Changes That Could Kill You

1.02: "The Wounds of a Mermaid"

Rikki's Point of View

I awoke from my bed, got out of the covers and felt my feet hit the cold hard wood floor in my room.

"Another dreary day," I whispered to myself.

It's not that I didn't like my life, I did and do. But lately things have just been too crazy around here even for me.

I quickly finished making my bed by putting my bright red comforter right in place where it should be, followed by my pillows.

This was my daily schedule. Wake up, make my bed. Nothing much, but something that had to be done. My friends would never have guessed this, but I'm much more of a morning person then a night person (well, unless there's a full moon). I hate the darkness, especially lately.

My family has always been a bit out there, but still... nothing I couldn't control. But lately... I just don't think I can handle any of this anymore.

I got out of my room and into the tiny room that I call a kitchen. As usual, dishes are seen on everything that has a flat surface, food is laid out and probably spoiled, and I'm left cleaning it all up again.

"Great," I said through gritted teeth.

Everyday, I'm starting to miss my Mum more and more. But then I think about how she definitely wouldn't be happy living here with Dad, so then I think about if I would have gone with her. But of course, if I had done that we would have never moved here and I would have never became a mermaid.

I then quickly grabbed a pair of gloves and got to work. Trying to avoid the water at all costs that was coming out of the faucet, I scrubbed each dish to the best of my ability. In no time the kitchen looked spotless, well for a trailer that is.

I then was off to pick an outfit to wear. I decided upon my red t-shirt with white stripes with black denim shorts.

After I was dressed, I quickly tied my hair in braids (I don't know why I always do that). I was about to start brushing my teeth, when I heard that familiar sound I hear almost every morning, and yet I still am afraid of it. The sound of the door being swung open, footsteps and I harshed toned, "Rikki!" was enough to make me jump, causing my toothbrush to fall to the ground and for me to fall flat on my face on the bathroom floor. He was back. Oh, and he was angry.

OPENING CREDITS

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I was unfortunately still laying on the ground, flat on my face when my Dad walked in the bathroom.

"What is this?! Moping about, I see? The house isn't even clean!"

Yep. I knew it. My Dad was drunk and angry, a really bad combination for him.

I replied to his statements by saying (also while getting up off the bathroom floor), "I have school, I'll do it later." (Yeah, I kinda lied about the school. It's only Saturday. What does he know? He's too drunk to realize.)

"Screw school! Yesterday before I left I asked for this place to be clean, and look at it!" He pointed to the living room, kitchen, and everywhere else in the small area I call home.

Honestly, I think my Dad had too much to drink since there was nothing on the couch, dishes were done, there was NOTHING that needed to be clean.

"Dad, you never said anything before you left. You never do!" I yelled back at him.

"Don't use that tone at me! I'm your father!"

"Yeah, a pretty lousy one at that." I said to myself. I must of said it loud enough cause my Dad said, "Excuse me?"

I pretended I didn't hear him. "Gotta go to school." I was walking out the door, when my Dad grabbed me by my wrist and said, "Don't walk away from me!"

I pushed away from him and continued walking towards the front door. But unfortunately that wasn't enough.

He grabbed both of my braids so I was facing him and then he struck my face until I could feel blood appear from my badly wounded cheek.

After that I managed to run out of the doors, tears running off my face. I held my cheek where I was struck. He did it to me again, but that wasn't the first and definitely wasn't his last.

When I reached the Juicenet Café I was certainly not in the talking mood. But as soon as I walked into the Café I noticed all of my friends faces and I realized they noticed my face. As soon as I heard, "Rikki what happened?" I bolted. Out of the café as fast as my legs would run.

Apparently I wasn't watching where I was going and I ran smack dap into my loving boyfriend, Zane.

And he too noticed my face and said (his tone with more pain and hurt then the others), "Rikki, what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Did someone hurt you?"

I really wanted to scream, "YES!" and start bursting into tears and wrap my arms around him, but I knew I couldn't. Where would I go? What would I do from there? I just wanted all of this to go away. So the only logical thing I could think to say was, "No, I just ran into my door, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Is there anything you want to talk about?" Zane had to coddle my shoulders and pulled my closer into an embrace.

