Zeta's POV

Emerson's face flushed red as she cleared her throat and sat back in her seat. I held back a giggle, "Yeah, I got his phone number!" I whisper-shouted.

She made this weird happy face, "You guys are going to start dating and get married and have two kids named Ada and Kadan." I snorted, Nice names...

"But don't have sex too soon," she continued "that's when things get complicated and confusing... Not that I'd know..." I raised my eyebrow in disbelief "What? I don't! Anyway, little piece of advise..." she motioned me closer "love isn't a fight... but it's something worth fighting for..."

She literally just read the sticker she had on her binder.

I put my hand over my heart all dramatic-like, "Damn, Emerson... that's deep... but cringey af." I wipe an invisible tear away and we chortled. The teacher cleared her throat really loudly, "Are you girls done?" I quickly begin writing, "Yes, sorry Mrs. Thompson." She rolled her eyes and went back to her Sudoku.

~•♥•~

I took a deep breath and looked up as sweat beaded down my forehead, I did a loud sigh of relief as I finished the cut. My wrists were bleeding so badly from how many cuts were on my left arm. I took off all the bandages and decided to just wrap my whole arm.

It always feels better after a fresh cut. The blood soothes me.

I took a hit from my vape pen. I had stolen a bunch of stuff from my parents: a bong, weed, vapes, vodka anything I could find really.

At first, it was out of curiosity, but then over time I realized it made me feel better and felt good.

I threw everything away, rinsed off the knife, and went into my room to pick out my outfit for tomorrow. I open my closet and sort threw everything. Eventually I resolved in a white-hearted black sweater with silver flats, light-ripped blue jeans and I choose to have my hair wavy. Setting the outfit on my vanity, I asked myself Why do I even care?

Why was I trying to look good when no one liked me anyway. It didn't make any difference what I looked like! I would never be accepted! This world is full of billions of people, and I'm just an unlucky piece of baggage everyone needs to put up with.

I snapped myself out of it by taking another hit followed by a shot. I sigh of relief.

After my homework was finished, I sit on the couch and turn on Once Upon a Time. Not even ten minutes in, my parents come home. Both of my parents work. They kick me out of the living room and off into the kitchen to do chores. I seriously feel like Cinderella! Except for the pretty face and Fairy Godmother...

I say a prayer and start on the dishes; we have like, a mountain of them! The water sprinted down my arm, and through my wrap. I wince in pain as it began stinging worse than a bee's. But the pain feels really good.

Shaking my head and holding back tears I finished my work. I legit feel like a slave... that's all I have to say about it. My life is just one big punching bag and everyone's lined up to give me their worst.

I'm seriously over it. It's time I do something about it. But do I have the courage? What would I even do? How can I make a statement without getting beaten afterwards?

Suddenly, a rush of adrenaline flows throughout my body and I feel possessed or high or something as I slam a plate on the floor, shattering it into nothing but scattered pieces that look like snowflakes. My mom and dad rush up to me and look at me like I just murdered the president.

Oh shit... what did I just do?

"What the hell happened!?" my father exclaimed.

"I d-dropped the plate." I began frantically picking up as many of the fragments as I could, but I was going too quickly so I sliced my finger. I grimaced in pain...again.

But my vision tunneled on the blood and I stopped to watch it race down my finger and fall on the floor. I hide my grin.

"Don't be such a baby," commanded my mother "Woman up!"

I bite my lip and nodded as I threw it all in the trash and bandaged my finger. C'mon Zeta! You can do this! I storm out of the bathroom and up to my parents, "I'm tired of being your maid!"

"What?"

"I can't relax for five minutes without you guys bugging me or complaining about how horrible I am!"

"What!?"

"And I know you two don't love me... and you never have!"

"WHAT!?"

I had so much more that I wanted to say, but my dad had never spoken to me like that. His eyebrows were furrowed deeper than the sea and his face was as red as a fire truck. He took a step closer to me, "We buy you clothes..." yeah, when I was in eighth grade! "we put food in your fucking mouth!" he was face-to-face with me now "And I will not tolerate with your bullshit!" then he hit me.

I fell to the floor. Little pieces of the plate stuck to my hands. I slowly lift them up to get a better look and the red freckles of blood on my palms. My hands are shaking. But after what I said, there was no turning back.

Now everywhere in my entire body stung like hell. I grabbed my face, but he didn't stop there. He kept hitting me and hitting me and then started punching me.

"You know what your punishment is!" he hollered.

"No! No, please!"

But he didn't listen, and my mother just stood there and watched like it was nothing. This was the routine. This was their normal.

I screamed and cried. I tried to crawl away, but he just ignored it and he raped me.

~•♥•~

Jax's POV

My older brother, Josh handed me a slice of pizza, "Thanks dude," I say, not taking my eyes off my video games. "No prob. Lemme join!" I groan, "I'm almost done with the level!"

Then my little sister, Anastasia, stomped in front of the television, "Stop it with your baby games and let me watch My Little Pony!" I try to look behind her, but I couldn't see, "Move!" but the game played the tune indicating that I died. "Thanks a lot! But, you know what? I forgive you since you're adorable."

I squeeze her cheeks, and she smiles, but then stops, "Mommy said it was my turn!" Just then my mother came in with a bag of groceries, "No, I said that you could have a turn after the boys were done!"

I paused my game and stand up, "Hi mom," I give her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you Jax?" I shrug and the four of us start putting the food away. "When's daddy coming home?" Stasia asked. "I'm not sure, honey." My mom replied, rubbing her forehead. "I'll go get you some Advil." Josh whispered and ran up the stairs.

"We're having the Henersons over this Friday for dinner." my mom said, putting the last can of soup cupboard. I groan, "No!" their daughter, Elizabeth has a huge crush on me and won't stay out of my room and crap. "I know you don't like Liza, but Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are close friends and... well, it's an adult thing." I chuckle, "Mom, I'm almost eighteen." She hugs me, "Quit reminding me..." I hug her back "...my baby's growing up!" I release, "Mom!" we laugh together.

I trudge up to my room and get my night clothes and everything else I need for my shower, but before I could get in my phone rings.

"Hello?"

"J-J-Jax?"

"Zet? Is that you?"

"Y-Yeah, I just need someone to talk to."

"What happened. You sound like you saw a ghost..."

"Are you busy?"

"No, not really. I was-"

"I can't talk over the phone! Meet me outside, please!"

"You're at my house?"

"No, I'm not a freak! At the park, hurry before it gets too dark."

"Alright, be there in ten."

"Thanks... I just don't know who else to call..."

"No problem, Zeta," I almost hung up but she exclaimed, "AND don't tell anyone!"

Something makes me shiver, "A-Alright, bye."

"Bye,"

Wonder what this whole thing's about...

~•♥•~