Interconnected

Chapter Two

The sky was a stormy gray, as I walked around the neighborhood. I lived in the poor part of town. All the small buildings were painted with vulgar graffiti. The streets were filthy. The sidewalks outlined in trash.

I was on my way to the library in the west side of town. Alicia was waiting for me there, we were going to study for our midterms the next day.

I made my way around to the library and walked up the wide marble steps. Alicia was sitting at the desks towards the back of the library. I gave her a quick shoulder squeeze and sat down across from her.

"Hey, twin." Alicia chuckled.

"Hello."

"We've got tons of studying to do," She frowned. "I just want to plan my sweet sixteen!"

"School first, remember?" I wagged my finger at the air in front of her. She stuck out her tongue, and started working on some assignment for her math class.

"So, how's life?" She asked.

I made a noise. Something between a snort and a sneeze.

Alicia looked up from her book. "Dude, as soon as we're finished studying, we're going to Starbucks. Your mood is killer."

"F-Y-I, i'm broke."

She huffed. "I know, I know."

When we finished studying, Alicia kept her promise and took me to Starbucks. Ten bucks for two grande fraps. Why is life so expensive?

I waved at Alicia and closed the door behind me. I put my empty drink container on the dresser in my room, and attempted to take a nap.

A few minutes after laying down, I heard my dad come through the front door. His feet pounded on the floor as he walked down the hallway, and stopped. Odd. My door swung open and hit the wall, revealing my drunk father. His eyes were bloodshot, purple bags beneath them. His knuckles were bloody, his white t-shirt was soaked in sweat and dirty with gasoline stains.

"What's wrong?" I sat up on my bed.

"Got into an argument," An understatement, judging from his bloody knuckles. "Tom told me to take some time off."

"So..."

"Go to the station and get me two bottles." He walked out leaving my door wide open.

I pulled on my sneakers and walked out of the house. The sky was already turning dark blue. The cold wind made me shiver. I hated walking through this side of town at night.

I made my way to the gas station. At the counter, Tom, my dad's boss, smiled.

"Hello, Harry! What'cha need?"

"Two bottles, for Dad."

Tom made a face, as he reluctantly pulled two bottles of beer from the shelf behind him. "Your dad knows I hate sending you with booze." I shrugged.

I held the two paper bags close to my chest, as I made my way down the street. Before I could cross, I was knocked down. My head hit the ground. The bottles broke. Puddles of beer formed on the concrete. I turned around, dazed and looked up to see a tall man wearing all black. He wore a bandana over his nose and mouth. He had a small knife in one hand. The other hand was extended towards me.

"I... I don't have anything... you want." I gasped.

He punched me square in the jaw. I pulled two dollars and some change out of my pocket and placed it in his hand. "That's all I have, I swear!"

He kicked me in the stomach and I fell back onto the ground. I heard him run off as I struggled to breathe.

It took me a few minutes to recooperate. Once I regained my breath, I got up and jogged home. I was afraid, and nervous. Cold sweat soaked my t-shirt, and my hands were balled up into fists. I was alert.

I opened the door and locked it behind me. My dad was sitting on the couch. His face got red when he noticed I wasn't carrying any bags.

"Where's my beer?"

"Dad... I got attacked by some guy..."

"Where is my beer?" His voice was angry.

"He... He pushed me and I..."

"My beer, Harry!" He yelled and got up from the couch. In seconds his face was in mine, I could smell the alchohol in his breath, on his clothes.

"It fell." I said.

He slapped me across the face. I squeezed my fists tight. The right side of my face stinging.

"Can't you do anything right? You're just like your mother!" He grabbed me by the arms and tossed me to the side. Then he grabbed his keys off of the table and slammed the front door on his way out.

I grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and ran to my room. Tears made their way down my face as the bag numbed my cheek. I couldn't keep myself from crying this time. This was too much. It was unbearable. How could he not understand? I got what he wanted, and someone beat me because of it. How could he be so cruel?

I called Alicia and explained what happened. She was furious, but she kept me calm. She told me that I would get help soon. That it would be okay in the end. Even though I didn't agree, the thought of getting help comforrted me. I imagined them taking my dad to jail, him kicking and screaming. I imagined myself, living with my foster parents. They would feed me and make sure I was okay.

Maybe, Alicia's parents would adopt me. They really liked me and i'm sure Alicia could convince them. I would love that. Being surrounded by people who cared about me. Who would never hurt me. But that would never happen. Never.