Page 55 of Losing a Piece of Me

My gaze follows her as she slowly walks up her driveway. Through the crack of the front door, I catch a fleeting glimpse of a large crowd, holding champagne glasses and dressed in the latest fashion for the occasion. The gentle sound of live music drifts to me through the opening to this surreal, fake world, and I shake my head disapprovingly as I drive off into the night. Just as the door obscures her from my view, I catch her glancing longingly back at me.

That was the last time I saw her.

My dad’s car is in the drive when I pull in at home.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” I think out loud to myself as I park and head inside.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he asks when I walk in.

“I just dropped Lex off.”

He follows me to the kitchen and stands close behind me as I get a bottle of water from the fridge. “If you’re thinking about running off with that bitch you better think again.”

I slam the fridge closed and turn to face him. “You can’t stop shit, Dad. I’m eighteen. Tomorrow, we’re gone.”

Nothing was set in stone, but now that she is done with school and is eighteen, we can finally put our plan into action.

The thought of running away with her is the only thing that’s kept me going this past year.

He grabs me by my shirt and pushes me hard against the wall. “Over my dead body, you are.” The alcohol on his breath burns my nose, and the throbbing vein in his forehead amplifies the hatred that emanates from his eyes. I don’t even know why he wants me here. Someone to beat on? Is that all he wants me for?

I shove against him. “Fine. If that’s what it takes to you get out of my life.”

He laughs. “Oh, you’re a big man now? Is that it? You think you can take me?”

I stand taller. He’s got a good fifty pounds on me, but if that’s what it takes then I am willing to try.

Without warning he drives his fist into my stomach just under my ribs, knocking the wind out of me and causing me to double over. He looms over me, laughing.

A hot surge of rage rises from deep in my chest and I throw my entire bodyweight forward into him, tackling him to the ground.

His eyes widen with surprise and I immediately start throwing punches. He blocks most of them, but I manage to land a few hits.

Seemingly unfazed, he casually rolls over and pins me beneath him, as if he were fighting a small child. Smiling maniacally, he pulls back his sinewy arm and delivers another solid hit.

My eye is already swelling and dimming my vision, blood trickles from my split lower lip, and my head is pounding. He’s a big man, and his dense fists and arms are a force to be reckoned with.

One hit wasn’t enough for him, though. He takes advantage of my dazed state and hits me a few more times.

Everything goes black.

When I come to, the house is quiet and devoid of life. I wearily stand and stumble to the bathroom to check out the damage. The face revealed in the mirror is beyond recognition. My right eye is swollen shut, my lips are swollen and busted, and bruises in all shades of blue and purple cover my jaw and cheekbones.

Seeing this only brings back the feelings of anger. I push off the bathroom sink and head to my room.

Fuck this. I’m done.

I grab my bag and fill it full of clothes. We’re leaving tonight.

I take one last look around my room to make sure I’m not forgetting anything and slam the door closed behind me.

Back at Lex’s, I park down the block, out of sight of any nosy partygoers, and head straight to her backyard. I toss several pebbles at her bedroom window, but her light never comes on and her face never appears behind the glass.

I sit and wait, thinking maybe the party isn’t over yet.

Still I wait and wait, but never see her again.

I shake my head to clear the memories and the feelings they bring up. Just the thought of that night angers me to no end.

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