Page 152 of My Ruthless Opponent

We hate this cruel world. And we loathe moving from one home to the other.

So instead, we silently suffer and are counting the days until we are eligible to leave this hellhole behind.

When I hear the back door opening, my hand freeze.

I am torn between hiding and staying rooted.

Caleb doesn’t give me a chance to decide because he comes out of the door, strolling toward me with his friends.

I quickly rush forward, meeting him in the middle. One of my shoes slips from my foot and I stagger, falling back on my ass.

Caleb breaks out into laughter and the others follow.

“Get up, you idiot.”

My eyes burn from unshed tears as I slowly stand up, wincing from the scrapes on my palms.

I reach down and adjust my pants which are too loose for my frame.

They laugh some more.

Caleb reaches forward and pulls on my long curly strands. I wince. “Look at me when I talk to you, little shit.”

It hurts when he jerks me with his grip on my hair. It hurts so much that my teeth clash, my lower lip trembling.

But I don’t make a sound. With blurry eyes, I glare at him. He can’t break me. I refuse to be the weakling.

“Who the fuck you’re glaring at?” He grits out, showing me his crooked teeth.

When I don’t do as he says it angers him further.

He grabs a fistful of my faded yellow t-shirt. It’s not my t-shirt. His parents are generous to give me his old worn-out clothes to wear. The thin t-shirt makes a tearing sound when he pulls again.

Snickers and hooting by his friends echo around me. They’re cheering him on.

I remind myself that this is temporary. I will escape this hell one day. And then I will work so hard that no one, absolutely no one could dare challenge me or bully me again. I will become unstoppable. I vow to myself.

“Did you forget your place, guttersnipe?” Caleb sneers.

“What does that mean?” His friend in a red t-shirt asks.

Caleb shrugs. “Heard that from Mom last night when she was spanking Summer.” He lets out a laugh.

Sickness floods my stomach and I feel like I am going to throw up.

“You are bad! All of you!” I scream.

Caleb lets go of my t-shirt, raises his hand, and slaps me hard.

Warmth and tingles burst across my cheek. I bite my lower lip hard until I taste metal. I breathe hard through my nose, the sting on my face throbbing.

Monsters. All of them. Not only are they in this house, but they are also in the outside world.

“Hey, Caleb. Watch this.” Someone says and my body freezes.

Caleb pushes me hard and reaches his friend. Cold fear spirals through me when he nears the window.

Dread settles in my belly as panic clutches my heart, digging its fingers in the organ.

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