Off The Pole

Ok, so I just wanted to let you guys know that the words in the italics are flashbacks from when Lily and Derek were little :) Hope you like it! <3 

Chapter Two

I froze in fear, my heart racing as Derek stared at me, his mouth gaping. I nodded my head ever so slightly but I knew he saw it. He looked me up and down, eyeing my school girl outfit, making me feel sick and ashamed. I bit my lip bottom lip and looked down, suddenly very interested with my hands. I felt like his little baby sister again.

Adam and Ginger’s confused expressions didn’t change as their eyes glanced between Derek and I. I tried looking at anything besides Derek. Dammit, I hate how he makes me feel so young! I shouldn’t be ashamed for doing what I have to do to live! Fuck him! I looked up at Derek with a new confidence in my eyes. He flinched when he saw my fierce stare.

“Derek, it’s definitely not a good thing when you know the name of a hooker!” Ginger exclaimed. Derek’s crystal blue eyes flashed with rage. I knew that look; that’s the look Derek got on his face whenever Aaron hit me.

My stomach growled as I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. Pouring the milk into the bowl, I heard footsteps down the stairs. I held my breath and prayed that it wasn’t Daddy. Ever since Mommy left, Daddy hasn’t been nice to me and Derry.

Last night, Derry came home late from hockey practice and Daddy took him into his room. Through the wall I could hear Daddy yelling a lot and when Derry came out of his room he had a busted lip and a bruise on his cheek.

“Here, Lil let me help you with that,” Derry said as he walked behind me. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw it wasn’t Daddy. Derry put the cap back on the milk and put it away. He got out the Lucky Charms and poured it in with the milk as I sat down at the kitchen table. Derry sat the cereal in front me and sat down next to me with a bowl of his own. As we ate, I kept eyeing Derry’s hurt lip and cheek. I think he noticed but if he did, he didn’t show it.

When we finished our breakfast, Derry gave me a kiss on the head and said that he was going in the shower then he’d walk over to my friend, Jenna’s house for the sleepover we were having for her ninth birthday. I smiled and nodded as he left the kitchen and went upstairs.

I heard the shower turn on as I got up with my bowl to put it in the sink. I didn’t have a good grip on the bowl though and it slipped from my hands, hitting the tile with a loud crash. I flinched as I saw the pieces of the broken bowl scatter across the floor. Oh no, I thought, Daddy probably heard it break. I started urgently picking up all the pieces without cutting myself.

“Lillian Allison Regan!” A voice behind me bellowed. I jumped and stood up quickly and turned around to see Daddy with an angry look on his face. I hurriedly tried to explain what happened.

“I’m sorry, Daddy! It was an accident; it just fell from my hands! I didn’t mean-“My panicked voice got cut off by the loud sound of the palm of Daddy’s hand colliding with my cheek. I fell to the ground as my now red cheek stung. I tried not to cry when a sharp piece of the bowl bit into my hand.

“You’re worthless; just like you’re brother!” He yelled and glared at me. My bottom lip trembled and I sniffled. “Clean up this mess,” He spat at me then grabbed his jacket and walked out the front door. I waited until I heard his truck leave the driveway, then I broke out in tears.

After a couple of minutes I heard a gasp. I looked up to see Derry looking at me, even angrier than Daddy. Is Derry mad at me too? The thought made me cry even more. The anger in Derry’s face was replaced with a look of sadness as he quickly walked over to me.

“It’s ok, Lil,” He picked me up took me to the bathroom upstairs.

“Please don’t be mad at me, Derry. I’m sorry,” I sobbed as he set my on the bathroom counter.

“Shh, I’m not mad at you, sweetie,” He soothed me until I calmed down. I took a deep breath and sniffled. “We need to clean you up.”

I nodded and winced as he took out the broken piece of the bowl. Derry said that the cut wasn’t very deep and he wrapped a bandage around my wound. He gently touched my cheek and told me that I’d have a bruise tomorrow. I frowned.