He left me standing there in the bathroom covering myself shying away from him. The moment he got out I dashed out hurryingly scared he might come back. I swiftly searched for clothes I could wear that could hide my whole scars. I wore the clothes so fast scared of what he might do if I were to be late, without applying lotion. I winced from time to time but I had to suck it up. I packed my books and left the room, as it was already seventeen minutes after.
‘Yes I was smart but still fragile’
"Maxine...let’s go!" Michael shouted in the sitting room demandingly.
‘It’s only been eighteen minutes. Does he even know time?’
"I'm here" I came running out of breath fearing the worst.
For some reason my body was starting to heal, I could feel my hurt lessening. I was glad I did not want my mother finding out nor Michael, I'm sure he would beat me just for that.
"You two are getting along very well, I should leave you both more often" my mother chimed fake smiling at Michael and not acknowledging me. It was a smile I have grown to dismiss. She herself wasn’t happy. I don’t know why she stayed with him this long, I guess she needed validation.
In my time during my father’s absence, I was left alone. Well not literary but I had no one to confide in and no one to groom me. No one to tell me what’s what. As I grew I learned a lot of things about people, especially my mother. She was stubborn to the point that she couldn’t tell if someone was hurting. She was so oblivious and thick headed she thought her way was the way. She said she didn’t have time, her worries for work were enough for her to be worried about me.
In this instance I learned that people especially the ones around us are the life we live. Whatever life one lives, someone has lived it somewhere, and if you look close enough you could tell their mistakes and achievements. As I grew I looked at my mother’s life, at that moment not just hers, her boyfriend, anyone actually whom I came in contact with. I analyzed their life like a puzzle. As I did I learned to shape my own life. By looking at them I finally dictated how I wanted my life to go. It wasn’t easy but I told myself only ignorant people don’t see what’s right in front of them. I got to see things people didn’t see, even their path to a downfall. And me staying where I wasn’t wanted was definitely going to be my downfall. As I looked at my mother I wondered what she was thinking about allowing Michael to stay. I mean he has beaten her more than her parents did I’m sure.
‘Do some people think before they do something or they just dive in and then cry later expecting we sympathize with them? It was pathetic really’ I wondered as I looked at my mother’s unhappiness hating every moment of it.
‘It was my torment too’
Yes I wasn’t perfect and I made my fair share of mistakes, I was still young and learning but I owned them, I stood up to them, I fixed them. I always dreamt of a better version of me, and every day I was fighting for that person to win.
‘I mean life is clear. Do not expect to be happy or succeed at someone’s expense. I mean people do them, what pleases them. Just as Michael is. So if she chooses to torture herself, well she is bound to be unhappy, and she shouldn’t blame anyone for her choices; and definitely do not expect others to put themselves in her shoes or put her first, because I mean she chose this guy. He was clearly the biggest mistake she had ever made, and she thinks I’m the biggest mistake. Such mediocre wisdom she’s got. Mother is just too stubborn to realize what is important. Her, and me. I mean I am dying here! This man of yours is doing unspeakable things to me’ I thought about to cry. I wanted to yell at her, scream at her stubborn mind, but I thought it was no use.
I turned and looked at them both. I wanted to cry, get out of their grip but I was still young.
‘Even if I run, where will I go, where will I sleep, what will I eat?’ I internally cried.
‘He might kill me if I do, worse kill us both’ I looked at Michael.
I mean my mother thinks its punishment for falling in love with my father that she got Michael.
‘Woman you let this nigga stay, nobody forced you. We are suffering because of a choice you made’ I have never boiled up this much. I wanted to run and never look back. Haul out to the moon and die if I had to live another day with them.
“Let’s go” Michael muttered making me hiss at the pain in my hand he was causing. I wanted to scream at her, cry out for help or better yet hit her to get her senses back, but the look I got from Michael when he saw my hesitation for leaving told me otherwise.
"She is obedient now" Michael stated as my mother went up to kiss Michael who was holding my hand a little too hard ready to drag me out of the house.
'You both deserve each other' hate was starting to embrace me, I felt nothing but disgust and resentment. I wanted nothing but my father back.
