eating my burger.
We finish up and head back to school.
"See ya'll later," I tell them as we head our separate ways.
"See ya," they say back.
The rest of the day goes by really fast and it's time to go to the house of torture. I wish I can tell somebody, but that will put my life in jeopardy, but I guess it already is.
I get home to find Robert's car in the middle of the driveway. This cannot be good.
"See ya, Steve," I tell my best friend as I head up the driveway.
"See ya, Soda," he says walking, but stops in his tracks. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"
I want to tell him so bad. I feel like screaming that I'm getting hurt and almost died a couple months ago. I want my best friend to know, but I feel eyes glaring at me from inside the house. I feel dark, monster eyes watching me. I know I'm gonna get in there and the monster's gonna get me. I know it sounds childish, but I live with a real monster.
"No, I'm fine," I lie. "Why? Do you think something's wrong?"
"No, but you just seem, I don't know, different. I'm trying to figure you out, but failing miserably," he says.
"If you figure the puzzle out, just ask."
"Okay, I will. See ya."
"See ya," I say walking up to the house of the devil.
I get inside, and beat it upstairs. I shut my door, but there's no lock. I take off my jacket and flop down on my mattress and start on my homework. It looks like math is first. Might as well get that done with.
I hear heavy footsteps coming up the steps, but I ignore them. That is until a dark shadow fills my attic room. I try to get my focus back on my homework.
"What'd you tell that boy?" he asks in a deep, scary voice.
"I told him nothing. You're precious little secret is safe," I spit at him. I glare at him which is not smart. I'm getting a little more rebellious with this guy.
"My precious little secret? That secret should be your precious little secret. That secret's your worthless life! You're lucky you're still here," he says, but I ignore it.
I don't know why I'm ignoring him, but it sure is a good feeling. I hate living here. I just wish the state will catch him.
"Are you listening to me, boy?" he bellows.
I don't answer.
All of a sudden, I feel his fist go across my face. That got me going.
"What was that for?" I ask angrily. Again, not the smartest thing to do because I there's another blow to my face. It feels really heavy.
"For being a little piece of shit," he says and gives me a blow to the stomach.
I double over in pain. There goes another. In anger I stand straight up and punch him back hard in the face. This isn't gonna turn out pretty. I can tell by the deathly glare I'm getting from him.
Without a word, he grabs my shoulders. I gasp not knowing what he's gonna do. He flings me hard into the wall. I slowly get up, but he tightly grasps my arm and doesn't let me go. I don't have a very good feeling about this.
Why is this happening to me? Everyone says that I'm a nice person. It seems like the nice people has the bad things happen to them. Why is that?
I try to get out of his grip, but can't get out of it. I'm surprised my wrist hasn't snapped yet. Yeah, it's that hard. I'm still struggling to get out.
"Where are you going? You don't have anywhere to go. Nobody wants you. I don't know how Rose loved you so much. You're just an annoying, rotten, no good kid who runs around with hoods."
"Those hoods happen to be my friends and brothers who happen to care a whole hell of a lot about me!" I talk back still trying to get out of the grip.
"You have friends? You have brothers? You don't ever hang with them," he says.
"I do, too. I talk to my friends at school. I see my friends and my brothers sometimes because I always have chores," I say trying to maintain my cool.
"I sure ain't gonna do your chores," he says.
"Get David and Derek to do some then, or are they too precious to get dirty?"
"Don't talk about your step-brothers like that. A mutt shouldn't talk be around them anyway. My boys are worth more than your life," he says flinging me down on the mattress.
"Oomph," I let out as I land on my back and hit my head against the wall. There'll be a bump there. Luckily it wasn't hard enough to get a concussion.
I look at my arm and find a bruise already forming. It was pretty hard so I shouldn't be surprised.
He forces me up and drags me downstairs. We go outside, but he lets go.
"Get in the car," he slurs. "You're working."
I sit in the back and he drives off to the Marathon. We get there and I get out without hesitation. I head inside, go to the bathroom, and change into the uniform. I can't believe I forgot that I had work.
I get outside and find Steve waiting for me. I wish the shirts had sleeves. My arms are covered with bruises. At least the hat somewhat hides the bruises on my face.
"Hey Soda," he greets me.
"Hey," I say trying to think about what to do with my messed up arms.
Steve looks down at my arms, but doesn't say anything. I'm surprised.
"There's a customer. I've got him," I say heading towards a black Sting Ray.
I approach it and a Soc gets out. He has black hair, and a few years older than me. Luckily he's graduating this year.
"Curtis," he snarls at me. Yeah, I'm keeping my real last name.
"McCarthey," I snarl back at him.
"Give me a full tank," he tells me shoving me out of the way which really hurt because I'm sore from before.
I hate that guy. He's a big football jock and hangs out with David. He has a full ride scholarship to Florida.
I fill up his tank and he comes back out with a big grin on his face. He probably got brownie points from Robert. He gets in the car without a word and drives off.
"Jerk," I mumble.
The rest of the night goes smooth. Steve and I walk home together. I get inside, go up to the attic, get ready for bed, and go to bed.