Proving A Point

Chapter Two

Hello beautifuls! Above is a picture of who I've chosen to be Erika! (I do NOT own any rights to the picture above) She's beautiful isn't she?! Here is an update..enjoy!<3
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I glanced at the clock and noticed that even with everything that happened I still had ten minutes until practice starts. I pulled into the school parking lot and parked my car. I looked at myself in the rear view mirror and wiped my face with a napkin getting rid of the mascara streaks before I got out of the car and made my way towards my squad who was sitting down on the grass doing stretches. Chelsea looked at me relief etched on her face. She has golden blonde hair, dark brown eyes, her skins a perfect bronze color from tanning beds with light freckles on her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" She asked worry laced in her voice. She looked at me with sad eyes as I sat across from her and started to stretch with her.

"Not really but I will be." I answered my voice still shaking a little. I spread my legs apart and leaned over reaching my arm to one side touching my tip toes. I suck in a sharp breath when I felt the sensitive area on my back stretch but slowly sit back up straight before I reached my arm to the other side trying to hide the pain.

"He did it again, didn't he?" She asked curiously but looked like she was scared to know the answer. I looked away from her questioning gaze ashamed to answer her. She is the only person I've ever told this stuff to, not even my mom knows. I tried to tell her one time and she said I was just making it up because 'I didn't want a new dad' she wouldn't even believe me then, she definitely wouldn't believe me now.

"Why won't you just move in with me already? My parents have already agreed to it." She knitted her eyebrows together, her tone was full of disbelief and concern. I've thought about it multiple times but it's not that simple to just leave.

"My mom wouldn't agree to that. Plus I don't want to be a burden to your family." I sigh as I answered her. The last thing I wanted was to become someone else's problem.

"You are eighteen Erika you don't need her approval. Don't ever feel like you are a burden, my family is your family." She smiled at me reassuringly. I was thankful to have such a great bestfriend like her. We have been friends since we were five years old, when she found out my step dad uses me as his ashtray she was more than angry, she was livid. I had to talk her down from telling her parents the truth. They just think that me and my step dad don't get along, I didn't want her parents to know, hell I didn't want anyone to know but I felt bad hiding it from Chelsea, so I told her but that's it.

But let's back on track here a little bit and let me introduce myself. My name is Erika Mayfair, I'm eighteen years old and I'm a senior in high school. I have red hair that very rarely will have a hint of brown in it, fair complected skin, full pink lips and green eyes with gold fiery flakes swimming in them.  My dad died in a horrible car accident when I was twelve. My mom was in a permanent state of depression for two years after that. She didn't work, she barely ate anything. She got so skinny and her color washed right off her skin she was almost unrecognizable until she met Steve at the grocery store one night and then all of a sudden she came back to life. Her eyes started to sparkle again, her smile was genuine instead of forced she fell in love, and a few months later got married, and I got a step dad. He used to be a completely different man. At first he would take me to the park, attend all of my sports activities, assisted with my school projects, he even wanted me to call him dad, but I couldn't. I wouldn't. To me that would have felt like I was trying to replace my dad and that was just impossible.

Steve works for a huge corporate law firm in downtown. His job took a turn for the worse three years ago which brought out the abusive side of him.

The first time the burning happened Steve was distraught with what he had done afterwards. He cried and begged me not to say anything to my mom and that it would never happen again, but he lied. I was fifteen when it started, I was still a kid but I should have tried harder to tell my mom. The worse work got for Steve, the worse it got for me. The even worse part is that there were three dime sized burns in a straight line right above my bra strap. Instead of burning new wounds he always put the cigarettes out on the former burns, scarring them darker and darker each time. They were a deep purple color and bubbled like blisters.

In front of my mom Steve was a completely different person. He acted as if we were best friends and that I was the most interesting person on the planet but when he spoke to me I could see the sadistic excitement in his eyes, he enjoyed it. It was just a game to him.

"I know Chels, and I'm so thankful to have you because I couldn't get through this without you." I offered her a small smile making her sigh in disbelief.

"Well the offer is always on the table." She told me reassuringly. Once the rest of the squad arrived we ran a mile to warm up and then ran through and perfected our routine for the first day of school orientation rally which was tomorrow.

"Gather round girls! Today y'all did awesome. We are going to crush it tomorrow. Go home and get some rest. We will meet in the auditorium at the beginning of free period tomorrow to run through the routine once more and to get ready." I spoke proudly to my squad, this was the one thing that kept my mind off of my home life so I gave it my all, I wrapped myself into it.

The girls left one by one until it was just Chelsea and I left, we always left practice last. Me because I didn't want to go home and her because she refused to leave me by myself.

"Are you nervous about senior year?" She asked as she took a sip of her water bottle.

"Yes and no. How about you?" I asked, taking a gulp of my water as well.

"Gosh yes, but this is our last year of high school and then it's college baby!" She beamed with excitement.

"I can't wait to get the hell out of this town." I mumbled as I plucked shards of grass and twirled them between my fingers.

"And so damn far away from it!" She nodded and smiled ear to ear, a smile you couldn't help but smile along with.

"That's right! It's getting late Chels we better get going." I stood up and picked up my cheer duffle bag and my water bottle.

"Text me when you get to your room?" She asked, her voice full of concern. She always wanted me to let her know I was safe in my room. Once I was in my room I was safe, he wouldn't come to my room. He would just yell for me to come downstairs but would never come up the stairs.

"I will." I assured her and then we both left. The whole drive home I was nervous that Steve would be awake and ready for round two. I turned into my street and I slowly made my way to my house. The lights out were a good sign, I help my breath as I put my car in park and made my way up the driveway and sidewalk to the house. I inserted my key into the lock and sucked in a sharp breath trying to be as quiet as I possibly could.

Once the lock turned I quietly opened the door and tiptoed inside, closing the door and locking it behind me. I observed my surroundings and even though the lights were out I could see Steve's drunken silhouette passed out in the recliner and his snores filled the air, his friends were gone thankfully.

I breathed a sigh of relief and made my way to my bedroom. I closed the door and locked it behind me once again. Once I was inside my room my body relaxed and I threw myself on my bed. I dug through my purse and pulled out my cell phone unlocking it I opened my text messages and texted Chelsea letting her know I made it home and before I knew it sleep overtook my body and I willingly accepted it.