“You spoiled beach!” My stepfather says as he walks towards me before he backhands me so hard I fall onto my bed. Before I can fight back, his friend pulls off my jacket as my stepfather holds me down.
“Shut her up.” He growls out, and someone stuffs a cloth in my mouth as I scream, but it’s no use. My hands are tied above my head, and my legs are handcuffed to the bottom of the bedposts, forcing them open. As always, all my fighting is of no use.
In a flash, my stepfather thrvsts himself into me as I cry and pull against my restraints to fight him off. As usual, his friends just stand around and watch as I cry and plead. Fkin animals.
Then I see another of my stepfather’s friends walking toward me with a syringe. I look at him and nod.
“Please….. Please give it to me…Please,” I beg between ragged breaths as tears flow down my cheeks. I fight and squirm, but as always, it’s no use. I have no say. All I can do is hope they can give me the one thing to take it all away. And soon enough, they do. I feel the cold prick of the needle and sting as it gets inserted further into my inner elbow. And soon…… Nothing. That’s better.
~~~~~~~~~
“Get up b****. You’re late for school,” I hear someone say as I feel a light slap on the face.
“Mmmm,” I groan when I feel a hard slap on the a**, and I shoot up, taking in a big gasping breath.
“Hey, look who’s up,” one of my stepfather’s friends laughs. Ugh, I hate them so much.
“Sit still, and I’ll let you go.” My stepfather says, walking over to me, searching thru his key ring for the right key. I suddenly get my bearings and realize what’s going on. I’m handcuffed to the bed, wearing only my underwear. I was lying face down with my knees up under me, forcing my a** in the air. I feel so humiliated, but that’s something I’m used to.
“Is it really Monday?” I ask as my stepfather undoes my handcuffs
“Yes.”
“Ugh, you had to take away my whole weekend? I had homework due today,” I complain.
“Well, you’ll be lucky to get to school on time. You might be able to make it if you leave right now.” One of my stepfather’s friends says to me while looking at the clock on the wall. “And you were the one begging for heroin. Don’t be mad when we gave it to you.”
“I was begging for something to stop the pain. Not for you idiots to take away my whole weekend.” I say, rubbing my wrists, trying to get some blood flow back.
“You were a lot of fun.” Another one of my stepfather’s friends chimes in while pouring himself some bourbon. Dude, it’s 7 am, and you’re like 40. Chill. I roll my eyes as I jump off my bed and start digging thru my dresser drawers, looking for something to wear to school as my stepfather’s gross friends get out of my bedroom. I quickly jump into the shower in the bathroom attached to my room and wash the filth off my body. I don’t have enough time to wash my hair, so dry shampoo is my best friend today. Once I’m out of the shower, I dry off fast and throw on a shirt and leggings. Then I put on jeans over the leggings and a hoodie and a jacket on top of that. I know it’s a lot of clothes, but I don’t like people touching me, so I put as many layers between them and me as possible. Plus, when I get home, sometimes I can’t even put my book bag down before I’m being force-fed pills or injected with some sedative to knock me out so my stepdad and his friends can have fun. So wearing a lot of clothes they have to take off of me is longer they aren’t forcing themselves on me.
I run out the door and down the road. Luckily school is only about a 10-minute walk, so I won’t be too late. I hate being late for school. I want to do well in school because I want to get out of here. Get out of this town and away from my so-called family. The golden child, my stepbrother Jeff, gets his own car to drive to school and go hang out with his friends. But I can’t even catch a ride to school from him. Don’t get me wrong, Jeff’s not a terrible person; he’s just an a******. But most guys are in their teen years. He doesn’t know what my stepdad and his friends do to me. He is oblivious, but my stepdad is also careful. He only lets his friends touch me when Jeff is out of the house or knock me out, so I don’t make too much noise or fight back. I used to fight back a lot; now, I just make a lot of noise begging for the drugs so I can feel better… even for a little while.
I make it to school and run in just as the bell rings. I make my way to my first class and slide in a seat in the back just as the teacher walks in. I quickly take out my homework that’s due today and try to do as much of it as possible before the teacher decides to take it up. As I furiously scribble down as much as I can when I hear the classroom door open again.
“You must be the new kid.” The teacher says. “Class, we have a new kid. Introduce yourself. Be fast.”
“I’m Tyler.” I look up from my homework to see a tall blonde guy. He’s cute. “I’m new here. I just moved here from the city, so I’m not new to the area, just the school.” He continues, and I go back to doing my homework.
“Great. Now take a seat.” The teacher shoos him away so he can start the class. I notice movement to my right and turn to look. Tyler is sitting down next to me with a smile. I smile at him too.
“Hey….. I’m Tyler.” He says when I make eye contact.
“Blake.” I nod, then turn back to my homework.
“This seat taken?”
“Go for it.”
“What are you doing?”
“Homework.”
“Oh, are you one of those due date means do date kind of people?” He asks with a nod
“Looks like it.” I shrug, not looking back up at him.
“Ok, class. Pass up you’re homework that’s due today.” The teacher says to the class. No. I was hoping I had more time. The teacher comes to every row to collect the homework; since I’m in the back, my nearly empty paper is on top. Mr. Dawson stops to look at it.
“I expect better from my students. You know this, Blake. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t let idiots like you in my classroom, so I didn’t have to waste my time with you.” He says, giving me a look of disgust and walking back to the front of the classroom.
