“I’m tired,” I said a bit crossly. “It wasn’t anything serious. I’m fine. Jace helped me,” I said too tired to converse or think clearly.
“Jace?! Jace who?!” he asked urgently.
I hadn’t realized my slip of tongue, as I carelessly slipped into slumber.
“Honey?!” his voice said urgently in my head, but I was too tired to respond.
My alarm went off way too early. I got less than three hours of sleep. I was thankful I wasn’t scheduled for work tonight. I had been having a great tip week. I didn’t plan on picking up any extra shifts. With a groan, I climbed out of bed. If I weren’t so determined to prove everyone wrong, I would just stay home today. No one expected trailer trash to succeed in life. Most teachers were shocked when they found out where I came from. My grade point average was well over 4.0, and I needed it to stay that way.
Heidi wouldn’t care if I stayed home. She didn’t even know what day of the week it was on most days. If I chose to skip school, though, I would have to find someplace for myself and Ella to hide. Heidi was nasty to be around when she first woke up.
I quietly crept into the living room to see if the coast was clear. From past experience I knew Tom wouldn’t be up for another hour; Heidi was never up before noon. It shocked me that Tom was so successful with the hours he kept and the number of drugs he did. He was one of the best actors I had ever met. He was a fully functioning addict, and behind his attractive and debonair smiles, I knew evil lurked within.
I had one hour to clean up any booze, drugs, and other drug paraphernalia. I made the mistake of flushing the drugs down the toilet and pouring out the alcohol in the sink years ago, but I was beaten so hard I had to skip school for days to recover. I didn’t do that anymore. Instead, I started stashing everything in the cupboard above the fridge. Heidi knew where to find them when she wanted them again.
I slipped on a pair of cleaning gloves and cringed as I picked up the used condoms and threw them away. I cleaned everything quickly so I could take a shower before I woke up Ella for hers. I hoped Heidi wasn’t home when I got home from school so I could run the vacuum over the old mustard yellow ‘70’s shag carpet and clean the mismatched floral couch and plaid love seat. The old wooden entertainment center that housed a small nineteen-inch T.V. needed a good dusting as well. The faded, well-worn linoleum in the kitchen and dining room needed a good sweeping and mopping as well. Heidi and her boyfriends were slobs.
My father had been meticulously clean and he had raised me to be the same. I was raising Ella the same way. We kept our room neat. There was no other option since it was so small. Over the years I’ve acquired some furnishings to make it homier and more personalized. It was our own alternate reality.
I jumped in the shower, washed my hair, and cleaned my body in under ten minutes. As I was exiting the bathroom, I was both surprised and angry at myself for not bringing my clothes with me as I saw Tom leaning in the cramped, narrow hallway. I was only wrapped in a towel, threadbare and well worn, that barely covered me. My hair was thrown up in another towel.
His eyes were narrowed as he scrutinized my body. “I had a feeling you were hiding a knock out body under all those baggy clothes,” he leered at me as he took a step closer.
I know I was beautiful, and I wasn’t acting conceited. I know for my small frame I had surprisingly above average sized breast that needed no push-up bra or padding to enhance them. I know my rear end filled my jeans out nicely. There was a reason I downplayed my looks and figure. I only wore makeup and form-fitting clothes at work.
I froze with panic. “This side of the house is off limits,” I said frostily.
To the right of the house was the room I shared with Ella and a small bathroom. The living room and kitchen separated our room from the left side of the house where Heidi’s room and bathroom were.
“Well, I was hoping to find a towel.” He was average height for a guy, but he was thick and still imposing to my five feet even petite frame. His hand reached out to grab the towel wrapped around me. “Looks like you’re done using this one. Maybe I can use it now.”
“Get off me,” I hissed. I don’t know how I was able to make people do stuff sometimes. I don’t know how I was able to make that man stop last night, or how I stopped the psycho creep that had ill intentions a couple of years ago. I made him leave our trailer and never return. I had found him in our room. I knew he was up to no good, as he was nearly naked standing over my sister’s sleeping body. I don’t know how I paralyzed the man that Heidi had invited to party with her. He had drugged me and started to molest me in the backseat of his car. I don’t know how I stopped my bully in seventh grade from continually harassing me and making fun of me. I don’t know how I stopped the crazy Mexican down the street from beating on his two young sons. This freak thing I did came and went when it wanted to.
“Blake,” Ella’s little voice came from our bedroom door. She was frightened. I could he
ar it in her voice. “I’m hungry.”
I took the opportunity to slip past Tom as he stumbled backward. He acted somewhat human-like to her. He even brought her treats. He wouldn’t do anything to me in front of her; at least I hoped. I wasn’t going to test my theory. I slammed my door behind me, gently pushing Ella back.
“Let’s hurry up and get ready.” I tried to feign enthusiasm as I tried to calm my shattered nerves and stop my shaking hands. “If we hurry we can even stop by the Grub Hub for breakfast.”
“Pinky promise,” she asked excitedly, all traces of tiredness gone from her beautiful blue eyes.
“Pinky promise,” I feigned another smile.
Tom was getting bolder and bolder. He was like a venomous snake, hiding in the weeds and anticipating his strike. I didn’t know how much longer I could avoid and hide from him. I know he wanted to molest me. I had been through this unwelcome attention from men too many times. I had been molested once before. Not through penetration, but I had been personally violated in places where I didn’t want to be touched. I had been forced to touch men I hadn’t wanted to touch. I shuddered in revulsion.
I will be graduating in less than 7 months. I had a small amount of money hoarded away. I had to get Ella and myself away from this place. I needed to figure out a way to make sure Ella never suffered the way I have. I had to find a way for Heidi to let me take her. I knew she was spiteful enough that she would deny me the opportunity, even though she wasn’t really a mother to her at all except in the biological sense. Ella was so beautiful, so innocent. I never wanted her light to fade.
“Can I skip my shower?” she asked hopefully.
I laughed trying to shake off my deep thoughts. “No, I let you skip yesterday. Hurry along and I will get your clothes ready after I get dressed.”
She grabbed her hooded towel before I could even finish my statement, running out the door.
It was a rare treat for her to eat out. I rarely had enough money to. I felt guilty for barely seeing her this past week. I was torn between wanting to spend time with her and needing to work as much as I could to get us out of here.
I know Heidi may get mad at me later, but I decided I would give her a small amount of money. She didn’t know how much I made, and Tom was supporting her right now. Ella deserved a treat this morning, and I was in desperate need of a large cup of coffee, and maybe a greasy bacon, egg, and cheese bagel.