THE STORM

3. Bria

The next morning my alarm goes off and, I'm so exhausted, but I make myself get up. I wake Liam up, and He is instantly in a shitty mood. I go into the bathroom and take off my night clothes. I look over in the mirror and can see the bruising. With a sigh I get dressed for school making sure to wear my hoodie, to hide the bruises. After I'm dressed and ready, I grab my bookbag. Liam and I head out the door to catch the school bus.

We arrive at school and, when I walk in my friend Holly is waiting for me with a big smile. I feel so bad that she still wants to be so close to me, but I haven't been able to hang out with her without Liam around outside of school in over a year. The last time we hung out was right before my mom got married. We had a bonfire. Liam said we needed liquor. So, Holly and Liam went to the store to get some. They were gone for well over an hour. When they got back, they didn't have any liquor, they said the store carded them. I shrugged it off, but now when we want to hang out. Liam always throws a small fit or has plans for us. when I even bring up the idea of us hanging out. He gets mad. Saying that, “he doesn’t like to share my attention”.

She instantly comes and, gives me a hug then starts talking about her weekend. While she is talking, I start to feel sick. I go to walk away, Liam wraps his hand around my arm, and it hurts, but then he lets go a little. Asking me “where I think I'm going”. I quickly dart from him. I run to the bathroom and, throw up into the toilet.

I hardly made it in time.

I sat there for about ten minutes. When I finally start to feel like I'm better, I hear Holly ask if I'm “okay”. I get up, flush the toilet and, head to the sink washing my hands. Holly is watching me as I wash my mouth out. She has a worried look on her face, and she asks me again if “I'm ok”. I turn around to face her as tears slip down my face. She gives me a hug and tells me she's here when I'm ready to talk. With a deep breath I tell her, “I'm pregnant”, and she freezes in place. She gets a look on her face that is quickly replaced with a small smile. Holly pulls back to look me in the eyes when she finally catches her thoughts, she asks me, “when did you find out?” I tell her “I found out Friday”. I tell her, “I wasn't sure how to tell anyone, and I wasn't sure if I wanted anyone in school to know”. Until, I was ready for the judgment. Not that I don't trust her, she just sometimes doesn't keep secrets well.

*Flash back*

Holly and I were hanging out around a fire with Liam and Jake, who is Liams friend. When Holly suggested we play truth or dare. She turns to me and asks, “truth or dare.” I instantly picked dare, and she dared me to kiss Jake. I've never been one to turn down a dare, and she knew this. So, I lean over towards Jake, and give him a small peck on the lips. Jake was startled getting big eyes, but kissed me back with a quick peck, nothing crazy just a small peck. Holly laughs and says, “Oh my god, Jakes eyes just now reminded me of Brads. Do you remember that time Brad forgot you were with Liam, and he kissed you?” Holly instantly shut her mouth because that was something only, she knew and, I made her promise to never tell Liam because Brad was drunk and, didn't mean to. A little after her slip Liam asks Holly if she wants to go to the store with him. I thought that was odd because he always wants me to go. I didn’t say anything, but as Jake and I set waiting on them to come back. Jake starts to also wonder where they are. They Were gone for over an hour. They say that they where carded so they couldn’t buy Alcohol.

(END OF FLASHBACK)

She nods with understanding and, tells me she is here for me no matter what. I want to tell her all my fears, but we can't be in the bathroom for too long. Or we will be late for class, so we hurry out. When I step out, I run right into Liam, who then grabs my hand tight and says, “come on we have to get to class”. He then yanks me so hard, I almost fall on my face.

“Since when does Liam care about being late to class?” I think to myself.

Holly rolls her eyes and, is walking behind us with that same look she got in the bathroom on her face. When we get to the door, Liam kisses me goodbye then, turns heading to his class. Holly gives him a look like she is going to say something, but looking at me she changes her mind.

Holly and I are in almost every class together, so that's going to come in handy. The further along I get the harder it is going to get to hide a baby bump from all these teenagers and their judgment. There is only so much a hoodie can hide. When class is finally over, I'm still not feeling too well.

I come out of class with my arm looped with Holly’s. Liam is standing in the hall waiting for me. Before he could start to

talk. I tell him that I'm not feeling well and, think I need to go home. With a dirty look at holly’s arm with mine, he finally agrees. Liam tells Holly “We are leaving”, pulling me away from her. We head out of the school to leave. We have to walk about 6 miles, but we finally arrive at home. I go in, instantly running straight to the bathroom to, get sick for what feels like forever.

When I'm finally decent enough to stand up, I go to the bedroom where Liam is laying on the bed. I take off my clothes to change into something more comfortable. While changing, I can feel him staring at me. I don't get goose bumps or anything, I just feel sick. I walk over to the bed an crawl on it to lay down, to rest. Liam has other plans though, he pulls me close to him and, starts kissing down my neck. Liam shoves his tongue into my mouth. I stop him, telling him I’m not feeling well. With an eye roll and a heavy sigh, Liam asks me what the hell we came home for, then? I give him no answer.

