The perfect neighbours

Chapter 5: Wounded soul

I walked inside the house feeling dirty, embarrassed,humiliated, nasty and broken. My head spinning with wildly negative thoughts, confused whether I want to cry,shout or break something.

I go straight upstairs to my room, lock the door and throw myself on my bed. I close my eyes hoping that tears would stream down my cheeks but nothing came out not even a silent tear escaped. "How the hell is this possible?!" I say to myself as I tried screaming so tears would eventually come but nothing came out. Defeated by tears I finally got up and went to the bathroom.

I couldn't look at myself in MY mirror. "What's happening to me?!" I whisper as I switched on the shower and took off my clothes, bathed and came out,walked straight to my closet,got dressed in PJ's and went straight to bed. As I got under the covers,Rose spoke.

You have homework Angel, get up and do your homework,NO! You were quiet when I tried to talk to you! Leave me alone! Okay.

It was around 22:00pm when I eventually fell asleep after tossing and turning. "Hey! Open the fucking door!" A voice said from the other side of my bedroom door. I am not answering that. They banged on the door again and it eventually swang open, mom walked in all angry and shit and pulled away my blankets throwing them out of the window, cursing and cursing me repeatedly.

I laid there on the bed trying to get up but it felt as though something held me down. I tilted my head to face her, still confused why she is all hyped up. She walked towards me and started beating my ass up with a sjambok talking about dishes,pots and cooking? I closed my eyes and when I opened them again sunlight was peeping through the curtains,"Thank God it was only just a dream!"

I checked the time and it was 05:00am. Before I could get up. The door swang open, MOM! Walked in, pulled my blankets and tossed them out the window cursing and yelling at me. Then she walked towards me as I was now sitting upright looking at her like the fuck?
And slapped me across the face and said,"I don't know who you think you are but I will not get bowed by you. I made you who you are today. I birthed you and I can also take away all of that within an instant. This is my house, you will follow my rules. How there you sleep without cooking for the kids? Or your father! Don't you have some sense of shame, some manners or some respect!!

Respect? What's this bitch on about?

"...- Get your ass up and go to school! You disgusting selfish bitch!"  "I'm sorry mom I was..." she slapped me again and said,"who said open that trash of yours! FUCK OFF!!" I got up and ran to the bathroom,I  swear my body is dehydrated. No tear came out, no pain felt just no feelings. I bathed, got dressed and set of to school. As I walked down the porch stairs she called out,"Where the fuck are you rushing to?!" "School" I said as I stopped to hear what she had to say. I swear she was about to bash me or something when dad suddenly pitched up and her whole facials changed from evil to Saint In an instant. "Okay sweety, watch out for the neighbours dogs and cars passing by okay?!" I nodded and left.

Maybe that's just how mother's act around their husbands, all sweet and shit and to their daughters... Well maybe it's for the best. Maybe?

I reached school at 07:00am and went straight to the ladies,sat on the seat and did my homework. I heard a few girls gossip about whether they saw a  girl named Angel and how her face is swollen and it looks as though her man beat her.

Her man? How do they know know that?This is none of my business. I just need to finish this and hand it in.

At 8:00am I was done and headed to class got in and went to my seat. Heads turned my way and Finn didn't look at me. "What happened?!" One of the classmates Trevor asked all concerned and shit. I cleared my throat and said,"Where?!" "Why is there a nasty scar on right cheek? Wait! Here let me..." He got up and pulled his chair along with a small bag, sitting really closely to me and placed his tiny bag on my desk, opened it, pulled out cotton and dunked it in some liquid and held my face with his other hand to steady it and placed the wet cotton on my cheek."OUCH!" I say loudly and covered my mouth at the realisation as everyone turned to face me including Finn.

I harshly whispered to Trevor,"What the fuck is that thing... It hurts like hell!!" He cutely giggled revealing straight white teeth on dark gums, so cute! And a dimple on one cheek. "I'm sorry... Let me cover it quickly before the teacher arrives" I study him as he is busy nursing my wound. I noticed that he has a small but noticeable mole on his cheek, dark brown eyes, smooth caramel skin tone just like me,fade cut afro hair and full slightly darkish lips. He's beautiful!!

He laughs and I said,"what's funny?!" "Why are you looking at me like that?!" I laugh,"Like what?!" "I don't know, like you're studying me" I acted surprised,"what? Me? No way! That would be weird!" He laughed so did I  ,"Yeah ,anyways you're all set" I looked at him for some time and then said,"Thank you" he looked at me and said,"well I know you mean that because you first paused then said it. So you're welcome!"

He stood and went back to his seat. Lessons started and ended one after the other and I noticed that Finn hasn't spoken to me since the first one begun and now it's the final one and he has been asleep on all of them. I'm worried.

Should I go talk to him?.Is he avoiding me? Rose? Just chill he is fine. You still have a lot to worry about, Okay if you say so Rose.

I rush to my last lesson ,all smiles because this day had ended. As I rounded the corner, someone tripped me over and as tall as I am, I fell sideways on the floor my books and papers scattering everywhere. I looked up and it was the James kid Joseph! He laughed along with his friends and I got up, picked my books and papers. I turned to walk away but they rounded me still laughing and he kicked my books making them scatter on the floor again. I leave my books on the floor and intensely look at him.

Rose! What should I do? Kick his ass this is insulting. Good answer!

I didn't waste anymore time,I threw my heavy bag at one of his friends and speared him onto the floor. As he was trying to make sense of what was happening, I sat on his chest and strangled his neck. Holding on to it for dear life, pressing both my thumbs one on top of the other just below his Adam's apple.

One of his friends tried to kick me on my face, I dodged it by laying flat on my back and getting back upright continuing to strangle Joseph. He's eyes turn white, I didn't let go until someone grabbed me off of him. I'm guessing that was the teacher because I couldn't make sense of what was happening around me until I was sitting in the principal's  office. He sighed and spoke,"After watching the CCTV footage I've come up with a solution. Here!" He says handing Joseph and I letters.

I didn't touch mine cause deep within I felt that I've messed up and I'm getting expelled or something. I sat there biting my nails. He continued,"Make sure you two adhere to what's inside there and please close the door behind you" I stood up and walked out first only to find half of the students from my class looking at me weirdly. I walked straight out,with just the letter in my hand no bag,no books.

Rose I think I'm out of control.I'm slowly losing my mind. What was with that dream that became reality?! I'm just scared. I don't even wanna open this letter. Angel, don't forget to breathe.

I got home and went straight to my room,threw the letter on the bed and went back downstairs, cooked, did the dishes and the rest of my chores. Hours later I was done. Tina walked in as I was switching the stove off. She looked at me and said,"I heard!" "You heard what?" "That you beat a guy up". "I did?". " Please don't act around me I'm cool. Besides I'm proud of you,boys at school are really shitty. They have no respect for females at all. You did a great thing and dad knows too, mom wouldn't pick up so she's the only one living in the dark " she came closer and hugged me tightly before leaving for her room.