Save Me From Myself

Chapter One - New Faces

It seemed like so long ago that I was crying myself to sleep every night and could barely get through the day without some type of breakdown. I was a shell of person then but I'm a new person now.

But before all of that, I have to tell you about the woman who saved me.

"Val ... mom wants you to come out with us. We're going to explore the town."

My older sister Carmen pokes her head in my room. I was buried under the cover in the dark. It was the middle of the day but the blackout curtains covering my windows blocked out any trace of light.

"No thanks," I respond.

I'd rather just sit in the dark and succumb to the hateful thoughts that float around in my head day in and day out.

She pushes the door open and steps in fully. Carmen was the golden child. Not only was she beautiful, with golden brown hair and chestnut colored eyes. She was smart and an athlete. People couldn't help but fall in love with her.

"Okay, let me try again. Get out of bed and come out with us. You know good and well that we're not leaving you home alone. Ever."

She says the last part quietly but I heard her. I was kept under constant surveillance. My mom and sister were scared I would try again what I tried last year. My dad on the other hand couldn't care less.

I groan. "Fine. Just give me a minute."

"You have five. Then I'm coming back and dragging you out whether you like it or not."

She leaves and closes the door behind her. I knew it was no point in fighting this. I dragged myself out of bed. I flicked on the lamp letting my room be illuminated with a soft yellow light.

I brushed out my red hair and pulled it up into a messy bun. I slipped on light grey joggers and some random shirt. I threw on tennis shoes and grabbed my phone before leaving the room.

I slowly made my way downstairs and stopped halfway when I heard arguing.

"Don't force her to come. If she wants to sit and mope in her room then let her," my dad's rough voice yelled out.

"First of all, quiet down or she'll hear you. Second, she has a mental illness. It is not her fault and she definitely didn't ask for it. Stop being an asshole and act like her father," my mom whispered harshly back.

My dad seemed to think that having depression was a choice. 'Just be happy,' he would say. 'Don't be sad.'

I finished my descent down the stairs. I entered the kitchen where my family was standing around. "Are we going or what," I say, pretending I didn't hear the earlier conversation.

My mom smiles, "Of course. But is that what you want to wear? It is June."

I took most of my looks from my mom. We both had the same red hair and amber colored eyes. We were also both only 5'2. While my dad and Carmen towered over us at 5'8. 

"I'm fine. Let's go." I turn around and walk out.  I slip into the backseat of my mom's car.

The town we moved to was in the middle of nowhere Arizona. It was one of those towns where everyone knew everything about everyone. So of course after moving in last week we were visited by everybody. Along with pasta dishes and small gifts as a welcome.

The rest of my family finally joined me in the car. It was a very silent and uncomfortable ride. But it only lasted five minutes because we'd arrived to the town square. It was bustling with activity seeing as it was the middle of summer.