Survival Mode

The beginning

I was running and hitting branches left and right. "Run, b***h, run," was all I heard them yelling.

They were beyond pissed; why did I do that? Typical guys, I thought. I heard their footsteps getting closer. I mentally cursed myself.

"Fuck."

They were getting closer and quickly. I needed an escape, to think and think fast. Suddenly, dogs were being heard in the distance.

"Oh no, if they find me, I'm toast, no, I'm dead meat." A tear slowly made its way down my cheek as I was beginning to shake.

Suddenly, I saw an escape and prayed to God, they don't find me. I crouched down and cried silently.

"How the f**k did I end up here?" I said in a shaky breath.

Few weeks before....

"Have you ever been in love or really liked someone you'd do anything for?" I slammed my locker shut and looked at my best friend like she was crazy, because she was clearly losing her mind.

"You? In love? Now that's funny. I swear, you change crushes faster than you change your mind, on what you want to eat." I laughed at my own joke.

"Your mean." She pouted looking hurt and I put my hand on my heart, fake gasping dramatically.

"Aww, I hurt your feelings?" laughing at my own comment as she looked unamused.

After our chat we bid our goodbyes as we went our separate ways going to class.

I went to class and sat down all the way in the back; I was never a people person. Plus, it was easier, so the teacher doesn't see me. I saw a girl who was looking at me with her friends every 5 minutes. Was there something on my face? I doubt it. Right? Possibly? I couldn't take it anymore and eventually; I snapped and that's exactly what they want you to do right?

The smart choice would have been to ignore, I tried that at first, but it didn't work, so instead I said something like,

"What are you looking at? Can I f*****g help you?" Is there something you need to say? Damn, mind your own business and turn around."

Not a good idea, I had everyone's attention on me and I mean everyone, a teacher who had been casually walking by stopped and looked over at the scene that was being unfolded.

There were people snickering, people murmuring, people who were just staring and the girls just acted like nothing had happened and I had shrunk in my seat from obvious embarrassment. Not a good idea, not a good idea at all, I thought to myself.

The teacher had walked in and then began class, unaware of what happened before she arrived, she's always been the oblivious kind.

"Good morning, everyone! Hope you had a good summer." She chirped happily.

"Today, we will be reading a new book." She went on with class and asked Brayden to read, and he soon began.

"T-t-t-hen s-ooo" I mentally slapped myself, you can't be serious, remember when I mentioned, that I should think before I speak? Well, let's just say nothing was on my side today.

"OH MY GOD, CAN YOU PLEASE PICK UP THE PACE, YOU READ LIKE A DAMN TURTLE!" Yea, again, not a good idea. I practically just dug myself a deeper hole. Everyone in the class couldn't help but laugh and snicker, the teacher tried getting them to calm down. Brayden on the other hand, ran out of the classroom crying. After that, the bell had rang indicating for us to go home.

"Thank God." I said to myself. Gathering my things.

"Alright we will pick up tomorrow, have a good day everyone and don't forget to do the homework." I was about to make my way towards the door to leave, when suddenly my teacher called me to stay behind for a moment.

I went over to her desk an sat down listening to what she had to say to me. Sighing in annoyance she spoke,

"Honey, is there a certain reason why are you acting like this? I just want to be able to help you in any way possible and somehow you have been being very rude to your fellow classmates. I'm afraid it's not very acceptable anymore. I'm going to have to call your parents or send a note home or even an email." She sighed at her desk pulling up her email account.

"I understand, and I'm sorry." She looked at me and had pity written all over her face.

"Don't be sorry sweetie just do better." She sighed and started contacting home. I began to stand up and gather my things as I heard her mumble something.

"Why is there so many ways to reach someone now a days, this generation and their technology, in my generation we had good old fashion paper and pencil." She was saying under her breathe sighing.

"Whatever happened to that?" The last part I didn't hear as I was in my own thoughts and with that, she dismissed me and I walked out of the classroom to catch the bus.

