"Brother, help!" I yell as a few boys throw rocks at me, I curl up in the burqa my father makes me where because Allah doesn't want women to flaunt their bodies. Andres runs over to me and glares at the boys and they run off, laughing. "Thank you, brother."
"You're welcome, Jenny." He says. He picks up the water bucket and lifts it with a grunt. "I can't believe you carry this."
"I have gotten use to the weight." I sigh. We walk quietly back home to my father who will be angered at the delay, and the Andres isn't making me carry the four gallons of water. But, we walk in and see my father smiling at a man, how looks to be forty three in the least.
"So, how much do you want her for?" my father asks. Oh god, the old man wants to marry me! I gag and look up at my brother in fear. He shakes his head and walks me outside. He takes my burqa off me and I am left in shorts and a small cami, from a United States missionary. The woman bought the clothes for me and I always wear it under my burqa. He puts twigs in my hair and rubs dirt on my face.
"Follow my lead." He whispers. He walks into the room and I look at the men behind the wall, I stay hidden. "You want to marry my stupid sister?" my father looks at him in rage.
"I promise she is smart enough." My father says.
"Pfft, she is stupid, she can barely speak right, and she is stubborn." My brother talks. He winks at me and I walk in there.
"Hallo, Fafer and Andrevs." I say stupidly.
"Hello sister." Andres says, "Have you been fucking in the bushes again! How are we supposed to find a suitor who wants a cheating, lying, stupid women?" I almost cringe at his words.
"It wasn't a boy!" I argue.
"Oh, a female then?" Andres asks.
"Maybe," I whisper. The old man jumps up and says a polite good bye and leaves. My father knew we were lying the whole time and was angry.
"Andres, go get more water, Jenny has to wash the dishes and the clothes tonight as punishment." My father commands.
"Jenny, you aren't allowed inside until supper." My father says pointing to me and Andres to get out. Andres leads me out and goes to fetch water. When he is out of sight I sit down in my burqa.
"Jenny come here for a second." My Father commands. I get up and walk slowly inside. I take my burqa off and lay it on the twin bed my brother shares with me.
"Yes." I ask.
"I thought I told you to stay outside! I was talking to a suitor and you ruined it! Then you didn't follow my orders!" he yells. He slaps my face and I almost fall backwards.
Neighbor's pov: I hear shouting then screaming. I hear skin to skin and a girlish scream. There is sobbing, crying, shouting, screaming, and despair coming from the Thornton household. Not unusual, I can never interrupt. She is his daughter.
Jenny pov: When he is done I lay in a heap on the dusty ground. 'Don't tell Andres' hits the sides of my skull as it bounces in my beaten head. I groan and sob a little. I hear footsteps and the sloshing of water. I sit up and almost scream in pain, I start to randomly draw in the dust.
"Are you ok?" Andres asks.
"Yes." I croak. "I think I am going to go see Sita and Yamani." I say. I slowly stand up and bite back a sound of pain. I limp away and when I'm out of the hut I let out a tortured breath. I walk slowly to Sita and Yamani's house. I get there and Sita runs at me in tears.
"I have to get married!" she screams.
"Oh no!" I yell
"No, he is totally cute, funny, and nice." She laughs. I gasp and she hugs me. I groan in pain. "what is wrong?'
"Father beat me again." I say.
"You should run away with me and Abdul." She says.
"When he found me, he would kill me." I sigh.
"That stinks, take off your burqa, we have a new game." She says. "I invited Andres."
"Yay,"I say. She drags me into the house and ten minutes later Andres comes. Yamani, Sita, Andres, and I sit in a circle and we open the worn box. It has tigers and deer on it. Sita grabs some cards and reads from them. Soon after she reads it I feel woozy and pass out. I hope I didn't have a concussion