The Bad Boy and Me

Chapter One~

It's okay Leah. You're okay. Just breathe. You can do this.

No, I can't. I need my mom.

That's when I wake up from the dream.

I wake up to the sound of yelling, I go halfway down the stairs to see my mom crying at my stepdad. He hits her.

I go back upstairs and lock my self in my room. I can't believe he does this to her. Why won't she just leave him?

I lay back in bed and call Arthur, my best friend.
"Hello? Who is this?" He answers in a British accent.

I laugh and answer in a British accent as well, "Why this is Nadine Hardship, may I request to speak with Arthur Lyons please?"

I hear some shuffling and on comes Arthur in his normal voice.

"What's up noodlebug?"

I'm silent for a moment before answering

"My stepdad just hit my mom again."

The line goes dead and I sit there and wait patiently for at least fifteen minutes; Arthur bangs on my window. I smile and walk over to the window and open it.

"You know, after all those years of climbing that ladder, I'm surprised that it hasn't broken yet." Arthur says.

I say nothing but cross my arms in front of my chest and look at my bare feet.

"Are you okay Leah?" he asks.

"I don't know, I just don't know why she lets him do that to her. I mean, why can't she just leave him for God's sakes?"

"Have you talked to her about what he's doing to her?"

"Yes, and every time I try to talk to her she either tells me that everything's fine, or that I should shut up. Besides, he's the one that's gonna pay for college next year."

"She's only with him for his money?" Arthur asks.

"No, she claims that she loves him and that he loves her and that he's helping us financially." I say.

"And you and your mom believe that?" he asks.

"A tiny part of me does, but another doesn't. My mom does. And she REALLY wants me to go to college next year. She doesn't want me to screw up like she did."

"There's scholarships out there, you know,"

"I know, but who knows if I'll get a full scholarship," I say.

"With your AP and Honors classes? Of course you will." Arthur says

I roll my eyes and stare at my feet.

"It's not good what he's doing Leah," he says after a moment.

"I know. It's like I ask her and she says that 'things are getting better. You know, 'he's managing his anger and all that,'

"Why haven't you called the police?" Arthur asks.

I say nothing for a while, but continue staring at my feet.

"Leah?"

"I did. Three times actually. When they showed and started asking questions, she was saying that she fell down the stairs or she burned her hand on the stove or something so fucking stupid like that.

"She also had the nerve to say that I didn't take my anti-anxiety meds."

"Well, did you take your meds?"