Sugar Coated

1. If Only You Really Knew.

***

"Here." I said bringing the 4 mammoth sized plates to Anthony and his friends in the living room.

"Where's the corn?" Anthony asked not taking his plate, but looking at it in pure disgust.

"There wasn't any but you have cornbread on your plate." I said pointing out the yellow squares that even had the butter already spread over it.

"Where's the mashed potatoes? Gravy? Where's all the good shit." Is he for real right now?

"You haven't let me go to the store in 2 weeks. How am I supposed to cook you stuff that we don't have?" His friends weren't complaining about the meal at all but Anthony was because he's Anthony.

All he did was knock the plate out of my hands. All that good food just gone to waste because it lay on the cigarette ash instilled carpet.

"Clean it up. Go to the store and make me a new plate." He said with furious eyes piercing through mine.

I let out a sigh and crouched down, picking up the meal I just spent the last hour cooking. At least now I get to be out of the house.

I took the plate to the kitchen and set it on the counter. "Can I have your keys?" I asked walking back to the living room.

"Why?" What does he mean why?

"To drive to the store and get groceries." Obviously.

"You can walk." It's after midnight you asshole. "Get going, 'cause I'm starving." Has he lost his mind?!

"It's like an hour for me to walk there then another to walk back. It takes me like 30 minutes to drive to and from." He was zoned into the football game on TV.

"Aye you can take my car." His friend said tossing me his keys and giving me a weak smile.

"Tha-"

"Nah. Toss 'em right back. She needs to earn her keep here. You're only makin' me more angry as you stand there, instead of walking." I tossed the keys back and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind me.

I got outside and saw all the street lights were out. It was literally pitch black outside, well aside from the moonlight but that wasn't enough light to last anything.

I hated this life. I know, why not just leave Hennessy?

Why? Because I can't. No matter where I go, Anthony will be there just to drag me right back. Cops haven't done anything and even if I wanted to leave, I'd have no where to go and no money to live off of because Anthony doesn't want me to leave him.

Only his 3 friends knew about what Anthony was doing to me. I was always jealous of his friend's girlfriends. They were treated like royalty, spoiled rotten, and loved. What did I get? I got slaps, punches, burns, broken limbs, painful sex, disrespect and gunshot wounds.

I'm happy that none of my friends could see me today. They probably wouldn't even recognize the real me hiding behind all the scars that Anthony has branded me with.

I don't know how but I'm going to get out of that hell hole on 241 Willow Ave.

After the grueling hour walk, I finally made it to the 24 hour quick stop. I was glad to finally be out of the house and away from Anthony.

I quickly decided to turn my phone off so in case if Anthony called, he'll think my phone is dead. He never seemed to get mad at that, or the fact he wasn't smart enough to realize I just turn off my phone.

"You need any help?" The man asked walking up to me with a smile.

"No thank you. I already know what I need." I said returning the best possible warm smile back. It hurt to smile, since it's been 3 years since my mouth has formed a smile. Not to mention my cheek is still pretty sore.

"Alright well if you need anything, just holler." I nodded my head and proceeded with stopping by my favorite isle.

The Coffee Isle.

The rushed smell of coffee beans filled my nose and overwhelmed my mind with a feeling that I couldn't explain. The smell of coffee was just heavenly. The way it starts out bitter then sweetens out and lingers in your nose, creeping to the back of your throat, to where you could taste it.

I stuffed a bag into the basket I had picked up on my way in. I fixed the coffee bag so it was standing up nicely without any kinks... Unlike Anthony's sprinkle-sized dick. How he manages to feel anything with that dick, is the 8th wonder of the world.

I basically threw Anthony's stuff in the basket without a care, much like how he throws me around. I hope his can of corn is dented or for some reason has enough oxycodon that it'll kill Anthony. That's just how much I hate him. To think I ever loved him at one point in time.

I brought my things to the cashier and just placed the entire basket on the conveyor belt.

"So how are you this early in the morning?" He asked. I'm miserable.

"I'm pretty good. How's your shift going?" He looked like he was fresh out of school, no older than 19, if that. His clean baby face making him seem almost younger than 16 but I knew that couldn't be the case.

"Really slow- Oh my God, is your cheek okay?"

"It's fine, Just an accident with an appliance at home." I wish that's what it was, instead of the barrel of a gun.

"If you say so." He said not sold on my lie. "Your total comes to $29.53." I reached into the pouch of my sweatshirt but didn't feel for any money.

Anthony never gave me money before I left. You're kidding me right now.

"My boyfriend forgot to give me money. Can I go back home to get the money then come back?" I asked feeling guilty that he just went through all that scanning and bagging.

"Just pay it when you come back next time. Write your name down on this." He said handing me a blank paper. I wrote Anthony's full name and handed it back to him. "It's stapled to a copy of your receipt, just as long as you pay it back within the next 2 weeks, it's all good."

"Thank you so so so much, you have no idea how thankful I am. Have a good rest of your shift." I said grabbing the 3 bags.

"Aight, have a nice day." I nodded my head and carried my bags out of the store and began making the trip back home.

***

"Anthony! Open the door!" I yelled as I tried to open the door but it was locked.

"You should have been home hours ago. Night." He said as he turned off the porch light.

"Anthony this isn't funny!" I yelled banging on the door. "Anthony!" I yelled out again but he didn't answer me.

This was the first time he'd ever locked me out. I was starving and cold, while he was in his room probably sleeping, not even caring about me being alone out here.

I left the bangs on the porch and decided to sleep somewhere else. I didn't want to wake up to see him standing over me with a gun aimed between my eyes.

What could I have possibly done to have my life be this bad.