The parent project - Chenry

Chapter three: Do or die, win or cry

   | C H A R L O T T E |

"Charlotte Anne! Wake up! You gotta be up at that school soon! Let's get moving!"

Mama's banging on my bedroom door. The sun isn't even up yet, when I rolled over and looked towards the window it was still dark outside.

"God, can something just fall on me please?"

I whispered through a groan as I willed my ceiling fan to magically detach from the ceiling and crush me under it.

"Right now Charlotte, I don't hear nothing going on in there!"

"I'm up mama!... damn."

I muttered that last part to myself before spilling out of the comfort and security of my bed and onto the floor like silly putty. Where I fell asleep for 5 more minutes.

"Charlotte! Charlotte, don't make me come in there...!"

The sound of my mom's fist against the door jerked me awake. Minutes later, I was leaning under the hot water in the bathroom with my eyes closed, praying and thinking of ways I could get out of this. Henry's twisted grin, his stupid smirking face and eyes floated into my mind while I angrily scrubbed a toothbrush across my teeth in the mirror. He'd love to see me like this.

I noticed how it was harder to force my lips up into a smile at myself. My eyes red and puffy from having cried myself to sleep the night before, dark smudges under my eyes were reminder of how I didn't care to remove my make-up. After wiping my face clean I tried to smile. To fill myself with the positives and suck it up.

"Do what you gotta do and be done with it."

I whispered to that girl in the mirror. The one with sad drooping eyes and downward turned mouth. The one who wanted nothing more to be held by her mother and told there were more important things in life to be apart of other than money and college. That girl used to have dreams. Big ones. This program was a chance to help those forgotten things unfold. I'll be damned if Henry drags me to the bottom of his hell with Bianca.

He's won every other game we've ever played. With his tricks, the cruel pranks, the names and violence. Now it's my turn. Game on.

"Your breakfast is getting cold, you shouldn't have took so long."

"I'm sorry... I was getting ready."

"Don't be sorry, sit down and eat girl."

I slumped down in the chair across from hers and picked at the eggs and bacon she put on a plate for me. It was already ice cold. Suddenly, I lost my appetite and listened to her give me a list of rules and regulations as she ate.

"No parties, no drugs, no alcohol, and if it's not in Ms. Shapen's guide to marriage for teens than you shouldn't be doing it... are we clear on that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good, now finish your food."

"I'm not hungry."

I reached for my glass of milk and took a long sip, she didn't say a word until I set the glass back on the table and wiped my chin off with a napkin.

"Not hungry?"

I opened my mouth but shut it again when she scoffed at me.

"I cooked this early in the morning for you... and you're not hungry?"

Mama slammed her fork down next to her plate and fixed her eyes on me. I didn't dare flinch as the hair on the back of my neck prickled. She stared, her lip starting to curl until I picked up a piece of bacon and shoved it into my mouth. We don't talk for the next few minutes, Mama goes back to eating and I shove more cold food and my mouth, chew and swallow until there's nothing left.