Bruised | ✔️

"Not okay" (16)

Alex

". . .Your mother, well, Jaime, was always so jealous of me throughout the years. I was class president and she wasn't. I was apparently more popular than she. Everything was always a competition between us. I didn't want it to be but it was. One day, she said she'd had enough of it. So she ran to her room, packed up everything she could fit into one suitcase, and got on the first plane that took her from New York to here."

Every word that this lady said hasn't yet been fully processed in my brain. My mom, who really isn't my mom, left her family just like that? That doesn't seem like her. I look at Jasmine and urge for her to go on.

"Your grandparents and I didn't hear from Jaime for a year. She left the house right after our 15th birthday. And one night I called her. She wasn't happy to be hearing from me but I didn't have anyone else to turn to with the news that I had to tell her." At this I know what she is going to say next so I fill in for her.

"You were pregnant. With me." My eyes stayed trained on the old wooden table. I couldn't bear to look either of these monsters in the eyes.

"Yes. I was only 15 and so was Jaime but I knew she'd be a better mother than me. I knew that because she wasn't couch surfing like I was. My mom and dad kicked me out when I told them I got pregnant by my no good boyfriend who fled the very second I told him.

"I was two months pregnant, Alex, and living off of microwave dinners and cigarettes. I could have supported you but I blew all of my money on drugs and drinks and I am so sorry for that baby."

She reached her hand out to caress my cheek but I leaned away from her gesture.

"Don't. .don't act like that's in any way okay. Yeah, maybe I wouldn't have grown up with the greatest mom but keeping it from me for all of these years? I'm almost done with high school for God's sake!" I run a trembling hand through my hair. This cannot be happening.

"Alex calm down-"

"Calm down?! You want me to calm down?! What the hell is the matter with you? You're not my mother. You're a psycho."

My words seemed to be a stab to the heart as Jasmine started weeping into her hands. She sunk to the floor and her weeps got louder.

The big heavy door swung open and there stood my father with his one fist clenched and his other hand holding a pistol.

"What did you do?" He seethed through clenched teeth. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

He runs at me with rage and clamps his hands around my neck. I squirmed in his grasp, scratching at his firm hands hoping he'd let up so I could breathe again. "Listen here you little vermin. I brought you here so you could meet your mother and you treat her like this? You'll regret ever being disrespectful." I could feel my eyes slowly rolling to the back of my head. "What's that boyfriend's of yours name?" His fingers tighten around my throat.

"Leave him alone." My vision is starting to blacken from the corners of my eyes. The lack of oxygen is starting to set in my brain and I can feel my limbs start to go numb.

He let's go of my throat and drops me to the cold floor. I immediately start coughing and wheezing, all while trying to suck in as much breath as I could.

Jasmine has disappeared somewhere while all of the commotion was going on. He walks out of the room and the heavy door slammed behind him.

I'm left with just my self and my thoughts. My thoughts of how my life had started to come together. My thoughts of my mother, my real mother. My thoughts of Brett. God, I miss him so much.

I don't ever want to forget him. The sparkle in his eye when he gets happy. The way the corners of his mouth wrinkle up when he smiles. The way he holds me and kisses me.

I sit myself up against the wall and put my head in my hands and finally let my tears fall onto my dirty jeans.

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A few hours pass and I'm still sitting on the ground. My head is pounding from crying. I can feel the puffiness in my eyes. I feel both emotionally and physically drained.

The door swings open again and Jasmine is stood there with what looks like some type of food wrapped in tinfoil.

"Hey, I brought you a sandwich in case you're hungry." She walks over to me and crouches down next to me. Her eyes are almost identical to mine; red and puffy.

"I don't want anything from either of you." I seethe through my teeth. As rude as I sound these people deserve it. I don't miss the flash of hurt in her eyes which is quickly masked over.

"You need to eat, Alex." Jasmine says quietly while avoiding eye contact.

I pick up the sandwich and chuck it across the room to the other wall. "I'm not. .hungry."

Jasmine purses her lips and stands up to leave. I couldn't help myself when these next words come out of my mouth.

"I'm sorry." I say, looking down at a spot on the floor.

She pauses with her hand on the handle of the door. I can tell that she tenses up by the tight grip she now has on the handle. Jasmine doesn't say anything for a few seconds so i speak up again, filling the awkward silence.

"You can't really blame me for being upset though." I don't dare look up from the floor because if I do then I know I will regret it.

Still, Jasmine says nothing as she turns the knob and walks away from me, never turning her back once.