Where the heart hides

Mary: "Mary!" my father's voice boomed up the stairs as I peeled back the tape with my tongue sticking out of the corner of my mouth, and my hands trying to hold steady. "One second!" I yelled back, lining it up perfectly so that the poster wouldn't be crooked anymore. Footsteps loudly came closer to my room and my door swung open. "Who are you saying one second too?" his breathing heaved. "When I call for you, you come". I rolled my eyes before turning around so that I could resist doing it when I was looking at him. "I was just trying to hang my poster". He swallowed slowly, then moved closer as I flinched, ripping the poster off the wall, then in halves. I lowered my head. The hitting started at the beginning of summer. He had said "Nobody will see bruises when you're locked in the house all day" with a crooked smile and rotting teeth. "Have anything to say?" The smile resembled the one he had that day, but now his teeth looked even worse. I almost gagged at the stench of alcohol that poured out of his mouth. I shook my head no as his smile grew and he made a pleased sound. "Senior year starts tomorrow." I didn't want to say the obvious, but he tilted his head, waiting. "I was wondering if I could get some new clothes." I jumped at his sudden burst of laughter, then he grabbed my basket that had all the clothes I owned in it and his face became serious. "You are so ungrateful! "Look at all the clothes you already own, you spoiled brat." I breathed in and out controlled to try and keep my tears at bay, but once it slipped down my cheek silently, he sighed heavily. "Now you're crying like a little baby" he let out a low laugh before slapping my face making it whip to the side, and instinctively I reached up feeling the blood from where his ring had hit. "I don't need any clothes!" I gasped. My breathing ragged and my throat sore holding all my emotions at bay. "That's what I thought." He backed up a few steps, examining my room, then sighing, he grumbled "Clean up all the beer bottles in the kitchen and living room and I will get you some clothes." I hid my joy as he walked out of the room, but as soon as he was gone I smiled jumping onto my bed and breathing in deeply feeling the small victory. A loud knock at the door made my smile falter and I sat up trying to see who it was outside my window but all I seen was the black leather jacket they were wearing and the baseball hat on top of their head.