The Love You Give and Take

Room

TRIGGER WARNING!!!
Mentions of abuse, rape, self harm and drug use

2 years later....

It has been 2 years since Declan called Child Protective Services and I was now 17 years old. In those 2 years I have grown into a cold emotionally damaged girl. Declan broke his promise to me and I have not seen him or my other brothers in 2 years.

After being in the orphanages for a few months I was place in a foster care home with a woman named Emma and her husband Alexander. At first I thought it was my chance to start anew, without my brothers and the pain brought forth by my father, but I was so wrong.

"You are nothing but a worthless piece of sh**." Alexander screamed at me from the bottom of the stairs.

"Speak up when I am talking to you!" A slap awakens me for my daze. This has been my nightmare for the past two years. After Declan left I could not find in in me to speak aloud anymore, as I had nothing to say. This makes my foster father angry as he along with my foster mother Emma are in this for the money and I will not be the one to ruin it for them.

"This is exactly why you were left at the orphanage. Your family never loved you, you are nothing but a piece of trash left alone by your family. Your family is better off without you. You are only good for the men I sell you to." Alexander said. Alexander was always the worst of the two evils. Emma usually stayed out of my way and I out of hers, but she tends to watch as Alexander beats me black and blue.

After my first year here Emma and Alexander's true colors started to show. One night I was in my room, which I am thankful for as it is a safe space for me because Emma and Alexander kept up appearances, as they did not want the chance they had to slip from there fingers. The door opened up and a tall man around 6'0 came in. At first I was startled thinking it was Alexander coming in for something, but I came to know that was not the case, as that night was the first of many nights I was sold to a man by the hands of Alexander and Emma, my innocence long gone.

This was the normal for me as another year went on being sold and faking appearances to satisfy the public eye and I was to the point where my only release was hurting myself in the form of self harm and drugs, I was turning into my mother.

The first time I smoked weed I was coming home from being sold to yet another man and a guy on the corner was selling some. I had acquired money by stealing it from Alexander's "clients," and decided I had nothing to lose. The first hit scare me like no other and I regretted it instantly, but I found myself in what I can only describe as my first moment of peace in over 9 years. Weed turned into something more and now I found myself taking strong pills to numb the pain. I am not proud of myself, but I had finally found something to ease it, to numb my thoughts.

I am currently in my room it is around 6:30 in the morning and I have to get ready for school. I take a quick shower and brush my teeth, the pain from the intense bruise on my side making me weary of bumping into anything as I get dressed. I look at myself in the mirror, my long black hair that has too many split ends, my blue eyes once bright are as dead as the night sea, and my cheeks sunken in from the malnutrition of not eating regularly, I sighed to myself and look away disappointed in who I am. I am in my last year of high school and after I graduate I will be long gone, to where I don't know. I try to be stealthy in the mornings to avoid adding on yet another bruise that will only cause me more pain. I slip out of my room carefully after I get dressed in the same thing I am always in a black sweatshirt and grey sweatpants with my raggedy converse. After I make it down the stairs I am relieved to find both Emma and Alexander are gone, to where I don't know and frankly don't care. I never really eat breakfast as Alexander says I am to fat as I am, so I leave the "dollhouse," as I call it because it is a beautiful home, but inside is another story, as I make my way to school.

School is the same. I have no friends and I am know as "mute," as I don't speak to anyone as I don't want to and I don't want to have a slip up and revealed how much pain I am actually in.

I finally make it to school as it is a 30 minute walk to get there. I could always get on the bus to school, but I don't want to take my chances of making Alexander or Emma mad. I finally reach school and have about 10 minutes to spare, so I wait in my first period classroom where I sit in the back away from the public eye. I don't hate school, as it is an escape from my home life, and I am actually pretty smart if I do say so myself. I have a photographic memory, so if I read it or see it I will remember it. It is a blessing and a curse. When the bell finally rings and all the students are inside the days starts like every other day. My first period is English and I love English, it brings me the opportunity to explore the depths of a new world. My teacher Mr. Brown is a great teacher and understands that I will get my work done, but I just don't want to speak aloud, he doesn't deduct points from me and for that I am grateful.

On this particular day I didn't know my life would change. I got called to the office which is weird because I never have been in trouble at school.

"Zara Monroe to the principals office please," The lady over the intercoms states. I make my way there the stares from my peers intense and making me uncomfortable. As I find myself standing in front of the principal Mrs. Alair, my short 5'0 frame never growing from the abuse and lack of nutrition I have a uncomfortable feeling in my stomach afraid that they may have caught on to my lies, a voice started me from my thoughts.

"Zara, I am afraid I have to tell you some bad news." She states, pity is clear in her eyes.

"Your foster father and mother where arrested on charges of Human Trafficking." I swear my heart stop beating as she stated the words I have hope to hear for the past two years, finally I could be rid of those reprehensible "humans" If you could call them that. However, my enthusiasm quickly vanished as from the corner of my eye I saw a face I haven't seen nor care to ever see again sitting in the corner of the room.

Who could be in the room?

Tell me what you think.

Love you Butterflies 🦋

Bella 💙