Covered In Ink

Chapter 16|I'm freezing my ass off out here

My mother marched to the door grabbing my shoulder with her boney fingers.

"You're late!" she angrily whispered, as if not to let the guests see her true self.

"For what?" I retorted, mimicking her tone.

"The surprise baby announcement to our family," she glared.

"Bet I never got one of those," I muttered.

"What did you say?!"

"I said, you have lipstick on your teeth!" I yelled, silencing my mother and the chattering people in the next room.

I marched through the living room, watching as my aunts, uncles and grandparents mumbled in hushed tones about how disgraceful I was.

"Oh come on, just because you all hate me doesn't mean I can't hear you! Why don't you just say it to my face? Huh?" Their mouths opened and closed like goldfish, in shock that I actually spoke up instead of staying quiet as I was told to.

Just as I was about to leave, a voice piped up. "She always had such a terrible skin tone."

I rolled my eyes. Is that the best you can do?

"Shut up grandma, just because you're the same colour as frosty the snowman, doesn't mean that I'm black."

I glared, hoping that the ground would swallow them all up so I'd never have to see them again. Unfortunately my mind powers are still a work in progress.

I started making my way upstairs but my arm was violently ripped from my side and I almost tripped.

My mother shoved me back into the living room.

"Apologise," she hissed in my ear.

"I'm sorry that none of you like me," I turned to the woman standing next to me. "There, is that what you wanted?"

She held onto my arm, digging her fingernails into my flesh. "Try again," she said through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry that none of you can see through my mothers facade. I'm sorry that she's deceived all of you. I'm sorry that I was even born. I'm sorry for everything."

I turned to my mother, the instigator of all of my problems. "Are you happy now?"

She definitely wasn't happy. Her whole face was redder than a tomato and a bulging vein was protruding from her forehead. I watched as she tucked her hands into fists.

"You little bitch," she hissed.

I knew what would happen next, but the punch was clumsy. It hurt more than it should've because she was wearing rings. Sure, I could've defended myself but it wouldn't have made a much of a difference with the mind set she had. She wanted to hit me, so she hit me.

I couldn't bring myself to retaliate. I couldn't hurt her, she was my mother after all.

I licked my lip which felt like it had its own pulse. The metallic taste told me that I was bleeding and I probably had a split lip.

I looked around the room for someone who was willing to help me. Everyone remained seated, watching my mother with wide eyes. Jasmine seemed oblivious to the fact that what our mother did was wrong, which was a worry. What kind of example was she setting for a nine year old? Dad was still at work, seeing as mom usually left him out of family functions.

I saw the venom in her eyes and I knew what was coming. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the blow. It never came.

I cracked my eyes open. A blonde haired guy was restraining my mother. Tara was shouting at my family, Kyle was ushering people out the door, while Justin and Lee tried to control an out of control Jasmine.