Because I Love You

Words of Poison

 Chapter 1

 "Mom!" I yelled as I walked into our small one bedroom apartment.

 I sighed. She must have been at the bar again. I hope Henry was keeping an eye on her. That woman was extremely reckless and she didn't have an inkling of common sense considering she was drunk all of the time.

 I dropped my school bags and made my way to the kitchen. Pulling out the spare key I had made for the lock on the fridge I opened it and was shocked to find that it was completely empty. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. Turning away from the dimly lit fridge I bit my lip and racked my brain about what I was going to do. I had just restocked it a few days ago, and I wouldn't get paid until next week.

 "Ahhh!" I shouted with frustration as I kicked the door shut.

 On the floor just under the counter I saw envelopes with red lettering written all over them. Swallowing I picked them up, and as I had suspected they were bills. It just seemed to be one thing after another.

 I heard the locks on our front door click and right on cue, "Rue!" My mother yelled slurring each syllable.

 I clenched my teeth and plastered on a smile which came out like more of a grimace, "yes mother?"

 She smelled like a brewery and she looked like she belonged in one. Once upon a time I'm sure my mother was very pretty but now... she looked like the common trash you found on the street. Of course her choice of outfits always attracted the wrong kind of men, but now it didn't really bother me. Henry taught me how to defend myself. Although it was more of an ultimatum which was learn to fight or he would call the police on my "half-assed mother," his words not mine. To this day he still can't understand why I want to protect her and I don't blame him; I barley understood my feelings and actions towards my mother. Looking up into her eyes I clenched my jaw. It was the same every day, her eyes held no other emotion except her unadulterated hate for me.

 She stumbled into the kitchen and came close to my face instinctively I flinched back and it didn't help that her breath smelt like the inside of a toilet and smiled sweetly, "Be a dear and go pay the man downstairs, would you?"

 I instantly frowned, "Pay? Mother with what money?"

 In an instant the sweet and caring tone she used was gone, which didn't surprise me one bit. Eyes narrowed she spat "don't give me that shit I know you have money hidden here somewhere."

 "Yes mother, but those are for the bills!" I exclaimed. This woman was absolutely insane. She didn't work and she didn't do anything around the house. Anytime I hinted that she should get a job she would yell and throw stuff around. Last time she nicked my shoulder with a broken beer bottle and promptly passed out. When she woke up sober for the most part she ordered me to clean the mess that she had made in her drunken stupor.

 "Didn't you pay those last month?" She asked accusingly.

I almost laughed out loud I swear her brain cells are sitting at the bottom of a tequila bottle somewhere, "Yes mother but I have to pay the landlord every month and the food is all gone so I'll have to go shopping again."

I looked into her eyes to see that they had glazed over. She probably hadn't heard a word I just said. Suddenly she turned away and trudged to her room. The door slammed shut behind her and in the silence I heard an audible click.

 I sighed in defeat and made my way down stairs. The cab driver was at the corner silently waiting.

 "That will be 45.50," the cabbie informed with his hand out looking me up and down with a disapproving stare.