Once Again

Chapter 23

It was summer of 1992. I am helping Mama at her job. Daniel is with Chano and Papa at Papa's job. Chano is now a masculine 16 year old. He has gotten bigger and taller. He has a girlfriend too. She's a very pretty American. Daniel is 9 years old as almost as tall as me. And I'm 12! I'll be starting 8th grade this summer and I'm nervous. Leann and Daisy tell me to not worry. Leann has grown bigger now. She is a young lady. Daisy has also grown up. I am my same self: skinny, tan, short, with nothing to show. But I'm happy. I still have my long hair and its growing more and more. It's now at my mid thighs. I have to keep it in a ponytail most of the time because its always getting in the way, like right now as I'm trying to sweep the floor. I rolled it into a bun. Mama wears hers in a braid. I take my time with sweeping. Mama doesn't like when I do that.

"Pronto Marce. The lady is gonna come." I didn't mind the lady coming. It was her son Vance who I minded. He was tall and nice looking but a 17 year old jerk. I didn't like him at all. He was always trying to get my attention. The lady comes in with Vance following her.

"Hello Marcela." She smiles and goes into the kitchen. Vance stays in the doorway and I see him looking at me. I turn around.

"Can I help you, sir?" I put my hands on my hips. He walks up to me and wraps his arms around my waist. He whispers to my ear.

"I want you." He lets go of me and walks up the stairs. I shiver at what he said to me. I continue sweeping. I am just waiting for school to start again so I don't have to come back.

We were about to leave when the lady calls Mama into the kitchen. I wait in the living room for her. Out of nowhere, I feel something pick me up and cover my mouth. I struggle to get out but it was too strong. Vance. He drags me up the stairs. He carries me to his room and locks his door. I struggle but its useless. I am a weak girl up against a strong boy. He throws me onto his bed. He gets on me and starts kissing my neck. I slap him but it does nothing. He starts taking off my shirt. I found the breath to yell.

"HELP ME!" I start crying. I continue to hit him. He grabs my jaw.

"Shut up. You're not gonna be heard. You're mine, you little skunk." He bites into my skin. He now goes to unbutton my pants. I take hold of his hand and try to push it away but he grabs mine and hold tightly onto it. I look through the blurriness of my tears and see his ear is close to my mouth. I reach out to bite it and bite it hard. He rolls over with the pain of my bite. I unlock the door and run down the stairs into the kitchen. His mom was showing my Mama something when she caught sight of me. I was a mess, with my hair fallen out, half my shirt torn off and my pants unbuttoned and tears down my cheeks. Mama then turns around and looks at me.

"Mi'ja what happened to you?!" Tears were at Mama's eyes. I couldn't tell her because tears came out hard. The lady walks out and minutes later comes back with Vance who was holding his ear that I had bit into.

"Did you do this to this girl?!" She holds his other ear tight.

"No! She wanted to. She walked into my room and got all over me." I shake my head, crying hard now. He was lying. I knew the lady didn't believe her own son. She pulls on his ear.

"You are going to jail for this!" The lady tells him. I feel like he should. Mama shakes her head.

"No Ms. It be okay. I will not work here. Do not worry." She holds me and walks out the kitchen. The lady hands me a new shirt before leaving. I couldn't stop crying. I was almost raped.