Dusk till Dawn

Chapter 2

I woke up to the sound of my alarm and turned it off. I know the whole purpose of having an alarm is to get up but I just laid back down and stayed there. Just a few more minutes I told myself. As I try to get the ringing out of my head from last nights argument. You see my mom and her boyfriend Chris have been getting into a lot of arguments since he moved in two months ago. And ever since he moved in my mom has changed. She's been more distant towards me and could honestly care less about how I'm doing as long as her precious Chris is okay and well. I'm kicked out of my thoughts from my phone buzzing. I look at it and see its a message from Katie saying they are on their way over. Ever since Chris moved in I was basically forced to walk to and from school, but luckily Katie and John drive by my house to get to school so they have been letting me catch a ride with them.

I finally had the motivation to drag myself out of bed and get ready. I head to the bathroom and do my business before heading back into my room and grabbing my clothes. I decided today I would wear just a plain pair of Nike leggings and a white oversized hoodie. I threw my hair up in a messy bun and grabbed my bag and phone.

Heading downstairs I was greeted with the smell of bacon and beer. "Good morning mom." I say even though she's too busy rolling Chris' cigarettes. "And what about me you ungrateful shit?" Chris says. "Honey leave her alone she needs to go to school or shell be late." My mom says handing him a cigarette. "No Theresa your daughter needs to understand that I live here too and she will start to fucking respect me!" He says raising his voice at my mom. "Your right babe she needs to resect you more, but can you please calm down? I don't want her going to school with bruises." My mom says. "Are you fucking kidding me that's the problem with kids these days they think-..." I cut him off. "Can you guys please not fight right now I'm about to go and I don't want anyone to hear this." I say in the politest way possible. "What the fuck did you just say? Huh! You fucking piece of-!" He slaps me across my face. a burning, stinging sensation jolts through my cheek. "Chris that's enough! Now she has to go to school with fucking bruise! Couldn't you at least wait until she got home for christ sake?!" My mother says as I hold my cheek tears brimming my eyes. "Really you take his side? I'm your child! Whatever happened to you I don't like it! I hate this shit!" I shout leaving the house slamming the front door. Tears start to roll down my cheeks as the burning on my face grows more intense. The front door swings open revealing a very angry Chris. "Don't you ever fucking slam the door again you fucking bitch you don't pay the fucking rent!" He says and slams the front door. I cry hard as I see John's car pull up. Katie and John are sitting in the front seats and Katie rolls down her window. "Get in and well talk about it if you want to of course." She says seriously as John unlocks the car. I get in and he hands me a bottle of Tylenol because I always have a headache. "Sarah what happened babes?" Katie asks. I just out the window and try to dry my tears before we arrive at school.

Once we get to the school I head straight in without saying anything to anyone. I know sure as hell that this slap will leave a mark. I can feel it and Katie mentioned multiple times how dark the mark was and if I was okay. I just hope Mr. Hemmings doesn't start questioning. He can get kind of nosy sometimes. He already suspects something is going on at home. This is just evidence to back up his theory and that would be more shit on my ass. I head to my locker and get my stuff ready for my morning classes when someone walks up behind me. "Hey Sarah here. Katie wanted me to give this to you." John says handing me an icepack. "Where worried about you Sarah. If you need help just tell us we can help you." He says his crystal blue eyes filled with sadness, worry and fear. "I don't need help. Everyone has their lash out days and today just so happens to be one of them." I say. He stares at me "Lash out days shouldn't be everyday. And on top of that a smart person wouldn't take it out on a minor. Wouldn't take it out on anyone for that fact." He says. I sigh deeply. "Look John its none of your business okay? It's just some family shit I'm dealing with. Don't worry about me I can take care of the issue myself." I say firmly. He looks at me taken aback. He then sighs. "If this happens again I'm reporting it. Not to harm you but to help you. I don't want to see my best friend get used as a mental, physical and emotional punching bag." He says just as the first bell rings. "I gotta go." I say and walk away leaving him there.

The whole day was filled with people giving me looks and whispering to each other. I had a few teachers pull me aside and ask if I'm alright and if there was something they should know. I hate it. Why does it have to be me. better yet why does anybody have to go through this shit. Luckily Mr. Hemmings wasn't there today. The sub said that Mr. Hemmings wasn't felling to well and he might not be back for a while. Which I was kind of sad about but at the same time grateful.

After school instead of hitching a ride with John and Katie I decided to walk home. It was a bit chilly but nothing too bad. The wind would breeze right to my face as the sun started setting. I felt a droplet hit my face at first thinking it was a tear I soon came to realize it was rain. "Fucking hell!" I say to myself as I pull up my hoodie.

I finally make it back to my house. I don't see Chris's car in the driveway which tells me he went off somewhere. I unlock the door with my key and I head inside. My mother who is making food humming along happily greets me. "Hello honey how was school?" She asks cutting veggies. "It was okay I guess." I say taking off my shoes. She nods and continues cutting. "That's good honey do you have any homework?" She asks. I shake my head. "No I finished all the in class work and since its a Friday I don't have any to do." I say. She nods again putting the veggies in the pot of boiling water. As she turns to face towards me I see a cut on her face. "Mom what happened? Let me go get the first aid kit." I says. She grabs my shoulder lightly and shakes her head. "No dear don't worry it doesn't hurt much. Just a scratch." She says in an assuring way. "Mom that is not just a scratch that's a whole ass cut. Let me clean it for you please." I say watching her shake her head. "I cleaned it earlier. Anyways Chris left the house for the night hell be back tomorrow so its just me and you tonight." She says. I sigh. "So what's for dinner?" I ask. "Beef stew. I wanted to try something different." She says and I nod. "Go wash up and change please." She says. I nod and go to the bathroom.

After getting freshened up I notice the very noticeable bruise on my face. "Wow and I was more worried about the cut on her face." I say to myself poking my bruise. "Sarah dinner is ready!" She shouts up the stairs. "Coming!" I say running downstairs to the dinner table. My mom sets the table and puts the pot of delicious smelling beef stew in the center. "Here honey I hope its to your liking." She says. She watches me use the ladle to pour soup into my bowl. "Do you want some milk?" She asks. I nod. "I can get it myself though." I say standing up. "No no sit down. I'll do it" She says. She comes back with a glass of milk and hands it to me smiling. "Okay what is actually going on?" I ask my mom who is now seated on the opposite side of the table scooping come soup into her bowl. "Well you see dear I have some exciting news for you." She says. I nod and tell her to go on. "So me and Chris are getting married!" She says excitedly. "I'm sorry what?!?!?!" I say almost choking on my food. "Me and Chris went to lunch today and he proposed. Your gonna have that father figure back in your life. Isn't this wonderful well be a family again." She says optimistic. "I think I'm full and tired. Thank you for the food but I'm gonna go to bed." I say as I get up. I take care of my dishes and head to my room not taking a second to look back at my mother. I mean how could she?!