My name is Avril Leon. It's pronounced lee-yohn. I'm 22 years old, and I live in Santa Monica, California. I live with my dad in a small apartment. I go to Redwood Community College, and I'm a senior. I was held back a year in kindergarten. I have pitch black curly hair down to the middle of my back, and bright blue eyes. I'm about 5'7". I don't have such a great life. My mom died when I was born, so I don't remember her at all. The only thing I have from her is a necklace that has a golden arrow on it. The arrow has some sort of ancient writing on it. My dad stopped caring about me when I was 7, so I basically have been taking care of myself since then. When I was 9, we moved to Santa Monica from Westport, Connecticut. I actually had friends when we lived there. Well, friend. When I was 11, I got a job at a smoothie bar near my house. I spent all my money on me, before my dad found it. If he found it, which happened a lot, he took it, and used it to get drunk. He would come home drunk as hell, and I would be sitting there, on the couch, doing my homework. Those were the nights he beat me. At school, I'm openly bullied, and the teachers do nothing. I almost live in the library. Reading is the only thing that helps me survive. I get sucked into another world, into another person, and forget my problems. I still work at the smoothie shop. My dad found out a couple of years ago, and started taking the money every time. So now, I buy whatever I need on the way back from the shop, and leave some money for Dad. I wear a lot of leather jackets and jeans. I always wear long sleeves to hide the bruises and scars. My upper body always takes the beatings. At school, I live in the background. I have no friends at all. Like I said, everyone hates me. But I don't give a damn. They try to make me cry. But they can't. Growing neglected, I learned to fend for myself. After being cheated too many times, I learned to trust no one. Over the years, I built up a wall around my heart. It was indestructible. It crumbled a little sometimes, but it just got built up higher and stronger. I haven't cried since I was 11, the first time my dad hit me. Outside of school, and the library, I box at a gym near my school. It took me 2 months of working overtime at the smoothie shop, but I paid for a membership there.