Page 114 of Collided

“First, from now on you’re going to come home at eight. If you’re a second late, I’ll punish you.”

My eyes widen in shock. I try to get away from him, but he tightens his hold on me.

“Did you hear me or not, kid?” He yells in my face and tears cloud my eyes.

Why today? Why did he have to traumatize me today out of all the days?

I nod and he loosens his grip for me to inhale.

“Second, I want you to keep your mouth shut about the times I’ve visited before. Are we clear?”

I quickly nod so I can get away from him.

“I mean it. Don’t tell your mother anything.”

I nod again.

“Third, I don’t want to see you dress like this again.”

After that, I zone out.

Focus on studies.

Stay at home.

Cook meals.

Clean the house.

The list goes on and on. I store every point, so I don’t slip up and get punished. Dad doesn’t elaborate on that but I’m sure it’ll be worse than choking.

He lets me away, after making me get him another bottle from under the bed in their bedroom.

Stripping off my clothes, I take a hot shower and shed all the tears I was holding back earlier. I sob until I’m weak and light-headed. The happiness from earlier is drained out of me. By the time I lie down on my bed in my pajamas, I’m half-dead.

Everything inside my body hurts, and my stomach churns in painful cramps.

I’m spiraling so I do one thing that distracts me. Reading.

I get the set box of the Harry Potter books and take out the first one.

From there, time is a distant thought as I fly through pages and enter a world that’s as magical as it could be.

I have to thank Heath. A hug and a few tears must’ve been an indication of how much it meant to me. Still, I want to do something big and meaningful like he did.

It’s hard to give someone something when they have everything in the world.

I still can’t believe he got me the Harry Potter series.He remembered.

No one has ever done something so nice for me.

I pick up my phone and pull up his number. I quickly take a picture of the book and send it to him.

Hope: My current read.

Hope: Thank you for buying me this series. It means so much to me.

A minute later dots appear.

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