Frankie did not listen to her brother, Stine. Never has. And why would she? He is not the boss of her. She can do whatever she wants as long as it is not sinful. While Mom was unpacking downstairs, Frankie and I were in my new room and organizing my stuff. Frankie is quite the organizer. She gave me advice and treated my stuff with care. She said that Stine is the same and that they inherited it from their parents.

"Do not tell anybody this, but Stine is a neat freak," she admitted. "Clean is not good enough for him. It should be perfect. Everything needs to be where it belongs. He sometimes comes in my room and reorganizes."

"I am sure that is annoying," I said.

"You do not know the half of it."

We were on the floor and going through a small box. It contained my jewelry and socks. I was thankful to have help and a conversation with an actual person. I talk to my stuffed animals when I am alone. Since the divorce, I have distanced myself from Mom. I do not blame her. In fact, I am happy about the divorce. We are free from the person that is my father.

My dad is the worst being that I have ever dealt with. A monster. Worse than the bullies at my old school. How I hate him. I have hated him since that I was a toddler. He was abusive. Not physically. Emotionally. I avoided home as much as possible. I would take a walk or hang out at a store or a restaurant. So many times that I was thinking of running away. I felt guilty leaving my mom alone with that monster, but I did not want to be yelled at. I would get yelled at by my dad for little things. Like a bad grade. Or not being smart enough.

I thought that he would not let us go. He loved making us miserable. I always saw it in his eyes. I do not know why Mom married him. I am just so relieved that he is behind us. I was shocked that he signed the papers. He said that we were too much trouble. I wanted to smack his face right then and there.

"Sorry for asking about your dad," Frankie said sadly.

I put on a small smile. "The only person who should be sorry is him, not you."

She gripped the edge of said box. "Would you like your mother to date another man? It would not be weird for you, would it?"

"It would be weird at first, but I would not be bothered by a new man in my life. As long as he loves us."

She took out a bag of bracelets. "Did you move because of the divorce?"

"One of the reasons. The other is for a new start. A new chapter. I hated my old school. The teachers could care less about the students. My classmates bullied me. And most of the girls were pregnant."

Her eyes went wide. "How terrible."

Frankie was as tall as me. She was a curious being. She could not stop complimenting my stuff. She oohed and aahed and...sniffed my things. I do not know why. And I do not think that I want to. But I appreciated her. She and I could be good friends.

Frankie was the female version of her brother. She had pale skin and purple-rimmed glasses. She was wearing a dark purple, short-sleeved shirt with matching slacks and white sneakers. Her long, brown hair was tied into ponytails. She was darling with ponytails!

I pointed at the white cat on her shirt. "He is adorable. I love cats. I love animals in general."

She looked at her shirt before looking back at me. "Oh. Thank you. I love animals too."

I pulled out a picture frame. "Who does not love them? They are amazing." I gazed at the photo - and my heart sank. It was my dad. A picture of the monster. "H-how did this get in here? It is not supposed to be in here."

"What is it, Nikki? What is wrong?"

I did not answer her and gritted my teeth. I got up and dropped the frame. Anger was building up inside me. I could not stop it. I could not hold it in. I wished that he paid. I wished that he was in prison or better yet, dead. My father got away with the abuse. He may be abusing another family. I hope not. He needed to pay.

I told Frankie to stay and hurried past her. She asked if she did something to tick me off. I did not respond and rushed downstairs. I went in the kitchen and grasped a hammer. It belonged to my dad. I rushed back upstairs and into my room. I dropped to my knees, held up said hammer - and smashed the frame. I wanted nothing to do with him. I smashed and smashed until I relaxed.

Frankie scooted away and was shaking. "N-Nikki?"

I faced her and dropped the hammer. "Sorry if I scared you...but it had to be done." I quickly emptied said box and threw in the broken frame. "I am taking this out to the trash."

She peered in the box. "Is he...?" Her voice trailed off.

I nodded and picked up the box. "I will return."

"I can take it if you want."

"I need to do this. It will make me feel better."

Seconds later, I was on the front lawn. I tossed the box down and grabbed the frame. I said goodbye to my dad and threw it in the trash bag. I wiped off my hands and was about to return to the house. I gasped and grabbed at my hair. Something had hit the back of my head.

I turned around - and spotted a glass case.