Dear Neighbor Boy,

Parties Are a Real Pooper

A girl and a boy were making out as they tried to navigate their way into a room. I got a look at the couple. It was Hannah Winefield and... Asher?!

What was he doing hooking up with her? Well, from how sloppily they were kissing each other, I made the guess that they were drunk.

Surprise, surprise, I'd never been kissed, but I knew at least that much.

I walked over to rescue him from regret and tapped on his shoulder. We knew each a little bit better now to where we could help each other out... right? He whipped his head in my direction and glared at me.

"What." he seethed.

Woah. "Uh, Asher? Can I talk to you really quickly?" I asked and put my hand on his arm.

"Can't you see that I'm clearly busy?" he yelled and slapped my hand away.

I widened my eyes in fear as the memories came back to me. It was insane how any sort of aggressive touch could take me back.

~~~~~~~

"I'm sorry, Dad! Please stop!" nine year old me cried out.

"What? Do you want more?" my dad yelled as he raised his fist.

"N-no!" I sobbed.

My dad was clearly drunk. My mom had left to take my little, six year old brother, Finn, to his soccer game.

I accidently dropped a vase while playing and my dad was on seven cans of bud light. He snapped. He only ever hit me when he was either drunk or furious. So basically, whenever. This particular time, he was both.

He stopped when I turned twelve, though because my brothers began to take the blame for anything I did that my dad might've considered bad enough to hit me.

He left a bruise on my left cheek, my stomach, my upper arm, and gave me a black eye. He always made me cover it up afterwards with my mom's makeup. And she wondered why she always had to make so many trips to the makeup store...

My fifteen year old brother, Cameron, came from the hall out of his room and saw what was happening.

He scowled at my dad. "Leave her alone!"

"Oh yeah? What are you *hic* gonna do?" he mocked. I knew Cameron was scared of him, too, but he always put in a brave face for the rest of us.

"I'll show you!" he ran over and sent a flying fist to my dad. Unfortunately, my dad caught Cameron's hand inside of his own.

"Cameron! He'll hit you even harder!" I bawled.

He did.

And much, much worse than ever.

~~~~~~~

When I snapped out of it, Asher and Hannah slammed the door to a room behind them and I could hear noises from behind the door.

I didn't realize I was crying until a tear dropped onto my book. I crawled back into the corner and cried into my cardigan. I cried for what felt like hours even though it was only a bit over half an hour.

I wiped my eyes and walked downstairs. I went to the bathroom real quick to take off my already messed up makeup and wash my face. Walking out into the living room, I tried to rationalize my thoughts.

He was just drunk. He didn't mean to do that. He didn't even know what type of memories it would trigger. So, it wasn't his fault. Sure I was upset, but I wouldn't take it too hard on him considering he didn't even know.