I managed to keep a safe distance from that mean boy that had grabbed me and threatening to beat me, not like I wasn't used to being beat as my family always made sure I had my traditional beating everyday after they had supper.
They didn't really care that sometimes I would cry myself to sleep at night in pain from the hunger and trying hard not to let them hear which would only make my beating worse, so had to suffer in silence; Piper doesn't even know, she would just tell her brother.
I was being skittish, jumping over every little thing and stayed close to the nice boy with greasy hair who they said was named Steve, the one that had took three of my older brothers at one time which I had actually been glad that someone could take them, still thought it was unfair he was the only one that got in trouble.
I don't understand why the other boys thought him being nice to me was the funniest thing ever, so I am guessing that he usually isn't always nice to others as I vaguely remember hearing my brother talking about him after getting the fight with him and how he was a real dick, well not to everyone or he wouldn't have been so nice to me.
I liked how he was acting all big brother like to me, like Piper's older brother who at times, would be a brother to me as my own would rather pound on me for their own amusement, letting him take my hand into his own rough one that could probably do a lot of damage if he wanted to, but liked that he was being real nice to me.
It was nice just knowing that someone, could take down my brothers and in way, almost made me feel safe when I was with him though still didn't mean I trusted him either, just felt content knowing I was protected; he probably wouldn't bother anyway.
Though it was probably just an act, like my brothers would be with me sometimes as they always were nice to me when they actually wanted me for something, mostly to use me as some kind of pawn to do their dirty work for them, hating myself for falling for their nice act every time so have learned to avoid them when they are being nice and wonder if Steve was like that too.
I wonder why he fought my brothers like that though I wouldn't really be surprised if my stupid brothers did something to instigate him or if my brothers were ganging up on him though I bet he was the only one that actually got in trouble because I know my brothers were given a free pass which doesn't seem fair, another reason for me to hate them.
My brothers always seemed to get away with everything in town because they play football and give the school wins which is so unfair because half of everyone knows what they do and how they treat me, but because my brothers are loved for playing football, they pretend it is not happening, not caring I was a little girl.
I didn't understand why he needed me to hold his hand to cross the street, I have crossed the street many of times before now so never had a problem before, but just let him take my hand even as I didn't want to start a fight; I still felt like a little kid.
Though I did't quite understand the whole concept though remember how Piper's brother makes her hold his hand when they were anywhere busy, sometimes holding mine as well when I was with them and getting all strict when I didn't want to, saying he didn't want us getting lost which showed more care than my own brothers did.
I was glad that we had separated from the other boys after we had taken my stolen items back to the gas station, meeting the scowling glare of his boss who wanted to take a swing at me, but Steve wouldn't let him though got warned if I was to ever steal from him again, he would make me feel the leather of his belt and didn't even cause me to flinch, I was used to beat threats, I get them almost everyday.
Though, I barely acknowledged his boss when he was 'scolding' me which seemed to annoy him and saying something about disrespectful kids, but had tuned him; I mostly hid behind Steve, afraid he would make good on his threat and the last thing I needed was another beating.
I didn't bother correcting the guys when they assumed I was just a Greaser child and that their parents just couldn't afford to feed her so went searching for food, but didn't want them to know where I came friend, they wouldn't like that I was the sister of the DeLaurentis brothers who bully anyone below them, including me and would hate me for being related to them.
It didn't help that I looked like a Greaser as I was dirty from not being allowed to bathe yet this week and wore worn down clothes and sneakers that were falling apart that made me look like a greaser instead of the average middle class girl, but I hated them all, they let my family abuse me and do nothing to protect me as they all knew what goes on but act like it isn't happening.
He had taken me to some diner on the Greaser's part of town, enjoying just going out somewhere to eat as I had never been include in the weekly outings my parents would go, saying it was for my family only and I was never going to be family, not to them so maybe I can find a family of my own that actually appreciates me for me instead of a family that never accepts me.
He had told me I could order anything I wanted as everything was reasonable and this was his favorite place to go to eat, still not understanding how he could be so nice to me when he doesn't even know my name as I was still waiting him to ask me for it, too scared to tell him with myself or even to order my own food, letting him order for me when it was clear I wasn't going to do it myself.
Steve had ordered me some chicken fingers and fries, with corn as he wanted me to have some vegetables, claiming I was unhealthily too small for my age who has already seemed to figure out I was older than he had assumed I was, believing me to have been seven or six years old though it could be a lot worse.
"I can't keep calling you kid, what's your name, you can tell me," Steve said kindly as he watched me eat, not getting anything himself as he didn't have enough money which made me feel bad that he was using the last of his money to feed me when he didn't have to though told me it was nothing and got paid in a few days.
That almost made me feel touched, no one has ever done something so nice to me and my family would never dare do something like that for me, they would gladly let me starve to death if it wasn't for the fact they needed someone to serve them and yet, here he was, making sure I ate something, when he didn't even know me.
"Gracie, I'm seven," I said softly, almost a whisper though I knew that Steve had heard me, using my middle name as I always do and that is what Piper and my other friends call me, no one calls me Aleeah except for my parents or grandparents and I hated it.
They never mean it in a positive way which makes me despise that name while my siblings call me Alex which I hate, just because they call me it and why I go by my middle name, with only my teachers refusing to not to call me Aleeah as they refuse to call me anything but my given name.
My middle name was the only name I had, that I wasn't connected to them with and I was free to just be me, without the worries of when my next beating was going to happen; I could just be a kid and that was why I liked it.
