Claimed By The Daddy

||1||

Moving In-Moving Out

_____________________________

Sitting at the table at Rohan's apartment, I started to look at employment listings. I had been here less than a day, and I was ready to move out.
The fact that it is was dirty and cluttered only contributed to a fraction of my need to leave this dump. The largest contributing factor was Rohan.

You think you know someone until you live with them. I've known Rohan for years. He is my friend Mona's older stepbrother. And by older, I mean he is about twelve years older than me.
It may sound like a lot, but Rohan isn't very mature - at all. He puts on this macho, older guy act, but he really hasn't matured past college. Hence, why three old pizza boxes still litter the kitchen.

Mona always said he hit on her friends, and even tried to seduce her a few times after high school. But I figured he just didn't meet women his own age. Turns out that younger girls were his thing. It kinda made me feel dirty.
What made me feel more dirty was that I lost my long-held virginity to this immature idiot.
My mom had me when she was very young. Not one to repeat the mistakes of our mothers, I opted for the most drastic measure - celibacy.

Most of my peers in high school teased me for holding on to my V card. But while they were getting their hearts broken and pregnancy scares, I was getting good grades and varsity lettered in two sports. Which pays off when you want to go to college.
Again, going to college was something that my single mother never did until she received her associates degree a few years ago. Therefore, that goal was at the top of my list.
It's funny how I'm now neither a virgin nor in college. It literally took one semester to change my trajectory for good.

If you ever want to get on academic probation, I recommend drinking, boys, and partying. The school said I could come back for my second semester in hopes of redemption, but I'm feeling a little out of control right now and don't plan to return.
Out of control at eighteen, you say. Seems crazy to me, too. Especially after how hard I worked to get to that point.

But after leaving the protection of my mom's watchful eyes, I began to see opportunities to explore my wilder side.
See, my mom was over protective. Since she never really experienced typical teenage years, once I hit high school, she became my jailer.
I know she didn't see it that way. She saw it as protecting her only child. And to an extent, I appreciated it.
But it also allowed me an excuse to resent her. I became such a brat. And I still am.

My dad didn't help matters. He constantly whispers in my ear negative things about my mom. I was convinced mom was secretly sleeping with and dating every man in town, including my friends' dads.
Mom was always young and beautiful, and my maternal grandparents were always very sexually charged, for lack of a better term. So it made sense to me that mom just followed in their path, but on the down low.
In truth, she wasn't being the town floozy, at least not until a few months ago. Now she is with two men and pregnant.
And that's the main reason I'm sitting here looking at ads in this shit hole apartment. I had planned to come home for winter break and stay with my mom, but once I arrived all hell broke loose when I saw her kissing a new boy toy.

I immediately came in to her house to call Rohan. And as fate would have it, he knew my mom, too. That's small towns for ya!
So Rohan walked us down a creepy version of memory lane until the new blonde boyfriend mentioned mom's pregnancy. The pregnancy that was news to me.
Anyway, that takes us to my job hunt. The elusive zero-experience-required job hunt.
Rohan told me about a diner in town that was looking for a waitress. He said it mainly had breakfast and lunch service since it was located in walking distance of all the in-town office buildings.

After giving up on my search, I gave the diner a call and completed some online paperwork. And luckily ended up getting the job. They didn't even require an in-person interview. I guess I should be grateful.
I start tomorrow morning, which could not come soon enough.

A few hours after landing the job, Rohan came home from work with a handle of vodka and a pizza. I guess tomorrow's first day would see me hung over and bloated.
Rohan was a big drinker. He typically didn't get too hammered when we were on dates. But he always drank.
And who was I to say 'no.'

"Drink up, baby," Rohan slurred after what must have been about five vodka tonics.
"I think I'm going to go to bed. I start my job tomorrow morning," I yawned and stood to go to bed.
"You think you can stay here rent-free without paying the piper, Tejasswi," Rohan said with a hint of anger in his voice. I stopped in my tracks. This didn't sound like the Rohan I knew.
I had begged off sleeping with him last night with the excuse of being too upset about mom. He seemed a little angry, but didn't make a big deal.
Rohan stood up and walked toward me. For some reason his stance and angry stare made me take a step back. "Playing hard to get?"
"I just need to sl-"

Rohan grabbed my arm and pulled me to the bedroom before I could finish my thought. Once the back of his hand made contact with my cheek, I knew this was about to get a whole lot worse.

***

I looked at my face in the mirror the next morning. There was a slight discoloration, but nothing that a little foundation couldn't cover.
I felt my ribs where he had kicked me. They didn't feel broken.

And last but not least, I examined my arm where he had pulled me into the bedroom. Slightly darker than the bruising on my side, but that was because he didn't kick too hard.
I looked deep into my own eyes. This is the crossroads they talk about. The one where the woman decides to seek help or slowly die at the hands of her abuser. I can stay or go.

Pride wouldn't let me go home. And money kept me from anywhere else. So in that moment - alone and defeated - I decided to become the abused girlfriend, handing over the keys of my cell to a new jailer.
Welcome to the real world.

_____________________________

Hey people,

This was the first chapter. Hope you liked it. 
Do give in your review.

Will try to give the next update as soon as I finish writing it :)

Till then do vote and share.

~Lots of Love