Page 13 of Crash

“Someone like me? You don’t even know me, tiny dancer.”

“I don’t need to know you to know you’re an ass. You’re out here acting like a barbarian, knocking women over and insulting them.”

“Is that what the definition of barbarian is? You know what? Why am I wasting my time talking to a shrew like you? You’re not worth my time. Go away.”

Instead of going away, she comes even closer.

“Call me another name and I’ll knock you on your big barbarian butt.”

This time, I throw my head back and let out a loud belly laugh.

“Okay, Smurfette. I’m so scared.” I turn my back on her, leaving her standing the parking lot while I walk towards the field, unsure of what the hell just happened.

CHAPTER 2

VIVI

“Thanks for letting me stay, Sandy. Tell Jake thank you for me.” I reach over and hug my favorite cousin. When she takes me in her arms and squeezes me tight, tears well in my eyes. Unable to hold back, I begin to sob in her arms.

“It’s okay, sweetie. Let it out. You know me, Mama, and Tash won’t let anything bad happen to you. Mama will take care of your father, and we’ll take care of the rest, okay? You know we love you.”

I cry harder at her words. My aunts and cousins are my world. In our family, I got the short end of the stick in the parent department, whereas Tash and Sandy hit the jackpot.

My father, my aunt’s older brother, is a controlling tyrant, and I’ve had enough.

He controls the house, the money, my schooling, my friends, where I go, who I talk to on the phone, and everything else I do. At twenty-one years of age, I’ve only ever been allowed to work at my aunt’s bakery during school breaks.

The only happy memories I have are the summers when he would let me stay with Aunt Gabrielle. Sandy is eight years older and she would be with me all summer. Tash would take us to the mall and movies on the weekends, and my aunt would dote on me like I wish my own mother would.

I learned everything about being a woman from my aunts and cousins.

“Vivi, you cannot be independent until you are able to take care of yourself,” Aunt Gabrielle always said. I didn’t understand when I was younger, but I do now. “No one can control you when you can pay your own way.”

Well, I still can’t pay my own way. I’m not independent. I have nothing.

“I’m twenty-one years old, Sandy. I feel like I’ve been a prisoner for most of my life. The only time I’ve ever been free is when I’ve been with you guys,” I say against her neck.

“You’re free now. You don’t ever have to go back.”

“He said he would only pay for me to become a nurse. I don’t want to do that.”

“I know, sweetie.”

That was the final straw between me and my father. Well, it was a perfect storm today. He found out I changed my major from nursing to accounting and lost his mind. When he ordered me to change it back, I stood my ground and refused. When he threatened to put me out and stop covering whatever financial aid didn’t cover, I got in his face and told him to do his worst. Something inside me snapped, and after twenty-one years of either being ignored or told what to do, I had reached my limit.

“Who treats their daughter that way?” I say against her neck.

“He’s always been like that. We all knew it was only a matter of time until you’d have had enough.”

“I wish Aunt Gabrielle was my mother and you and Tash were my sisters. My own mother has never said a word in my defense.”

“He controls her too, Vivi. Don’t worry about that right now. You can stay here. We’ll figure everything else out in time.” And like the big cousin she is, she plants a soft kiss on my forehead. “Get some rest.”

When Sandy leaves, I put on the sleep set she gave me and slide under the covers. I exhale and sink into the plush mattress and relax for the first time today. Getting thrown out and disowned by your father should be a horrible experience, but as Sandy said, I feel free. I might not have a job or money, but I have something priceless. I have my freedom. I have autonomy. And for the first time in a long time, I have hope.

Despite the day, I smile, relieved and happy. Even the asshole next door won’t dampen my good mood.

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on him.

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