Alec"You think this isn't hard for me?" Chris runs his fingers through his hair."I didn't say that." I grit my teeth, my ears ring with annoyance.I slam my hands on the table, snapping everyone's attention back to me. "Even if she's happier gone, did you guys forget that she was almost taken a few weeks ago?"I can almost see her small body fighting off her attempted kidnapper. If he would've overtaken her I swear I would've shot him right then and there."So you think she's in danger?" Chris grits his teeth."I'm saying I don't know what kind of trouble she's in!" I want to yell at everyone, telling them to search until the bottoms of their feet are rubbing off."I have something you need to see!" Bee and Rea bust through the door. I watch as Rea slightly glances at Connor before pushing her long hair out of her face.I stand to my feet, glancing at everyone at the table before leaving with the two girls. My heart races in my chest as we enter the security room."So... you're not
Temperance My eyes flutter open. The cold, hard surface against my back reminds me that I am still in the living room. My head buzzes from nausea rising in my throat. I shakily stand, every nerve failing my efforts. I feel pain all over. My body wobbles on the spot, almost collapsing. The stinging sensation in my chest increases with every breath I take. Perhaps my stomach suffered another internal bleeding. Memories from last night fill my mind as I shrink in my position, feeling the shivers upon my barely covered body. Every slap, punch, and kick crashes back engulfing me in sorrow. Is it worth having his daughter raped? All for the drugs that didn’t do him any good? Everything hurts so bad that I have to limp to my room. Jolts of numbing pain hit my lower stomach with each step I take. I bite my lip, forcing the flashbacks of that unknown man's brutal force to disappear. I'm not okay at all. My emotions have become stagnant. The battle I fight has blurred. Whil
Temperance I used to think I would be okay if I acted like everything was okay. But the truth is, it didn't work. I tried it for seven years. Since I was barely ten. It was a few months after my mother's death. I am always blamed for her death as I was in the car with her. I tiptoe to my house. My shoes skim the sidewalk. I don't want to see what's going on in my own house. Even though I've always known what's going on in there.I stand in front of the small house. My house. Our family had a large house. One that may belong to a Millionaire. We were millionaires. I frown. That ended long ago. Everything was perfect until my mother's death. I got a few thousand. Unfortunately, I can't access it till I turn eighteen, which shouldn't be long as I'm past seventeen at present. Most of the funds went to charities. And another larger share, of course, went to father. He eventually blew all his money doing drugs and alcohol. At that time, we could not afford the bills for the h
Temperance I sit in the back of the class again. Everything is worse today, worse than the other day. I haven't been to school in three days. I keep checking to make sure my hair covers the burn I have by my ear. "Woah, are you ok? You look sick." I hear Alec. "Do you have any Advil or literally any medicine?" I ask him in my raspy voice. I originally didn't wish to talk to him, and still don't, but if he has medicine, then it would be worth speaking a few words to this handsome guy. He is a dangerous bully... Well, I don't really know about him being a bully. I have never witnessed him bully someone. But everyone says that he is in a gang. Everyone says he isn't afraid to beat anyone to a pulp if you mess with him. So I really shouldn't be talking to him, but I really need some medicine at this moment. He digs in his backpack and drops two pills from a pill bottle onto my hand. I grab my water bottle and plop the pills into my mouth. With one sip, they are gone. "Why
TemperanceSo warm and comfy. I snuggle deeper into the sheets. And that's when I realize it. I'm not in my room. I immediately sit up, scanning the room I am in.I am sitting up in an unfamiliar room, on a king-size bed. Alec sits at the end of the bed that's presumably his, looking at his phone. I checked myself. I am wearing an oversized black t-shirt and shorts. I'm not in the clothes I wore when I got to school. Meaning... Alec saw everything on my body. I immediately freak out. Alec looks at me, watching my facial expressions. He forms a weak smile on his face. "Hey." His voice is soft. "Hey," I answer, trying to stay calm, but my heart is beating a million miles an hour. He moves closer to me and gets under the covers with me, like a weirdo, and sits beside me.I inch back from the stranger that has kidnapped me. "I put my number in your phone. In case you need help." He informs me. I nod, staying silent, not knowing what to say. "I didn't dress you." He a
Temperance I'm falling. Waiting for someone I barely know to catch me. To my surprise, he does with a grunt from impact. "We need to l-leave," I tell him. I get out of his arms, ignoring my dad's screams. I open the passenger door, placing myself in the seat as he runs around to the driver's seat. "What was that?" He asks, concerned about the new wounds covering my face. I sigh and lean my head back in the seat. "Just drive," I respond. He starts driving down the road, and I relax. "You better start talking before I take you back there." He threatens, bringing himself back to an asshole. I look at him in fear. He wouldn't... would he? I don't know what to tell him. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I'm abused and raped a lot. But that's okay. No, I can't tell him that. So I make up a lie. “See... I was about to get grounded. So I ran out of the window. Because I didn't want to be grounded." I know my lie didn't sound believable. It is obvious it is far from true.
TemperanceI sit in the car with the five boys, the bulletproof vest Alec made me wear is making me feel claustrophobic. While Connor drives, Alec is in the passenger seat. Zander and Ethan are sitting on either side of me with Damien in the back. Alec and Connor are having their own conversation in the front while me and the boys have ours in the back. Although it’s mostly just them talking and me listening I still find it comforting. After about thirty minutes of driving in the dark Connor stops the car. Everyone gets out of the car with their guns and I follow blindly like a lamb to its slaughter. If I am being fully honest I would tell you I'm scared. But I'm a liar so I'll say I'm brave. "If anything goes south shoot to kill. And Flower. Remember what I told you."He refers to me staying beside him or Zander. I nod, the nickname of flower still irking me. Alec leans closer to me and whispers in my ear, "Stop trembling. I won't let anything happen to you." I didn't even rea
Temperance"Mommy, where are you?" I call around for her. The car is flipped over, and I am hanging upside down. The only thing holding me in is my seatbelt—the seatbelt cuts into my legs and shoulders.There is fire all around me, and I am sobbing. "MAMMA!!" I shriek again as I hear sirens coming closer with each second. Still no answer. "There's a woman and a little girl in there!" I hear people frantically shouting. Strangers in suits are desperately digging in the car. One man pulls me out leaving my mom in there. "Get momma out! Get momma! What about mom?" Snot runs down my face as I scream and hit the man carrying me away."MOM!!" I sobbed. I don't know why she isn't out of the car. Until I spot it. There is a piece of glass from the window shield stuck in her neck. She is bleeding out everywhere.Even my young mind can comprehend that she’s dead. I wake up to Alec shaking me. My body is covered in cold, sticky sweat. My body violently shakes as my stomach churns. Tears run d