Her 8 Older Brothers

The Night Everything Changed

TW: Rape scene. I'll put "***" when it gets close so if you wanna skip you can.

Ariana just finished gym class and was now standing in the girl's locker room alone.

Ariana's POV:

I could shower since I'm the last one here but I don't want to risk anyone seeing my bruises. I shrug my shoulders and decide to walk home in my gym clothes. I grab my bag off the bench and begin my walk. I wish I could listen to music but my "mom" stopped paying my phone bill a month ago and then broke my phone last week during her drunk episode. It sucks having two drunks as parents but it is what it is.

Once I got home I checked the mail before entering the kitchen. I set my bag in one chair and then sit down, opening the mail. There's the credit card, water, and electric bill and then a letter addressed to me. I set it on the far end of the table. I'll let Dad open it. I lay the bills out and start figuring out a total for them. Mom always had me pay the bills for them since I'm advanced in math.

30 minutes later...

I watch Dad come in. He smells like whiskey. I watch him sit in the chair next to me and stare at me briefly before talking.

-What are you doing?

-Getting you a total for all the bills. Also, a letter came for me but I thought you could read it.

I hand him the letter. While he reads it I get a weird feeling someone's watching me. I look down at the table too afraid to look out the window.

-This bullshit.

He slams his hand on the table causing me to flinch. He throws the letter into the fire before looking at me.

-How much I owe?

-$423 for electricity, $207 for water, and $1,569 for credit. So $2208 is the total.

He grabs my arm and pulls me up out of the chair. I flinch but don't cover my face knowing that will make it worse. His hand reaches behind and smacks my ass slightly. It stung but not horrible.

-That's just a warning. Now tell me. Was it you, using my credit card?

I quickly shake my head no. He looks at me and nods. He can tell I'm telling the truth.

-Was it, Mom?

I look at him and my eyes get wide. He knows it is.

-Speak child!

I shake my head scared.

-Why won't you speak?

SMACK. That one hurt. I feel a tear roll down my face.

-If I tell she'll hurt me!

He shakes his head.

-So it was her, huh? Tell me child or you'll get a lot more swats than that.

-Yes, yes it was her!

I start crying in terror of what she'll do to me. He lets go of my arm and walks away to his room. He returns with the money needed in cash. He watches me seal it in the envelope and put it on the counter to take out tomorrow before school.

I walk over to the fridge and grab a box of garlic bread, pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. I start to bake the garlic bread after washing my hands. While it sits in the oven I run upstairs to shower and change. Once I get out of the shower I look in the mirror. There's a huge bruise on my ribs from where Dad kicked me two days ago. It's not his fault though. I deserve it. If it wasn't for me, he would've been free to have his wife and his own life. I just accept it because he at least feeds me, clothes me, and supplies me with what I need. All mom does is use me for what she wants. I change into some pajama shorts and a tank top before going back downstairs. Dad is in the living room watching the news while smoking a cigarette. I shudder. I hate those things.