We went out together with him still holding my hand roughly but when we got outside he retrieved his hand from me like I was a plague, he wiped it on my hoody and left to get into his car.
I wanted to cry, I felt too much at that time but held my composure; got into the car with him and sat like a lost puppy looking out in the window. I had my hoody fastened tight on me and the hat around my head hiding the lump on it. My face was ok; you could not tell that I had a blue eye and luckily I wasn’t that much beaten
'Or was I? I don't know'.
Michael drove in silence, when we reached my school he locked the doors and turned his gaze deadly to me.
'Please, please, not right now!' I prayed begging as I thinking of the worst but to my surprise he just shrugged his shoulders and got really close to my face in a threatening manner.
"If you tell anyone what happened I will leave your mother and kill you, no one will ever find or look for your body. Your mother will be so miserable she will hate you even in your dead state" he warned harshly brushing the strands of my hair deceitfully.
I cringed a bit as I nodded and got out of the car a bit hasty the moment he freed me, ready to at least enjoy the day especially with my favorite teacher Miss Johnson.
"Miss Johnson is gone!" I heard one of my classmates whistle walking passing them.
The moment those words hit me I felt like crying so badly and call out to my father to save me, but he wasn’t there and I hated that I hated him, I hated that he wasn’t around to save me from Michael. It was like he totally forgot about us about me.
I composed myself. I did not want my friends asking and spreading stories about Michael that could kill me, and him leaving my mother lonely.
'Who is going to be my friend now, who will I talk to' tears threatened to escapde my eyes.
I rushed and whipped them away before people started asking why I was crying. I turned around and saw Michael's car still on the driveway, I felt a pang of detest and terror as I saw him raising his hand waving goodbye like a loving father. I waved back scared of what he might do back at home or to me now if I didn't. I turned around looking at the school ready to be away from him. I shook my head removing all bad thoughts and mastered a smile as my friends approached me with smiles and giggles. I quivered as I thought about the life ahead of me, the life with Michael and mother and without Miss Johnson and my father. The only people who at least cared. She was gone, I hated it, and I hated her too for leaving me like my father did, she did not even say. At this time I decided to try and forget, act like I enjoyed spending time with my friends.
After months of silence, Michael invaded me again, taking advantage of the fact that he was in charge of me now. He would harass me four or five times a year.
Until one good day after four long years of suffering from Michael, new athletics were introduced at my school. It was like God had heard my prayers. I had always wanted to fight Michael off but I was weak and inexperienced. The school introduced karate, and I jumped at the opportunity. I was fifteen but ready to take on the world hence forth today after a long year I am a black belt. Of course my mother and Michael didn't know about my sport. I mean they were so self-engrossed they didn't care if I came back home or not. I would sometimes sleep at my friends place after practice just to run away from Michael and not to deal with my mother.
PRESENT DAY.... "Could this day life get any better" I muttered to myself waiting for slumber to take me. I sat up. Huffing I looked around. I needed something that could distract my mind. The emotions I was going through were too heavy on me. I wanted to curl up and die, a day just so I forget. Instead, my mind went on a race of its own. I’m troubled. Can you tell? I hide it so well, I smile my mind run miles,
ONE YEAR AGO: THE DREAM...I came back home from school and found that my mother had gone to work for a night shift. I found myself left with Michael again. It was unpleasant but I had to deal with it. I got inside the house late that day. It was a known too well routine for me but Michael didn't find it soothing at all, actually he got enraged when he didn't see me around."Where have you been?" he asked clearly agitated the moment I got inside the house like he had been waiting for me.'Talk about a typical pedophile creep' I rolled my eyes as I dismissed his outrage.I had found peace in knowing that I will be better and strong one day. I mean I was used to ignoring him and him getting furious and ending up doing nothing. Of course he could have done something but I wouldn't let him. As soon as I reached