I arrived at my destination and started walking down the steps of the bus while the bus behind me started parting after I had gotten off. I opened the door and I instantly regretted it, my mother you can tell, has been waiting very impatiently for me.

I gulped. This can't be good. I sighed taking a deep breath before I said anything.

"So, I guess you got the email or something?" I said casually, chuckling a little trying to lighten the mood, she was pissed, beyond pissed. I laughed a little again trying to brighten the mood.

"You want to explain to me why the hell you are making so many problems at that school?" She said in an accent that clearly wasn't American. She threw down a letter on the island counter, and I quickly opened and read it.

"I- wha? Huh?" I said flabbergasted.

"Oh, so now you can't speak? You lost the voice huh?" My mother was pissed and tapping her foot impatiently.

"Mom, mommy, mommy Ole pal, mommy dearest, have I told you how beautiful you look today and every day?" She looked at me and gave me the look, crossing her arms. You know the one where your parents are like "Don't even try." I played it smart and said nothing after that.

"You have 5 seconds to go upstairs and don't come out your grounded." I left my mouth agape.

"Wha- for how long?" I said with my mouth opened so wide a fly could sworn in.

"UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE" She shouted and had one hand on her waist tapping her foot impatiently and her other hand pointing upstairs. I wasted no time rushing upstairs, as soon as I had gone, she instantly started cursing and gave herself a headache that started making her feel dizzy. I was already in my room by then and decided to call my best friend, she immediately answered.

"Girl, you would not believe what just happened, my mom just grounded me because I was rude to this kid in my class, who reads like a damn sloth. Ugghhh, honestly, it's not even my fault we're in high school and his parents have the responsibility to teach that little b***h to read, ok?" I said aggravated.

She sighed in disappointment before she responded, this wasn't the first time I did something stupid like this, and she's clearly had enough and was over it but she's my best friend, so she was used to this it was nothing new for her.

"Honestly, maybe you should apologize to him tomorrow, you never know what he might be going through something in his home life, that you have absolutely no idea about. Anyways, I got to go, I'm helping my mom with something."

I responded with an "ok" then hung up, I sighed before I slumped down onto my bed. Huffing, "What a great day I had" I said to myself sarcastically. Those were my last words before I had laid myself down and had let sleep consume me.

Few hours later

10:00P.M.

The door downstairs swung open and I woke up after I heard a vase shatter on the floor. I quietly threw the covers over me and slid on my house shoes while gathering my robe on. As I quietly went downstairs and sped up when I saw it was just my dad, who again, had passed out from drinking.

Me, with my silk pajamas with my robe on, sighing in annoyance, at the sight before me. I went over to him and that's when I saw the broken glass under him. Ouch. I stepped back and went upstairs to call my mom and got no response, I reached up to her room and knocking on the door. Still nothing, I opened the door. Still trying to call her, I kept calling her and still got no response, I started shaking her and then got worried.

"Mom? Mom? Mommy....no no no no noo." I checked her pulse and started crying. Where is her pulse I asked? I suddenly smelt something, something burnt. Is something burning? I ran to the stairway and saw fire starting in the kitchen, it was getting bigger by the second. I tried calling my dad, who was passed out on the floor still, but by the amount of drinking he did, I think he's long gone.

I did the first thing any sane person would do, I tried putting out the fire. Then I called the ambulance and they said to leave the house and that they were on their way. No hesitation, I ran out of the house. I had completely forgotten my mom was cooking some dinner, but she should've told me to watch the stove and it's unlike my mom to sleep while cooking she at least turns off the stove.

Something about this was way off.....

———————————————

"Then what happened?" My therapist asked.

"Well, I was now homeless and I had nowhere to go." She shook her head in an understanding way.

"Go on" I soon began once more, "Uhm well, I-" I couldn't finish my sentence as I started crying at that memory again, she handed me a tissue box.

"Ugh, this is so painful." I said as I was trying to calm my crying down.