Chapter 1 – Serena
“Oh my God.” If one more thing falls out of my boxes, I am seriously going to lose my shit. Moving home to a completely new place is incredibly challenging, especially when your new apartment is up a massive flight of stairs and the elevator doesn’t work. But, what choice do I have? I can’t exactly have any help when I don’t have anyone in my life. I couldn’t have stayed at home either, I didn’t have anything for me there, so this is it. “Fucking hell.”
I lean down and pick the lamp up, placing it gently on top of the boxes, hoping that it will balance carefully for the rest of the journey. If not, I’m going to have to leave it on the stairs and hope that no one steals it or trips over it. Luckily, it seems to stay where it is giving me the chance to get up a little higher. As I climb up, I think about everything that I have left behind, all that I want to escape from. Mostly, my awful step-father, David.
Mom has been with him for as long as I can remember. I never had my own father around, so he’s the only male role model that I have ever been stuck with, and it’s safe to say that he isn’t a good one. Because of him, my life has been nothing but yelling and anger, violence behind closed doors, nothing that was hidden from me, at all. Because of David and what he’s done to tear my family apart, I never had a close relationship with my mother, although I would have loved to have one just like any other child would have it with his or her mother under normal circumstances.
It also hindered all of my friendships. I wanted to have people around to give me comfort, but I couldn’t let anyone in. I had my walls up high which meant I never made proper friends with anyone, never mind relationships. Just as other people were starting to explore the opposite sex, I was still too closed off for words. I focused only on my studies and the chance of an escape. I knew that I need to have a good education to move on, so that’s what I have done. I missed out on a lot, but the sacrifice was worth it because I didn’t want to remain where I was with David in my life. Getting as far away from him as possible has always been my end goal. Of course, I would love my mom to be with me, I would adore to get her away from David, but she is stuck with him, head over heels, now isn’t the time.
So, that is why now I am at a new place, all alone and focusing on the future that lies ahead for me. I will help Mom when she eventually comes to me, hopefully it should be soon, but for now I have to focus on myself. And, my education has been absolutely worth it because I have finally landed my dream job that I can’t wait to start…
“Oh, for goodness sake.” I roll my eyes. Something else rolls out of the box. I can’t even see what it is. I’m starting to get pretty exhausted. I’m going to need a break in a moment. “Right, that can just stay there…”
“Can I help you, miss?” All of a sudden I’m shocked by the sound of a chocolaty smooth voice behind me, making me jump. Of course, there have been a few more things cascading free from my boxes. “Are you okay?”
“Er…” I try to turn behind to see who’s talking to me, but I can’t twist around at that angle in the middle of the small stair case. “I think I’m fine. Sorry about the stuff dropped on the stairs. I am moving in.”
“Oh, well if you’re trying to do it on your own, I can help you,” he offers. “I have some time.”
I’m just about trying to refuse his offer because it’s too embarrassing to agree, even though I would love some help from anyone right now. But he takes the box from me regardless, carrying it as if it weighs absolutely nothing. And, with the strong biceps in his arms, I suppose it isn’t much of a surprise. He is tall, strong looking, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. A perfect man that I could ever imagine and I am just lost in my thoughts, hardly able to get any words out, even to thank him. I step back so that he can pass me and I let my eyes hit the floor while the heat of humiliation stings my cheeks. Perhaps I was doing much better when I was all by myself. He might make it harder for me…