LOGINCassandra left once she realized she wouldn’t get a rise from me. It was 2:30 when I finished the other spiral stair. I headed to my room to rest. As soon as I plopped down on the bed I checked my messages. Brandon had sent me four messages. My heart soared at the possibility of him caring about me so much. Next weekend would mark a whole five years we would have been together.
The only reason I am able to keep holding on is because of him. He allows me to vent to him about my situation. He understands why I have been counting down the days until I am eighteen. Once my eighteenth birthday comes, he promises he will come and take me to live with him. The only reason he hasn’t yet is because he is worried that my parents will stop me from going. But once I am a legal adult my parents hold no authority over me. And I can go do whatever I want. I have five months till my birthday. And I can’t wait. I will be with someone who truly cares about me. Who loves me and most importantly will never do anything to hurt me. We have already planned our entire future together. Marriage, traveling, children and our entire lives belonging to each other. I read his messages and my heart is full. Until the last few which puts a frown on my face. My heart suddenly sinks. Disappointment settles in my chest. Brandon: Hey, good morning beautiful. I know the mornings are tough on you in that house. Especially on the weekends. But five more months and you’re free from them and that prison you call a home. Just think about Cinderella. She was treated like a servant in her own house as well. And just like you she was beautiful. We all know how her story ends. Prince Charming comes and takes her away. Just think of it as you as Cinderella and me as your Prince Charming. Brandon: Can’t wait to see you next week in class. It’s torture having to only see you at school. Your parents suck. Not allowing you to have fun on the weekends. I could always just sneak in and keep you company. Just saying. But seriously, I love you and can’t wait till Monday. Hang in there. Brandon: Hey, so don’t be mad but I can’t be there for our anniversary. I know it’s a big deal to you and it marks our fifth year together. But I promise I’ll make it up to you. It’s just one anniversary. There will be plenty more. Besides, it's not like I don’t want to take you out, I am just super busy next weekend. And it’s not like I have the money to take you anywhere nice so you won’t be missing much. You understand, don’t you? Brandon: Please call me. I’m sure there's something I can do. It is not his fault. Even if he was available, my parents would not have allowed me to go. Our Anniversary is this Saturday. I have to clean on the weekend anyway and - wait. I also have plans this Saturday. My mother said I have to go to dinner with them to meet my sister's boyfriend and his parents. Interesting. That is one big coincidence. But that's all it is. A coincidence. Right? Or maybe Miracle chose this date on purpose. Despite my effort to keep my relationship a secret the word spread via word of mouth. Since we go to the same school, Miracle found out I was dating Brandon. She told mother and father. Which led to me being forbidden to leave the house on the weekends at all. Before they didn’t care if I came or went. They said it was because it wasn’t fair to Miracle. That she would be sad that she didn’t have one. I still don’t see how that's my problem. Especially now that she has her own boyfriend. Of course I don’t know how long they’ve been together. But she has been talking about him nonstop. Everytime Miracle was asked how long the relationship has been going on, she'd respond with the same answer each time “ long enough”. I still have no clue what that means. But it doesn’t matter. I grab my phone and call Brandon. My phone rings. But after a minute or two Brandon answers. “Hey, babe,” he says in a distracted voice. “Hey, how's it going?” I ask. “It’s going well” he says in a clipped response. I frown. What's up with him? Brandon is usually a laidback and happy guy. “ What's wrong?” I say, “nothing, nothing at all” he sighs. I feel strange. Like something is out of place. I know if I push it he’ll shut it down and say I’m paranoid. “Okay, so how are you going to make it up to me?” I tease. “What?” he gruff. I am a bit confused at his tone. But I continue under the assumption he's teasing me back. “Our anniversary, silly. You’re ditching me. Sooo how are you going to fix this?” I say keeping the banter going. Silence. “Babe?” I prod the silence. “Hello?” “Why are you being like this?”he snarls. I flinch. “What?” He erupts “I told you. I can’t be there Saturday and you’re holding it against me. This is just typical of you. Always wanting more. You’re greedy and selfish. You're always talking about your problems and never once care about mine!” He hangs up. Leaving me shocked in silence. The tears come before I can stop them.Saturday morning came slow. The night was a hard one. I was tossing and turning and worrying was plaguing my mind. Today is Brandon’s and I’s fifth anniversary. But he still hasn’t talked to me. To make matters worse today I have to go to dinner with my family to meet Miracles’ boyfriend and his family. So I have to sit there and smile, acting happy for Miracle while my relationship falls apart. My mother let me off the hook for chores today because of dinner tonight. However, Cassandra has been glowering at me each time I leave my room. I pretend not to notice. But sometimes it still gets to me. I don’t know why she hates me so much. Somedays I wonder if I truly am the problem, why else does everyone in my life hate me? I know that she’s probably just miserable in her station in life and making me feel small is her pathetic way of taking control back. Evening comes too fast. I get ready for dinner. The dress I wear is a short navy blue with a poofy skirt. Its heart
