A/n:
Hi, I changed somethings here and I wanted to let you know, I changed it from romance to teen fic and I changed somethings in the description as well, thanks for reading...

"Mitchie sweetie come give mama a hug"

"And give your father his usual kiss"

I gasped at the people talking to me, they were mother and father, only they weren't mother and father.

Their necks were broken, making their head loll over to the side and their skin was purple with bruises and pale like death.
Their faces were cut up, from one ear, through the mouth to the other ear, making it look like they were permanently smiling.

I shivered as they came closer to me.
"You left us Mitchell"
Dad accused.

"Why did you leave me alone"
I yelled back, tears were spilling from my eyes.

Then suddenly, blood started to flow from their own eyes, slowly at first, then they started laughing and it was flowing faster, flooding the room.

I tried to run away, their loud laughter haunting me but I slipped and I was suddenly transferred to my eight year old body.

I couldn't fight the current of blood, I couldn't fight it and I was soon under it.

The blood pushed into my nostrils, flowing into my lungs.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe.
I was being chocked from the inside, my lungs were burning.

I couldn't get out.

"Mitchie"
My mother sing songed.

"Mitchie darling"

Then sudden her face transformed into a butchered, unrecognizable form and she yelled
"MITCHIE!"

I started gasping for air as I looked around my surroundings.

I wasn't in the small corner of my cell, I was in my room, surrounded by aunt Layla's family.

I collapsed on the sweat drenched bed, refusing to close my eyes for fear of the dream repeating itself.

"You should have left her to rot in that mad house"
The harsh voice that belonged to aunt Layla's husband said, before slamming the door.

I didn't even realize when aunt Layla ushered everybody out, leaving only me and her.

She collapsed onto my bed and started sobbing, like a child.

I didn't know why she was crying, I was the one who had the dream, not her.

"I miss her so much, she always knew how to handle things better"
She cried out, between sobs.

I knew very well who she was talking about but I didn't respond.......... How could I? When I barely knew the woman myself.

..........

"Christmas will come soon and mama's gonna buy me a new princess sparkle doll"
Maya chirped, while braiding my hair or rather tangling it.

"Good"
I said, not knowing what else to say, I hadn't celebrated Christmas in years but I heard all about it from Mr Grey.
He was the closest thing I had to family and he wasn't even my blood.

"I'm getting a new science book"
Jason interrupted.

He was lying on my bed, with his legs up, and his face in a book.

Maya stuck out her tongue, Jason didn't pay her any mind.

I didn't know or understand why they were here.

Since the beginning of the weekend, the kids have been in and out of my room, claiming it as their spot.

Samuel scoffed in the corner.
"Only you would want a dumb book as a Christmas gift."
He spat, glaring at Jason.

Jason wisely didn't say anything was not wanting a beating from his big brother.

"What would you like to have?"
I ask, curiosity overriding my need to stay quiet in hopes that they would go.

He looked surprised by my question.
"A real Christmas this time, without any fights, with a complete family. "

I suddenly felt like I knew Samuel more than anything else.

Everything was quiet for a while.

"I don't really know much about Christmas...... Well I don't really know much about anything"
I said.

"I'll make sure you have the bestest Christmas ever "
Maya smiled.

"If Dad's not off travelling around and Tessa's not drunk in some alley and Mom's not too busy putting her work first, then sure. If not then fat chance "
He scoffed.

Maya gasped and I could see the tears threatening to spill from her.

I'm saved from that however, when Tessa comes in.

I can't imagine having to deal with a sobbing Maya again.
I'd learnt one thing.
If I wanted Maya to leave me alone, all I had to do was give her whatever she wanted, no questions asked.

"Go mouth off somewhere else, brat I need Mitchie."
Tessa said, ruffling his hair.

My head snapped up, quickly.

The children grumbled as they made their way out and I was surprised Samuel didn't make a fuss.

"Get dressed, we're going out"

"Out where?"
I asked, suspicious.

"Shopping, Mom says you need new clothes."

I would have brought up the topic of me using my regular clothes but I remembered the fuss aunt Layla made about it before, so I just got dressed in borrowed black jeans and a black top.

Tessa heaved a sigh
"It's not perfect but we'll manage"
She said, referring to my dressing.

"So we'll go to the mall and I promise you're gonna love love love it!"
She grinned.

I sat in the car and she took off, talking about anything and everything.

We parked in front of a huge building.
I couldn't concentrate on one thing at once, there were so many people, so many things.

"Wow "
I said, unknowingly.

"I know right."
Tessa said, still grinning at my reaction.

We entered a shop that was filled with bra's and underwear.

My cheeks began to heat up at the sight of so many underwear.

A brown haired girl in a red and white uniform came up to us.

"Hi, welcome to secret collections, what can I do for you"
She said, with a smile.

I was too busy looking around, so I wasn't paying attention.

"We're shopping for her "
Tessa motioned to me.

The attendant smiled another plastic smile.

"What size are you? "
She asked me

I shook my head at her.

"She dosen't really know, so we'll have to test her"
Tessa said.

I widened my eyes, test?.
I was led away to try on the bra's.

After hours of walking, prodding, sizing and dressing, Tessa was satisfied with her work so she decided we could eat.

We walked into what she called a food court and she ordered fries and burgers for us.
I begged her to get me some of that delicious ice cream thing and just as I remembered it, it was divine.
I licked the cup in the end, causing it to decorate my face.

Tessa laughed at me and my chest felt a bit lighter, like I had nothing to worry about in that moment.

"Hey Shelly, yeah food court sure I'll wait for you guys"

She laughed, before she put down her phone.

"My friends are here, so they're coming to join us "
She said.

I nodded, not knowing what she expected me to say.

She scratched the back of her head and looked nervous.
"Uh can you just try to not um talk all that much? "
She said.

"Why? "
I asked, genuinely curious.

I really did want to know why she didn't want me talking, not that I really wanted to talk to anybody.

"Just.......my friends are erm wary of new people"
She said, smiling nervously.

"Ok"
I said and she looked relieved.

I ate two more cups of ice cream, before her friends finally came.

There were two girls and one two boys, their loud chatter making us aware of their presence, before we actually spotted them.

"Hey guys"
Tessa said to them.

They responded, with various shouts and hollers, making Tessa laugh.

I suddenly wanted to be  invisible.

They combined tables, so we could all sit together.

I was looking around their faces, when my eyes met a pair of light brown one's that held laughter.
My eyes widened and I quickly looked away.

I couldn't help myself and I looked back and he was still staring at me.

"How's your head?"
He mouthed.

I nodded and mouthed
"Yours"

He pulled on a sad face and ran his right hand over his neck.

My eyes widened again.
"Don't die because I hit your head"
I yelled, realizing too late that I had shouted that out.

He hid his face, to cover his laughter.

I quickly lowered my head, my cheeks heating up.

He couldn't control his laughter anymore and the attention was diverted from me to him.

Tessa lowered her head in shame.
"Guys, this is my cousin mitchie "
She said.
The brown haired boy stuck out his hand, his grin still on.

"I'm Nickolas, nice to meet you"