I was puddy in his hands. I would have loved to just weep into his arms and him say sweet nonsense to me and give me endless kisses, but that couldn't happen.

"I have to go." I pushed him away and walked in the opposite direction of the Café and Zane.

"Wait, are you sure you're alright?" Zane called back to me.

I didn't answer back, I couldn't answer. All I did was just burst into tears. That's all I could do. That and run. I ran to a near tree that I thought was far enough away from Zane and the Café. But to my dismay it wasn't. As soon as I noticed Zane run towards me, I bolted again. This just made Zane run faster. He eventually caught up with me.

"Hey, are you ok? What's with all the running?"

That's when I lost it. I broke down right in front of him. Something I didn't want to do. He wrapped his arms around me and did say sweet nonsense to me and I was puddy in his hands.

"Hey, it's ok." He then looked at me, kissed my forehead and said, "When your ready to talk, I'll listen."

That's when I couldn't help but smile. Seriously, I have the perfect boyfriend. What boyfriend would spend the rest of the day with their girlfriend and would do anything to make them happy again? Apparently mine would and did. We went to the beach and just talked, went to the mall, and was just our usual stupid puppy dog love selves. It seemed like every second Zane would kiss me on the cheek (the non-bruised one), forehead, or better...lips. Hey, I wasn't complaining. But my good day went down the drain when it was five o'clock at night. That was when Zane asked,

"Hey, why don't we go over to your place and have a dinner and a movie date?"

"Um, why not your place?"

"Well, we could, but would you want my Dad interrupting us when we did this?" He then grabbed me and before I knew it his lips were on mine.

"Well, my Dad would do the same." I said, after our marvelous kiss. (Remind me again why I hated Zane when I first moved here?)

"I doubt it. Your Dad loves me."

"He doesn't even love me right now." I said to myself.

"What?"

"Nothing. Fine, I guess we can go to my place. Can we get the movies at your place first?"

"Sure."

Why did I just say that? Why did I say, "Yes."? I'm such an idiot.

Well, we went to Zane's house and grabbed as many DVDs we could carry (mostly chick flicks. Wow, Zane must love me!) and then we grabbed take out and headed for my house.

As soon as I caught sight of my house, I froze. I couldn't go back in the place that just this morning I ran from.

Zane noticed this and said, "What, scared to go in your own house?"

I just lied and said, "No, I'm fine."

We entered my house and I was certain my Dad would be sitting on the couch waiting for me and being furious. I looked around my entire house and noticed he wasn't there. I breathed a sigh of relief. Coast is clear. Now, I can relax.

"So, what movie first?" Zane asked, while holding up four movies, two in each hand.

I pointed to, The Notebook.

I loved the look at Zane's face. "Ugh, why did we have to pick all chick flicks?"

I went towards him placed my hands on his shoulders, said, "Because you love me and it wouldn't matter what we were doing as long as we we're together." I then kissed him to seal the deal. It worked, he went along with watching The Notebook.

We laid on my bed, which happened to have the only decent sized for a movie marathon, and just watched movie after movie. I cuddled next to Zane and knew I made the right decision in having him over. He caressed my hair until I was laying next to his chest and fell asleep.

I'm pretty sure Zane fell asleep, too.

This would have been a cute moment but the next thing that happened ruined it.

I started to hear a tapping noise on my closed bedroom door. My eyes opened and looked at the door. Nothing that I could see or hear. I quickly ignored it and went back to sleep. That was when the worst happened.

The next thing I know, a golfclub was poking through the wood of my bedroom door.

I jumped off of Zane.

"What the hell?" Zane yelled as soon as he saw it.

I knew who it was. My Dad.

"Rikki open the door!"

I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything. My throat was dry from the sudden fear of getting hurt again.

"Rikki, is that your Dad?" he asked me.

I still didn't say anything. I just starred into space, my eyes fixed on the door, which was getting worse by the minute.

Zane shook me, trying to get my attention.

I just yelled one phrase to Zane, "Get out of here Zane!"

"What?"

"GET OUT! He'll go ballistic." I said, trying to be the tough girl that I am and trying not to cry.

