Toddlers Until Teenagers

Chapter 12

I nervously start sweating, and glance at my mother's equally worried and angry face. Dina stepped frombehind behind my mother, and she looks really tired. Her hair is messy, her eyes glassy, bags looming under. My father looks just worried and angry like mom, and uncle seems lost, while Alex.. I don't look his direction.

"Where were you, young lady?!" My mother asks, slamming the front door close, and then taking a step back. I shrug my shoulders, wrong move. "What the heck, you don't know where you were?"

"No, I do." I mumble. She raises her eyebrow. "Excuse me, but did you say something?"

My father, on the other hand, face palms and uncle just stands there. Dina leaves the room, and I don't know why. Alex hovers around the corner, and I look at him no more.

"Where were you? Your mother is asking where were you, it's 8am. You never wake up this early! Especially.. It's summer break, for gods sake." Dad exclaims, pacing along the wide and shimmery floors.

"I just needed to get some air, that's it." I partially lie. Well, I needed to get out of this crazy house, that's what It is, dad.

"Of course, of course" my mom sarcastically retorts, but when she sees my pained face, she softness her glare and quiets down.

"Next time, just tell us, okay?" Uncle softly tells me, and then I nod, waking up the stairs. I wipe my sweaty hands on my shorts and enter my room, closing the door and sitting on the armchair with a thud.

I massage my temples and bite my lip. That was close. Really close. Sighing, I decide to go back to sleep, get my mind off things. I throw off my shirt, and hover to my bed, looking for my night clothes. The air wisps around my half naked self as I try to find it, and succeed, looking at my white shirt and black pjs, and hopping into bed.

Just then, before I can blink, my door swings open and the close, and there standing, is Alex.

I'm speechless in nerves and fear. Evelyn telling me everything about liana, that poor girl, and every other girl who lost their.. Dignity. I shudder and at once, throw the covers over my body and start to scream. In one stride, he clasps my mouth close. "Don't you dare scream." His voice comes out angry and his eyes pierce.

I make an effort for screaming again, but he pushes tighter. "I'm warning you, don't you f*cking dare."

Something clicks inside of me. He's going to hurt me if I scream. He's going to take it away. He's going to take my respect, my everything away. I give him a tiny nod, and those blue eyes, that once used to be innocent, flash and then his hands slowly come off.

"Why are you here?" I whisper. He laughs darkly, and dryly.

"You little.." He rolls his eyes and tugs at the blanket. I hear my heart thudding.

"Please, don't, don't take it away. Please. I beg you, Alex, think of my parents, think of your parents! What will they say when they find out? Alex.. Come back.. Let the small Alex come back, the one who protects me with his tiny hands from the bullies at preschool. I like those hands better than these big and powerful ones that are holding me, right now." His eyes seem to soften at my speech and a tear trickles down my own cheek into the corner of my mouth.

I am helpless. This is how it ends..

"Jenna. Stop! Just stop it." He throws his hands in the air, and then sets them on his face.

"Why, Alex, why?" I can't help it. I need to know. I need to say it. My eyes burn, tears stop. "Why would you ruin Liana's life? And several other girls? Why would you? For the sake of humanity, Alex.. Don't do it. Don't you get It? You ruin their lives. You crash their respect down." I murmur.