You're too good (USWNT)

1

(The picture above is Cora, on the next it will be Kieran)

Cora

I just found out that my team has been selected to practice with the USWNT!!

We had to have at least 3 of our players get a mile time of under 4:45. A few got exactly 4:45, but in the end, my teammates Peyton, Makena, and I all got under the time. Peyton with 4:42, Makena with 4:39, and me with 4:23.

Anyways, I'm currently hanging out with my twin brother. We're in a closet hiding from our parents. We might've accidentally pissed them off by leaving the keys in the front door, while my brother and I were out.

Oh. And they're abusive, so we're goners.

"You assholes! Where did you go!?" I heard my mother shout, while my brother Kieran and I silently giggled to ourselves. We like to joke about our parents, even though they are terrifying, we find it funny (sometimes).

"Get your asses out here or I am gonna lock you in the basement when I find you!" My dad angrily shouted. He was in our room, they both were. I looked at Kieran in the dark closet and nodded, signaling that we better get out. I slowly opened the door and walked out, my twin right behind me.

I looked at my parents. They were disgusting people. I wanted to throw up anytime I looked at them, like how could they do this to their own children?!

I noticed how angry my parents were. Nothing even happened while we were away, why are they so pissed?

My dad harshly grabbed Kieran's arm, then mine. His grip was felt like he was going to rip my hand off when he started walking us down the stairs. Except he wasn't really walking us, instead he was dragging us.

"Dad! Stop! Let go!" Kieran tried to wiggle out of his hold. Man, has he really learnt nothing? I gave him a look to shut up, when my dad dropped me and slapped him. Kieran held his face with his open hand, and I could do nothing but look at him with sadness. We didn't deserve this.

We finally reached our destination after another minute or so of him dragging us. My mother, who was following behind us the whole time, opened the door to the basement. I hate this place. Our tiny 2-story house was already beat up and scary looking enough, do we really a torture-basement?

My dad threw my brother and I down the stairs. He landed on top of me, right on my ribs. Ouch.

Before I could get up, I felt my brother get thrown off of me and my arm get grabbed yet again, by my father. He brought me to the chair. Oh no. Not this again. I knew there was no point in fighting, as I would get in even more trouble, so I just let him do whatever he wanted to me.

I was beat. Hit, punched, kicked, you name it. By the time he finished me, I was coughing up blood. I couldn't feel my upper body, below my head. The rest of it was all so numb. My ears were ringing and my head felt like it was going to explode. I looked to see what they had done to my brother, but he was untouched. Lucky.

My twin looked at me with horror. I'd never seen him this way before. Just as I saw him get pushed to the other chair next to me, everything went black.

Kieran

I watched as the person I call my father beat my sister. He had no filter, whatever he wanted to do, he did. There was nothing I could do, I felt empty and helpless, because I was. My mother had a tight hold on me. If she didn't, I would've ran upstairs and get the poor girl some help. She didn't deserve this.

Just as he finished, she looked over to me with cuts and bruises on her soft skin. Her bright blue eyes looked at me like she wanted out, and I wanted nothing but to run up to her and hug her. She's never gotten a beating this much before, and it's not gonna happen again. We're getting help.

My dad pushed me to the chair right next to my sister, who I now realized fainted. Panic grew as my dad started doing what he did to my sister, to me. I didn't care though, all I could focus on was my sister.

"Maybe this'll teach you how to be responsible!" My 'dad' yelled.

"Stop! Please! Help Cora! She fainted!" I screamed. He didn't stop, he didn't even glance at her. My mother didn't either, she just watched. It pained me to see my own mother watch knowing she couldn't do anything if she tried. Of course she didn't want to, and I knew she wouldn't. It still hurt though.

Eventually my father was finished with me too. My head was throbbing but I didn't care. Once my parents left us in the cold, dark basement, i jumped out of the wooden torture chair to help my twin.

I started shaking her. I didn't know what I could do, I was just a helpless little boy. There was no way we could get medical attention, so I had to wake her up here.

"Cora. Cora! Please wake up!" I cried. Tears were flowing down my face, stinging all the cuts I had. I used my shirt to wipe off some of her blood while I frantically searched for an aid kit. I knew there was one down there, Since my father used it for my mother when she cut herself cutting some vegetables.

After rummaging through the random junk we had stored down there for a while, i finally came across a medical kit. I rushed over to Cora and opened the med kit. Inside it had tape, cream, medicine, and bandages. I gently rubbed some cream over her bruises and bandaged her bigger cuts. I then did the same to me, except I also gave me some ibuprofen for my head. 

I sat down in the chair, waiting for Cora to wake. It must've been around 5 or so hours until she finally started to stir.

"Hey Cory. How are you feeling?" I asked her.

"I'm fine, just got a massive headache and a numb body. But how are you?" She quietly responded.

"Do you want some ibuprofen for your head? I'm not sure if it will do anything for the numbness, but it will work for your head. It worked for mine." I announced, clearly ignoring her question.

"No thanks. I'm gonna get some sleep." She muttered, loud enough so I could barely hear. She has to be better by tomorrow, cuz that's when she's practicing with the national team.

"Okay, me too. Rest up for tomorrow." And with that, she was out. I wasn't really going to sleep, I needed to watch out in case my parents came back. I had my watch on, and right now it's 10:32 PM. I set an alarm for 7, knowing that's when Cora has to wake up by.