“Geez, that was harsh,” Tyler says, giving me a look of pity.
“It’s ok. I’m used to it.” I sigh. It’s true, though… most of my teachers think I’m a stupid waste of space. I don’t want to be, but I am.
“He shouldn’t talk to you like that, and if he thinks your stupid, that’s because he is failing at his job.” Tyler defends
“It’s ok. Just drop it.” I say, pulling my hood over my head, just wanting to hide from the world. I told you I am used to humiliation.
The class goes by slowly. By the end of class, I am freezing, and my skin is burning, and I just want a hit of something to calm my nerves. As soon as the bell rings, I throw everything in my bag and head out of the class without another word. I run outside and light up a cigarette. It’s not what I want, but it will do the trick for a little while. I hate that I’m craving drugs. I don’t want to do drugs. But they help the pain stop, and all I want is for the pain to stop.
“Hey, Blake, wait up,” Tyler says from behind me. Ugh
“What?” I ask as I stop walking and turn around.
“Is Mr. Dawson always like that?” He asks
“Like what?”
“Judgmental and making a point to embarrass people in front of everyone.” He says as we start walking together. I take a drag of my cigarette.
“Yeah. He’s not like that to everyone, though. Just the idiots.” I say, blowing smoke.
“You’re not an idiot,” Tyler says
“Yeah, well, you’re about the only person in this school that believes that,” I say, taking another drag.
“Can I have a drag?”
“Sure. Here.” I hand him the cigarette.
“What’s your next class?” He asks me, blowing smoke.
“History. You?”
“English.” He answers.
“Well, have fun with that,” I say, taking back my cigarette and turning to walk away.
“Wait… can I sit with you at lunch?” He asks
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I say with a shrug.
“Why not? You’re my friend, aren’t you?” He questions
“It’s your funeral,” I say, walking away towards my class.
“Get out of the way, loser,” someone says as they walk into me, shoving me into a locker, causing me to drop my cigarette. Dang, it.
The next class went by slower than the first. At least now it’s time for lunch. I grab some chips and a soda from the vending machine. I take my usual seat in the back corner of the lunchroom near the trash can. Nobody sits back there, so it’s the perfect spot for a nobody like me to sit. I pop open my soda, and I see a shadow cross in front of me.
“Hey, Blake.” I hear a familiar voice.
“Tyler,” I say without looking up. He plops his lunch tray down in front of me and takes a seat.
“You know, when I asked to sit with you at lunch, I thought you’d have friends that would be joining us.” He says with a smile.
“And what in our limited interaction makes you think I have friends?” I say back to him with a smile. Suddenly, there is a loud noise, and more people start talking over each other as Jeff enters.
“You want friends. Talk to that guy.” I say, motioning to Jeff.
“Nah, he seems like a jackass,” Tyler says.
“Well, you’re not wrong,” I say with a huff.
“You seem like you know him,” Tyler comments
“Unfortunately, yeah.”
“Ex-boyfriend?”
“Ew, gross. He’s my stepbrother. And he acts as he walks on water at home too.”
“No way. You and that guy are related?” Tyler asks, turning around to look at Jeff and then back at me. “You seem so…”
“Different?” I say, raising an eyebrow.
“I was going to say cool compared to that guy but different works.” Tyler teases.
“Yeah, well, nobody knows we are related. Nobody here really knows I exist, and if they do notice me, they hate me.” I tell him. “So if you ever want a social life, I suggest you move tables before someone notices,” I advise him.
“Meh, I hate most people.” He says with a shrug and a laugh.
“Me too.” I sigh
“How old are you?” Tyler asks me.
“18. I’m a senior,” I tell him.
“Good. So remember how in class I said I’m not new to the area, I’m from the city, and we just moved out of it a couple of minutes and ended up in a new school district, so here I am?” He asks.
“Yeah….” I glance at him with a questioning look.
“So I have a friend in the city that owns a club. He has this big… thing this weekend, and he said I could bring a friend.” Tyler says.
“Then I suggest you make some friends,” I tell him.
“I was inviting you,” Tyler says with a serious face.
“I can’t,” I shrug
“Why not?” Tyler asks, raising one eyebrow.
“My stepfather keeps me on a tight leash,” literally, “I don’t think he would like the idea of me going to a club,” I explain.
“You don’t think he would let you out of the house for one night?” Tyler asks.
“I wish… but no,” I explain.
“Come on, it’s one Friday night. Can’t you say you’re going to your stepbrother’s football game? Or sneak out for a couple of hours.” Tyler begs.
“I don’t know what will happen if I just don’t go home after school,” I whisper to myself.
“Great. So it’s settled. Friday, you and I can hang out for a couple of hours after school, then we can go to the club. Then I’ll bring you right how afterwords. What’s the worse that could happen? You get grounded for the rest of the weekend.” Tyler says with a smile. I wish. I have a feeling it’s going to be much worse, though.
“Please….. Please give it to me…Please,” I beg between ragged breaths as tears flow down my cheeks. I fight and squirm, but as always, it’s no use. I have no say. All I can do is hope they can give me the one thing to take it all away. And soon enough, they do. I feel the cold prick of the needle and sting as it gets inserted further into my inner elbow. And soon…… Nothing. That’s better.