The Girl in the Hooded Jacket

Dark Sihlouttes

"Tell me something, Carter."

"Yeah?"

Violet was propped up against the brick wall, sleep in her eyes. "Why did you never hit him back?"

"What?"

"Gabriel— he's hit you so many times. Why did you never hit him back?"

I rolled my tongue over the inside of the cheek. "I don't know." I wrung my hands together. I had thought about it many times. Every day I would work out, physically preparing and trying to build up the courage. You don't own me! I wanted to tell him. I wanted Gabriel to feel what I felt, to go through what I had to go through.

"I don't know." I said again. I don't sighed. "It doesn't matter any more. I'm not going to see him again."

Violet looked at me, chewing on her lower lip. "You may think that, but unless you settle this you're never going to put it behind you."

"I don't want to settle this." I said, picking up a rock and throwing it at the ground. It bounced a couple times before landing. "I never want to see that guy again."

"Okay." Violet said quietly, knowing not to push anymore.

I covered my face with my hands, elbows resting on my thighs. "Why are our lives so complicated?" I asked Violet.

She looked at the floor, then at me, then back at the floor. Her eyes flitted back and fourth a couple times. "I don't know." She said, sleepily. If she said something else after that, I didn't hear it. I let my heavy eyelids fall over my eyes, allowing myself to fall asleep.

**

Crunch.

My eyes shot open. I glanced at Violet, who was laying on the floor, using her sack as a pillow. A dark silhouette was pacing towards us, getting closer by the second.

"Violet." I put my hand on her shoulder, shaking her. "Violet, wake up. Someone's here."

Violet opened one eye. "What?"

I cocked my head to the dark silhouette. "Crap." She whispered.

The figure was close now, only a couple feet away. A pair of icy eyes glared at me through the dark.

The figure stepped into the light.

My eyes widened. I stumbled back in disbelief, landing on my bottom.

"Son of a bitch." He hissed, his voice like a knife in the silent night. As he stepped closer, I backed away on my hands. Gabriel towered over me, his sharp features illuminated by the moonlight. He pursed his thin lips together. "Do you have any idea the embarrassment you've caused me?" With every word he took one step forward. "Having to explain to the neighbors, the principal, my friends why my own son is not in my house!" He grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me up, slamming my back against the brick wall.

Gabriel swung a fist, making harsh impact on my jaw. I inhaled sharply. "Now listen to me." He said, bringing his lips next to my ear so I could hear every word, every drunken accusation that left his mouth. "You're coming back with me. You're going to tell everyone you were out of town for a couple days, visiting cousins. And you'll never, ever do this again. Do you understand me?"

I closed my eyes, breathing hard.

"Hey!" Gabriel grunted, landing a hard punch on my stomach. I groaned, bending over in pain, only to have him pin my shoulders against the wall again. "I asked you a question." He said through gritted teeth, his face only inches from mine. "Do you understand me?"

No. I wasn't going back with him. I couldn't. My blood boiled, fingers curling into fists.

I summoned all my strength, grabbing Gabriel's shoulders, pushing him off of me and slamming him into the wall. "You don't control me." I spat. I raised a fist and crushed it into his temple. He collapsed onto the floor, blood dripping from his forehead.

He'd only be unconscious for about an hour.

"Come on." I said, grabbing Violet's hand. "We need to get as far away from here as possible."