Then try to turn away from him. He then grabs my face hard and, turns my face to look at him. He then asks me again why, “we came home if I'm not going to f**k him?” I don't answer. I roll over then, hear him groan loud, saying “f**k this” and, he leaves slamming the front door. Tears began to fall and, it isn't long before sleep takes me over.

The next morning, I feel the same way, so I stay home to sleep. I'm so exhausted, Liam is all wrapped around me, and I really want him to give me a bit of space. I feel like I'm burning alive with him wrapped around me. Maybe I'm having a hot flash, so I turn on my fan and, go back to sleep. Shortly after, we’re woken up by Liam's dad, John, bringing me his cell phone. Telling me I have a phone call. I quickly sit up and, take the phone.

(phone call)

Bria- “Hello?” I ask.

“Hello, my name is Amanda and I'm calling from Pinnacle. I see that you put in your application looking for part-time work. Is that correct?”

Bria- “Yes, I did.”

“Ok well I was wondering when would be a good time for you to come in for your interview?”

Bria- “Anytime would be great.”

“Ok well how about four o’clock tomorrow afternoon? Does that work for you?”

Bria- “Yes absolutely, I will be there.”

“Great I will see you then.”

Bria- “Yes, for sure. You have a good day.

“You too, bye.”

(End of call)

I instantly have a smile on my face.

“Yes!” I finally may have a job,” I think to myself. I get up to give John his phone back. I also ask John, if Liam could borrow his car tomorrow to take me to my job interview, John says yes. So, I hurry, back into our room, I tell Liam the good news, he looks at me with hate an asks, “Why do you have to work now? We have nine months.”

I snap.

“We do not have nine months!” I argue, “We have a lot of baby stuff we are going to need. Babies are not cheap. You’re going to need a job too, and soon!”

I snap my mouth shut and, my stomach drops from the angered look on his face. He sits up fast pushing me back on the bed, setting on top of me he gets in my face saying,

“I will get a f*****g job. when the f*****g time comes, but for now, don’t tell me what I need to f*****g do,” he screams at me.

If he could kill me with the look in his eyes, I would be dead right now. He crawls off me and, goes to the living room. It isn't long before I hear him yell, he will be back later. I roll back over. I try to go back to sleep.

Then My stomach starts growling, I know I need to eat something. There isn't much to eat, but I can throw something together. I walk into the kitchen and, search around. I find pasta noodles and sauce, pasta it is. I pull out the hot plates, getting to work making the pasta. When it’s about done, I hear the front door open and, shut. Then feel Liam behind me before he even says anything.

I silently pray he is in a better mood because I really don't want to fight with him. I feel his arms come around me, and he kisses my neck. I can smell the weed on him, but I don't dare say anything.

Finally, the pasta is done as Liam walks back into the living room. Where his dad is watching TV. I make Liam and, John's plates then take them their dinner. I walk back into the kitchen and, make my plate. Now that, I can finally eat. I'm sitting down with a plate of food in my lap. After we are done eating, I take everyone's dishes going back into the kitchen and, clean up.

Of course, neither of them offers to help because, well, it's a woman's job, right.

After I've cleaned up the kitchen, I'm exhausted so I go into my room, crawling back under the covers. I'm starting to fall asleep when Liam comes in and, flops down on me in bed. It kind of hurt but, I don't want to fight so I don't say anything. Then it hits me, f**k, that could have hurt the baby.

I look at Liam and, tell him “To be careful next time because, I'm pregnant. That he could have hurt the baby.” He rolls his eyes an, tries to kiss me like what I'm saying doesn't matter at all. I ask him if he hears me, and he says, “yes I hear you, f**k!” Then he slams his mouth down on mine.

His hands snake up my shirt. I move breaking the kiss, telling him that I'm tired. He gives me a dirty look from hell and, Liam gets up telling me he is going back out with his friend. After he leaves, I let out a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding.

I hope he can get it together soon. I guess I never realized how shitty he was until, I was forced to step back and, look at my life. The more I'm looking at it, the more I'm seeing.

It’s too late now, I'm stuck with him forever. I will not raise this baby with split parents, I grew up with split parents and, it was rough. There were times I didn't want to hear my dad, or mom, put each other down.

(Flash Back)

I was nine waiting for my mom to pick me up for the weekend. I was excited because it was Mother's Day weekend and, I had made her something in school. Something I had worked really hard on. I was excited to give it to her. I sat on the porch until, it got dark, and the pole light came on.

My dad comes out sitting on the steps with me. He said, “she’s not coming”. The tears began to fall down my face, but I quickly dried them up when my dad said, “I should be used to this by now”.

“She is never going to change”. I got upset with him for talking down about my mom. Maybe something came up? My dad always got really mad when I stuck up for my mom. So, while he speaks about her, I zone him out.

Finally, I get up and go inside. I threw the gift I made her in the trash, and went to my room. I got under the covers then cried until I fell asleep.

(End of Flash Back)