Five days. Five days since Sunday. Five days of no calls or texts from Brandon. I still have two classes left. I sit in English class drumming my pencil on my desk. I ignore Ava and Grace's looks and snickers as they gossip. I know it’s about me. I see it in their quick glances. When I first entered the class Ava asked me “how is your boyfriend doing?” in a mocking tone. I don’t know how they know. Maybe Miracle overheard me calling Brandon multiple times and figured it out. She always sticks her nose in my business. That's the only logical explanation. Unless… Brandon told her. No. Impossible, Brandon wouldn’t do that. He knows how badly Miracle treats me. He said it himself “I would never want to meet such an awful girl”. That was after I finally confessed to the abuse I faced at home. Though I didn’t know it was abuse before that. Brandon was appalled at how my family treated me. I told him it was no big deal. He told me that what they were doing was abuse and that I dese
That monday I go over his words in my head. Selfish? Am I really selfish? I don’t know where these feelings of his have come from. Nor am I certain how to address them. I tried calling this morning before school. But no response. I text him whenever I get the chance. But I also don’t want to overwhelm him. What if he sees my worry as simple nagging. I just want us to be okay. I never thought we weren’t okay. I don’t know what else to do. I haven’t seen him around school.What am I going to do? It’s not like he can avoid me forever. Right? I am at my locker and getting my science book when I see them. Ava and Grace. They are talking together in the quad. I want to approach them. I want us to be friends again. But… is that even possible? After what they have done, I can’t even look at them without feeling some anger. But after only two weeks of not talking I find myself missing them. We have been friends since middle school. When did it all fall apart?
Cassandra left once she realized she wouldn’t get a rise from me. It was 2:30 when I finished the other spiral stair. I headed to my room to rest. As soon as I plopped down on the bed I checked my messages. Brandon had sent me four messages. My heart soared at the possibility of him caring about me so much. Next weekend would mark a whole five years we would have been together. The only reason I am able to keep holding on is because of him. He allows me to vent to him about my situation. He understands why I have been counting down the days until I am eighteen. Once my eighteenth birthday comes, he promises he will come and take me to live with him. The only reason he hasn’t yet is because he is worried that my parents will stop me from going. But once I am a legal adult my parents hold no authority over me. And I can go do whatever I want.I have five months till my birthday. And I can’t wait. I will be with someone who truly cares about me. Who loves me and most importan
“Did you hear a word we said” my mother snapped at me bringing me back to the present. “Your sister's boyfriend and his parents have invited us for dinner at a fancy restaurant by the sea next weekend” I stared blankly at them for a moment. “Yes, I heard” though I didn’t really. “Don’t get smart with me,” she hissed. “Mother, it’s okay” Miracle cooed. “No, it’s not, Ruby, your sister was inviting YOU to come along. The least you could do was show some gratitude” she shrilled. This confused me. Why? Why would Miracle ever invite me? It was as though she could read my thoughts. Miracle’s eyes misted over with crocodile tears. “ Ruby I know we don’t always get along, but you're still my sister. Even though we don’t share the same blood, I still want you to meet my boyfriend and his family. I have a feeling he might be the one” her words seemed to her an edge to them as though daring me to call her bluff. I don’t like this. It’s always when she pretends to be nice that she i
The sound of a shrill voice wakes me. “Ruby, wake your ass up!” her mother shrieks like a banshee. And just like a banshee her screaming is a bad omen “Ruby, out of bed, NOW!” I jump out of my bed, knowing better than to keep her waiting. I follow her voice to the grand living room. She stands in the middle of the room with her arms crossed and huffs with impatience. “Yes ma'am?” I say trying to keep anything negative from entering my tone. “You know better than to sleep in on a Sunday, we are expecting guests for dinner tonight and the house is still a mess. You should be ashamed of yourself”. Sleeping in? According to my mother, not waking at the crack of dawn is me sleeping in. Miracle and Joshua can sleep till 11:30 on the weekends but me? I have to be up at 5:30, earlier than the servants in the house. “Miracle even put away dishes last night. Just because she felt bad for you” her mother said it as though Miracle was Jesus Christ himself being crucified for her sins.