Chapter 1

ELEANOR'S POV

" Eleanor!!!!! Eleanor!!!" I heard the screams of my name all over the house. I wondered when Dad would ever be back. This is my house, they all met me here.

I sat down on the sofa and listened as Jess, Van, and stepmom scream my name over and over again. Jess's voice soon became clearer, she obviously was close to my door. Soon enough, as expected, she started banging on my door.

" Hey Elie, I know You're there, open the fucking door" she yelled.

I didn't budge, I'm even about two years older than her. What do they want now?

" What is it?" I said.

" Oh! So you heard us and you can't speak. Mom is looking for you. I give you 5 minutes before she comes to meet you herself".

She left. Soon I heard the bitch talking. 

" Eleanor, get out now." She said I can't even bring myself to call her mom.

" Why should I?"

" We made breakfast," she said.

That was an obvious lie. Nobody Cooks in this house apart from me. They are probably starving. 

I'm quite hungry too, but stepping out of this house right now is an undeniable death. Well, I don't have a choice, I've been facing it every day. I won't die yet.

I let out a big sigh and opened the door slowly, she pushed it hard against me making me fall hard on the floor. I looked up at the angry woman who landed me a heavy slap the next minute. 

I thought I was used to it but it always hit differently. I held my cheeks as they burnt really hard. She left angrily. I slowly stood up and went out the door, locking the knob behind me.

I know I would still have to face both Van and Jessica downstairs. I walked slowly and saw two angry birds, waiting for me. 

I don't know exactly what I did this morning, but it has always been like that. I'm too weak to retaliate. I got downstairs and Jess pulled my ear. 

God knows that hurts. She dragged me down to the kitchen with my ears. If I had the power and a gun, I wouldn't hesitate.

" Do your work, I'm starving" she said and left for the sitting room. I had no choice, not like I ever did anyway. After cooking, I ate in the kitchen because I knew better.

They might deprive me of the right to eat if I'm not careful. After eating, I served their food and took it to them in the dining room, not daring to say a word.

I turned to leave and suddenly stomped on something which made me fall really hard on the tile ground. A volcano of pain erupted in my head. 

I couldn't process anything at first. Trying to be strong, I tried standing. Standing was difficult, I could feel myself falling but I tried anyway. I felt a warm liquid slowly falling down my face. I touched my face and saw a red substance on my hand. 

I was obviously bleeding. I looked down at Van who just adjusted his leg, he'd made me fall on purpose.

"Oops," he said and they all laughed. 

I went up to my room in haste. The pain was unbearable. 

I've undergone worse than that from these people. I got some cotton wool and spirits. I dabbed it little by little and cleaned the blood off. I wonder how long I have to put up with everything. Cleaning it, I dressed it with a bandage. That's another form of attraction. 

After having a whole chapter of my whole wrenched life once again, I went downstairs and saw how trashy the whole place was. It was neat hours ago. I grumbled in frustration and that was the exact time Jess came in, she probably went shopping. 

" Why is the whole house this way, start cleaning," she said, dropping her stuff on the couch. 

" Jess, I'm not ready for your stupid playoffs," I said and turned to leave but I was pulled back by a strong force from my head.

" Ahhh" I screamed. Jessy was really pulling my hair hard. I tried crossing her with my leg, which made her fall. I couldn't resist the urge to slap her. It was the first time I slapped her and it felt good. 

But that was bad timing because Van walked in and saw the scene, then Jess started crying. She really should be in an acting school 'cause fuck!

Van walked down to me and pushed me, beating me mercilessly. He kicked me, hit me in different places. I had to cover my face with my arms. I wouldn't cry in their presence, I wouldn't. 

Different kicks came from every corner. I fought the tears. After about 30 minutes, he stopped and left for his room with his sister. 

I burst out in tears as I couldn't hold it much longer. I soon shrugged it off and stood up, wiping my tears, I went up to my room and slept.

*** The next day…***

I woke up feeling a lot of pain in my body, but it was Monday and I had to be in school. I managed to take my bath. The water made my bruises more painful but I had to endure it. One day, I really hope this will be all over.

After getting dressed for school in a casual brown hoodie and Jean to cover up all my bruises, but I couldn't cover my head enough to disclose the bandage around my head. 

Unlike Van and Jess, I had to walk down to school. While walking, I texted Emil about all that had happened. I soon got a beep from my phone, I knew it had to be Emil

"Gurllll, wtf. Couldn't you like run away or something"

" I can't, you know I can't. Anyway, I'm on my way to school. Catch you up soon" I texted

" Are you walking?? With all the bruises, hold on I'll come pick you up" and that was the end of the chat.

Emil was a very handsome guy, girls are always after him. And he's rich too, a bit, not wealthy anyway. He's been my best friend since we were kids. 

My mom used to make us sandwiches every night…well time flies and mom's not with us anymore. I walked a few miles and saw Emil's car approaching. I smiled, that was quite fast.

" Hop in," he said 

I smiled at him. " I'm not a kangaroo you know," I said and smirked, but honestly, my whole body was aching so I quickly got in.

" Thanks but no thanks," I said playfully

" How's your body? You could have called me, I'd have kicked their asses. Not like they even had a big ass like yours so it would be easy to spank" Emil jokes. He always finds a way to make me laugh whenever I'm down.

" I'm good and stop bluffing. And besides, it doesn't really hurt"

" I take the bandage on your head as mere fashion. Right"

I laughed, though I hate being sentimental, this human right here is just always hitting a spot. 

" Eleanor, you should leave the house," he said with a rather thick and serious voice. " You might die at this rate. You can come and live with me. You'll do just fine"

" Emil, you've told me this before, but I can't run. It's my father's house, my mother's house! I was born there. Some strangers can't take that away from me" I answered.

" If you are going to just stay there, and you don't want to live, why aren't you fighting back?"

" It's not time yet Emil, it's not time. I'm weak, if I fight this way, I'll lose. I'm not ready but I will be soon. I can feel it. For now, I'll just endure" It was sad to say but it was the truth, I had to continue to endure it. We already got into the school. 

Getting down and walking down the hall in the school, I noticed everyone's eyes on me and their phones. I tapped Emil and asked, "Is it just me or everybody is looking strangely at me" 

" I can feel it too, and the energy seems to be coming from their phones. Wait a minute" he checked his phone, " fuck!"

I looked at him as he stopped moving. He was staring at the phone with eyes wide open.

" You mean they did this to you?" He half yelled. I took the phone and saw what he was watching. Van had taken a video while he was beating me yesterday. And he captioned it...

" This is what a slave gets when she steals from me"

I don't know why I wasn't surprised. I held Emil and dragged him to class. Even the teacher looked at me weirdly. The whole class was murmuring and it was really disturbing. I got a text from Emil, " I'll put the video down. Don't worry too much, people will Soon Forget".