"Who? Your Dad?" Suddenly everything clicked for him. He looked at my bruised and wounded cheek. He grabbed my arm that had the bruise on it and looked up at my face and said, "These bruises, they weren't accidents were they?"

I didn't say anything. Just, "Zane, you have to leave." But my tears were a died give away.

By now my Dad's hand was trying to unlock and open the door from the other side (he apparently made a hole big enough to fit his hand through. Who knew he was that smart?). He succeeded. And boy, he didn't look happy.

"Rikki Chadwick, what the hell are you doing alone with this guy with the door locked? You're a tramp, that's what you are."

I couldn't do anything. I just had to sit there and take it. What choice did I have?

He looked at Zane and said, "And you. I don't want you near my daughter, you here? Get out now!"

Zane came to my defense, "I'm not going anywhere, not unless you start acting sensible."

"GET OUT NOW!"

I looked at Zane and said through tears (I'm surprised he could hear me through all the sniffling), "Zane just go. I'll be ok."

He put his hand in mine looked directly in my eyes and said, "I'm not leaving without you."

He rubbed his hand on my wounded cheek and whispered in my ear, "I love you."

I was about to kiss him, when I felt a huge jolt go through my body. My Dad had pushed me and I landed head first on the cold hard floor of my bedroom. The next thing I see is a fuzzy vision of Zane coming towards me. Then my vision became so bad to the point where I couldn't see anything at all. I could hear Zane yell my name continuously. It went from loud to soft. The next thing I know I blanked out.

I awoke still on the hardwood floor, but this time in the most excruciating pain I had ever experienced in my life. I felt like crap, and I bet I looked it. I tried to stand on both feet. I could barely stand up without falling instantly. Great, I thought to myself. I touched my stomach and just from a slight poke I felt a chilling sensation go through me. I lifted up my shirt and it revealed a big gapping bruise. I hoppled around my house in search of my father. He was asleep on the couch. Figures.

I looked at his face and back at my injuries. How could such a cold hearted man just sleep like nothing ever happened? He abused me. Didn't he care? Didn't he love me? I didn't wait to find out. I grabbed what I could in a red duffel bag I found in my closet and packed the necessities I thought I'd needed. No way was I staying here.

Sure, It'd be difficult walking to someone's house in my condition, but I'd rather live on the streets then live here.

As soon as I had everything I opened the front door. Unfortunately, our front door is the loudest, squeakiest door ever. It awoke my Dad. He realized I was running away and chased after me.

I ran as fast I could. This put some serious damage to my legs. I felt like I was stepping on hot coals and on nails in every step I took. But I didn't care, I was running away from him. Anywhere. And I looked at my red watch. It was: three in the morning. Luckily, I ran far enough in the darkness so I lost my wretched father. Now, I just need to go someplace. Anyplace.

I knew just the person that I could go see. I just wish they'd be home.

As soon as I reached the house I ran the doorbell. The lights were off in the house, that wasn't a good sign. I waited and waited. No one answered. I then ran the doorbell many times, hoping someone would answer.

I was about to walk away when I heard a gruff and harsh voice, "What? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep!?"

I turned around and as soon as he saw my face, his voice went from stern to sincere, along with his face. I swear, I think I saw tears in his eyes.

"Rikki!" he ran towards me and embraced me so tight, I began to wince in pain.

I then wept and wept, "I couldn't stay there. I just couldn't do it! I don't know where to go, what to do! I need your help!"

Zane just kept holding me in his arms and said sweet nothingness to me while I cried all over his shirt. And he didn't mind one bit.

"It'll be ok, Rikki. Everything's going to be alright."

First off I just want to say it's almost 2:30am here and I just HAD to finish this! You don't know how HARD this was to write. I was almost in tears. I just couldn't make my favorite character & couple go through something so bad as this. And if you thought this was bad...you haven't read nothing yet. Well as always vote for the next person you want for next time. Please, I know you probably want Rikki, but try to pick either Cleo or Emma. Thanks! Hope you liked it. & remember...VOTE!! & REVIEW!! Oh & listen to the song "Always" by: Jordan Pruitt...that's what I listened to write half of this story (mainly the end)...i'm SO making a video with that song. Now if u excuse me...i have to go to bed.