"Gracie. It's good and it suits you. What's your last name, hon," he asked me but just shook my head at him, not wanting to reveal my last name to him and it doesn't fit me anyway and would change it if I could, wanting to break ties with them.
I didn't want to tell him my last as he would hate me for being related to my brothers and I didn't want that, I liked him, even more than my own brothers which wasn't saying much, maybe he could be my new brother; though who would want me as a sister?
"It's okay Gracie honey, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just curious, it's your business," he said nicely to me and could see from afar some of my brothers friends but were too busy harassing some girls that they didn't notice me as I hid slightly in my seat so they wouldn't see me though were far away enough that they probably wouldn't notice me.
He looked at me with care instead of the scowls I had watched him show everyone else we had seen since I had been with him which was nice and the only one besides Piper's older brother who would sometimes treats me like a little sister, who was ever nice to me and wasn't trying to take advantage me.
I have serious trust issues with many people, only trusting a small handful of people because of my mistreatment and sometimes have trouble even trusting completely as I was always holding back and can never let my guard down even with those I trust, scared of being betrayed.
I haven't decided if I could trust him yet or not, or if he was actually being genuine and wanting to be kind to me, but it takes me a good long while to trust someone and trust has to be learned, but he does make me feel safe and would feel safe being with him with my brothers around, knowing he could protect me but doubt he would want to, no one does.
For the first time in my probably my whole life it seems, I was actually not in pain from the hunger of being denied food as my parents have been cruelly doing to me my whole life and actually felt full, something I didn't know what that felt like until now, founding someone that cared more than my own parents.
As far as my parents were concerned, I didn't get the right to just be a child and have fun, I was born to be their slave and was lucky that they even allowed me to attend school instead of keeping me locked up in the attic.
My father hated me the most, except at night time when he would come up to the attic while I was sleeping and be nice to me, making me take off my clothes which I didn't understand or like when he made me do things like that, but didn't have a choice, he was stronger than me and hit me when I didn't comply with him.
"So seven, huh? I'm guessing you are starting second grade in the Fall," Steve asked me while he threw money down on the counter and signaling our waitress who had a slight snotty attitude but not like he was being nice to her and gave her a nasty glare when she snapped at me to hurry up, almost making me cry and I had done enough crying for today.
"Third grade actually, I turn eight soon. I was best speller in second grade last year. Daddy says I'm too much of a retard to be good in anything, he says I'm ugly and worthless. Mama says she wished she'd aborted me but I don't know what she means, probably why they won't let me eat," I said, innocently as I sipped the rest of my chocolate shake, wanting to get every last bit of this yummy chocolate drink.
I watched him go wide eyed for some reason, still not quite realizing what I had actually said to him yet as I well into my chocolate shake, but I liked him, he was nice and wish that he could be my big brother instead of the mean ones that I have now, I don't like that they hurt me and find it funny when they can get me to cry.
My sister can also be as bad and when she isn't bullying or spitting in my face, she and her boyfriend are practicing their parent skills on me for when she becomes a parent herself which is a scary thought and will just mess them up, even lets her boyfriend try to 'discipline me' but that is when I start biting them which usually gets her to back off after my father hits me.
I watch as snotty waitress lady who had on too much eye makeup that didn't really make her look pretty at all, came back to snatch the money off the table, that was rude, "Anything else you want," she snapped, popping chewing gum in her mouth, I hate chewing gum, it was too chewy.
A fight was starting to break out in the back so felt Steve grab my hand and pull me outside, staying just long enough to get his change, ignoring the nasty waitress that didn't like me, probably just didn't like kids or something.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Steve said, pulling me towards his car and I panicked because I couldn't let him know where I lived, he will know I was related to them and will hate me just because I happen to be their little sister even if they don't treat me as one, much rather treating me like a slave, I was still related to them and nothing I can do about it.
I knew I was going to have to lie to keep him from knowing where I actually live as he would know who I was related to if I didn't, when he has been nothing but kind and nice to me as I lead him in the opposite direction of where I live, making him believe I was a greaser but I rather be that, than what my parents were, but I was neither and have no where to belong, but is just my life.
I let him drop me off at an old house that I knew was abandoned as this is where I would spend the night when I wanted to get away from my family for a while, especially my father and spend more time here, than I ever did my actual home and if he had doubts that this wasn't my home, he didn't show it.
"Alright kid, here we are and no more stealing, just come find me when you get hungry and I will find you something to eat. I catch you stealing again, I will do the same thing I would have done to my little brother if I caught him stealing, if you catch my meaning" he said, sternly and almost sounded like a older brother to me, and seemed like he loved his little brother.
I actually didn't know what he meant, but didn't want to ask either; I never had someone go all stern on me in the past, unless you count Piper's older brother, treating the same as his sister, when I would get in trouble at their place.
He startled me when I felt him kiss the top of my head like an older brother would do as he escorted me to the door, saying this neighborhood wasn't safe at night and told me to lock the door until my parents came home, and felt guilty for lying to him about where I live but couldn't let him know, he would treat me the same as everyone else.
I felt a little jealous of this little brother, I wished he was my older brother but he already had a younger sibling to take care of me, he wouldn't want me too when he had been so nice to me and didn't want to make him feel like he had to take care of me, I had been doing fine on my own for the last eight, almost nine years and couldn't risk getting close to someone who was just going to hurt me.