I punched him on his stomach again and his side face so fast he didn't get the chance to fathom what was happening. All the time when I was hitting him I didn't say anything; it was like everything stood still. It was like I was doing a task I was supposed to do with no time left but with care and deadline. I was calm but fierce, and it scared Michael to the core but he was still fighting to get a chance to pounce on me back. Sadly, it didn't happen. And yes I still had him held up like and dangling mice. He showed loathing that it seemed like nothing was hurting me anymore, I could sense his agitation. He tried hitting me but it was like he was hitting a punching bag, like literary I couldn’t feel a thing, I just saw him wincing at his hand it might have broken or something. I looked at him dead in the eyes, I felt his soul being threatened like he was scared of death, he shivered. Unaware and unsatisfied I tossed him like an exercise book across the
A Year Ago: Redland Palace "Maya Angelo Johnson, your father expects you continue his legacy. And how are you going do that if you do not undergo our tradition and marry?" her mother commanded in a high queen's voice. "Mother, I mean high queen I shall and will not marry without my heart’s desire" she exclaimed tensely hating every minute of being around her family. I mean all, even the people of Redland demanded she marry. From that point on she saw that she couldn’t have a life of her own. She left her mother on the throne and demanded Jessica to watch over her mother as she packed her things to leave. As she was leaving her sister followed her with her own bag of clothes. "I am not staying behind this time alone, I mean they will practical
I rushed into the shower, took a bath and was out in ten minutes. I gave myself one last look in the mirror, and was pleased with myself.'Well my panic of school must have calmed me down' I looked at my eyes that were back to normal.‘Call it whatever you want Maya’ my inner self chimed out of nowhere.‘Shut up!’ I demanded a bit harshly."Oh my.... did you bath?" Andrea startled me whistle leaning on my bed."Jesus! Andy!......what are you doing here" jumping with hysteria I questioned. Deciding to ignore her presence I moved about dressing up like a crazy child ready for a day out at the fun fair, whiles pacing around the room gathering my things for school. I ignored her presence and finished all I needed to do.My sister looked at me like I was crazy.'What is up with her?' she pondered as she studied me, and checking the time on her phone.‘You know we are tied together right!’&
"I'm sorry sis" I muttered with a soft voice deciding to apologize but with detachment, I was still taken by that somebody.I turned my gaze back to where I was looking, Andrea noticing my reactions and detachment followed my gaze troubled as to what had drawn my mind into hurting her."Who is that?" and she was suddenly drawn too. My sister spoke softly into my ear, which caused me to jump and cause a little bit of a squeal and commotion.I regained my composure realizing a lot of students were looking at us now."Shit....... don't do that!" although I returned my gaze to where I had been looking.I don’t know why but I just had to look at him. There was something about him I couldn’t put a finger on."I don’t like boys but damn him......." I head Andrea cry out in want. Realizing I probably looked creepy looking at him this much I tried regaining my strength and posture.Although after registering what she just sai
Andrea's P.O.VI maneuvered through the students making my way to the secretary after being left by my sister with my head faced down."Bang""Damn, shit! shit! shit!" I swore as my head met something strong, giving a slight dizzy head."Fuck! Can you watch where you are going? Oh! It’s you. Does any of you guys have a problem of bumping into people!" a husky yet soft voice said agitatedly with sarcasm chuckling at me.I looked up and my eyes couldn't believe it.'It's him'.'My word is he hot'I gawked eye fucking him. The boy in front of me shifted his gaze nervously, hating being analyzed I’m sure. He cleared his throat distracting me from my thoughts. He studied my gaze and chuckled as he realized I wasn't just analyzing but eye fucking him too, well I could tell by his reactions but other than that I couldn’t read him clearly. He was a closed case, so reserved and calm, too calm. I chuckl
Mayas P.O.V "Miss Johnson I presume?" "Umm yes and you're?" I asked a little agitated by the sudden halt. "The name is Pierre Hudson mam" he formally extended his hand. 'Such formality, it reminds me of my home days, I hate it!' I looked at his hand and decided to shake it, although I hated shaking people's hands. I mean who knows where they had been. "Hi! How can I help you?" I tried to get rid of him. I hated small talks, especially old small talks; it made me sound like an old loner with thousand cats. "Forgive me but I just wanted to introduce myself, I couldn't help but realize how good looking you’re" he showed confidence and hope. 'Did he just stop me because I’m beautiful, seriously it’s my first day and this happens? Such an idiotic idea and first impression.' "Pardon me I'm late for my first class, although I will say thank you for the complement, you’re very kind and it's even my first day" I