Camilla Carter has had a rough life of abuse and pain. Her twin sister protects her as much as she can, until she can't. Keaton Woods, a boxing fighter who hates any man for laying a finger on a woman. Keaton is also an underground fighter. How does...
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"Some memories never leave your bones. Like salt in the sea; they become part of you."
✰✰✰
I freeze once I see my dad holding a bat while leaning against the wall.
"Hide and seek." He laughs.
I shake my head. "It's Tuesday..."
He cocks his head to the side. "My house, my rules."
"I've had enough of this!" I scream, "I can't take this anymore."
Dad takes a step forward.
I repeat his action by taking a step forward.
"Being brave now are we?" He mocks.
I cross my arms over my chest. "I'm done being afraid of you. You're my father, as much as you don't treat me like I am your daughter... I shouldn't be afraid of my own dad."
"Never call me dad." He says again.
I raise my hands in a mock surrender. "Sorry Niall." I sly.
He takes another step forward.
I once again repeat the action.
"Your mom and sister would be so disappointed in you." He whispers.
I shake my head. "No. I am stronger than you allow me to be. They would be proud I am still standing."
"Your sister isn't still standing, does that make her weak?"
"It will never make her weak. The pain you put us through was unbearable, her protecting me was more than she should have handled. Like mom says, love comes at a price."
He hums. "Loving your mom cost her life."
"You abused her! You never loved her, you loved the thought of her!" I yell.
He takes another step forward. "I loved her and you took that away from me!"
"No I didn't!" I yell back. "You don't abuse the people you love!"
Silence fills the room.
I think back to that day when I was 9 years old.
It is my fault my mom is dead and it is my fault Camryn is dead.
My dad walks back gripping the bat in his hands. "You have 10 seconds."
I take off in a sprint running upstairs.
I turn the corner, stretching my legs further and picking up my pace.
"3...2...1!" I hear my dad shout and him running upstairs.
I crawl into the AC vent as quietly as I possibly can.
Niall's shoes click against the wood flooring. He drags his bat against the floor creating a trail of stretches.
I crawl away from the view of my dad and lean against the cold walls of the vent. I stair into the darkness, alone with my thoughts.
After all, I deserve to feel the emptiness.
I deserve to feel unloved.
I deserve to feel all the pain that comes with the thought of family.
I miss my mom and I miss my twin sister.
"Come out, come out... wherever you are..." My dad whispers, still dragging the bat.
I have two options.
I could be an idiot and face him.
Or I could just stay in this vent, where it's safe.
But I think we already know what choice I am going to make here.
I am tired of being afraid of my dad, so yes I am about to jump out of the vent and face him.
I push down on the vent and do a somersault on the wooden floor then standing up.
"I'm tired of being afraid of you." I say, looking my dad in the eyes.
"Bad choice."
I start running down the stairs thinking to myself: Abort! You idiot!
I hear him slamming the bat into the wall, creating loud bangs to echo throughout the house.
I go into the basement to look for a cabinet I can squeeze into.
I quickly ran behind the washing machine instead.
Hearing my dad run around the house angrily, looking for me with a bat should scare me.
I mean it terrifies me, but it's my dad... how can I be afraid of him and not be afraid of him at the same time?
The door to the basement opens and he comes walking down the steps. Taking slow, anxiety building steps.
He flicks the light switch on. "Camilla, come out and face your dad. It's time to stop being a coward and face me."
I roll my eyes at the sound of his voice.
I stand up and walk out in the open.
"Found you!" He voices running toward me with his bat.
I stand still.
He slams the bat against my abdomen.
I'm stand still.
My dad grips the bat harder. He swings and hits me right in the chest.
I fall to the ground, completely numb.
How are you supposed to feel when your dad chases you around the house with a bat?
He walks up the stairs and turns off the light.
He walks away without saying another word.
I am stuck in the darkness with my own thoughts, once again.
~*~*~*
I wake up feeling dizzy and groggy.
I open my eyes and see pure darkness.
My phone beeps with an alarm. I pull it out of my pocket and check the time.
6:30am.
I need to clean my injuries and get to school.
I get up without a second thought and slowly make my way up the basement stairs so my dad doesn't hear me and so I don't fall from my injuries.
