Mixed up families, huh?

Chapter Three: Reagan's POV

I lowered my head in shame as tears entered my light green eyes. My father, although I'm not sure he is my father, yelled at me with his rough voice. I shrunk back against the dirty walls as everything grew silent around me. I could only watch as he flung the ratty old couch against the porch door and broke the only mirror we had in the house.

I bit my lip, a nervous habit of mine, and held out for the inevitable. I knew it was best to just stand still when Joey gets like this. He was a scary man. Not so much scary as disgusting, actually. He was tall, very tall, and he used that to his advantage. He towered over me in height and weighed at least 2 times what I did.

His hair came in short, ragged clumps of thick brown hair. His eyes were the color of a hotdog bun. His large nose was oddly shaped and took up half his face. His lips were torn and crusted over. His skin was crinkly and not soft in any way. He was beyond ugly, yet he somehow had an even uglier wife.

Sarah was a petite, rat looking woman. She was pathetic. She never stopped her husband when he got to be like this. Even joined in occasionally. She had blonde hair that might've been smooth and vibrant at one point, but not now. It was stringy and uneven now. I almost felt bad for her, having such a horrible husband.

I couldn't believe they were my real parents, the differences were too vast. My black hair was too dark to have come from either of them. My green eyes weren't mixed from the deep brown of Sarah's and the auburn of Joey's.

I had to believe I had a real family waiting for me out there.

I felt like a child, even though I was 15. I was very short and tiny compared to Joey's large frame. He smirked when he saw me leaned against the wall. I was used to this, and I knew what would happen next.

The sharp vibration of his slap across my cheek felt like it shook the entire house. I crumpled to the floor as he walked away and curled into a protective ball.

He slammed the door behind him as he left the house, probably in search of a bar.

Joey and Sarah weren't alcoholics, they just had very bad tempers.

I scrambled up the stairs to my small room. I tugged my hair into a braid and tried to control the shakiness in my hands. This wasn't as bad as it usually was. Joey had gone easy on me.

I had bruises scattered across my face. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but as usual, it wasn't going to happen. Especially not right after a night like this.

Since neither Sarah nor Joey were home, I decided it was safe to head to Hayley's. Hayley was a friend from school, someone I could trust. She often helped me after Joey hurt me, and urged me to tell someone. She knew I never would though.

I couldn't, for I had nowhere else to go and I refused to take the risk of being sent to an orphanage. Hayley supplied me with books from the library, which is how I learned about cameras and photography. She helped me with clothes and hiding my bruises at school.

Hayley was really the only person in the world that I trusted. We met in 6th grade, in gym class.

Flashback

I watched the red headed girl with the pigtails kick the mean boy in his not-so-nice area and grinned as she shrugged at me. The boy behind her groaned in pain and crawled away from the crazy redhead.

I decided I liked the girl already.

"I'm Hayley! Wanna sit with me at lunch?" The girl had a bright smile. I felt comfortable already. I hesitated though, would this girl hurt me like Joey and Sarah?

I decided to take a risk and nodded my head at her.

"I'm Reagan." I whispered. I wasn't a loud person, even then.

We got back to volleyball.

Flashback Ends

I snuck out through the window and climbed down the apple tree by my window. I ran 2 blocks to Hayley's and snuck in through her window. That was our thing, we snuck into each other's windows.

She smiled but grimaced when she saw the purple bruises covering my face. Hayley walked to me and put her hand on my cheek, slowly moving her thumb back and forth. I felt a rush of happiness and safety run through me as Hayley's blue eyes stared down into my green ones.

"I hate that they do this to you. You don't deserve this. I really think you should tell someone. A teacher, or something." She sighed in disappointment even as she said it. She knew I would never do that. I didn't want to make her upset with me, so I looked down as her angry gaze set on me.

Her eyes softened when she saw the look on my face. "I'm not upset with you, Reagan. You're my best friend, and I don't like to see you in pain." She sighed and laid down on her bed. I stood for a second, unsure.

"Well, come lay down. You could use the rest." Hayley's voice was calm and insistent. I slowly walked to what we called my side of the bed. I spent more nights at Hayley's house than my own poor excuse for a home.

I laid down slowly, still afraid of Hayley's disappointment. She put her arms around me as I curled into a ball and she pulled me closer to her. I turned to face her and sighed in relief. I was glad she wasn't mad at me. I don't know what I would do without Hayley.

Her red curls were wild around the pillow and her eyes were droopy as she smiled at me in reassurance. I softly smiled back and she leaned forward to press her lips to mine. Her lips were smooth and I liked kissing Hayley.

It wasn't our first kiss, and I hoped it wouldn't be our last. I knew she liked girls. She had told me she was in love with me multiple times. I wasn't sure about my sexuality. I knew I liked Hayley though, and that was all that really mattered to me.

I loved her, and I knew she loved me. She provided me with a sense of comfort and happiness. I felt safe in her arms, and it always felt like every curve of my body was meant to fit hers. I didn't know if it was wrong, Joey always told me it was, but it didn't feel wrong and that's what really mattered to me.

We smiled against each other's lips and then settled down. We spent a long time talking, about anything really. She was always kind to me and soft spoken. Hayley always knew how to make me feel better.

As we cuddled closer to fall asleep, my back pressed against her chest, I couldn't help but feel like everything was about to change. Some part of me wanted to stay like this with Hayley forever. To always feel loved and appreciated and happy. But, another part of me wished it was different. I hoped I wouldn't have to live in this pain forever. I hoped someone would take me away from the suffering that Joey and Sarah put me in. I didn't want to lose Hayley, but I felt like I was losing myself.

Little did I know, I would soon be saved.