mine to keep

"Do you think this will work out? ... No, it's not!" My mom was screaming at my dad again. They were fighting - again. And every time they do, I can't help but feel scared... scared that they might break apart and leave me all alone. It's like they're standing right on the edge, ready to shatter their relationship and abandon me. "This is a lifetime regret - having you in my life!" my dad snapped at my mom. She started crying, and for a second, her eyes met mine. There were so many words unspoken, but I could still understand what her eyes were saying. It felt like the beginning of my worst nightmare. "Then I'll be gone... from your life. Forever." She said that and walked out of the house without another word, carrying nothing with her. I don't know if she'll ever come back. She's the only one I ever really talk to. Dad didn't say anything either. He just stormed into his room, leaving me standing all alone in the hallway. I didn't even realize my eyes were watering until I felt the tears on my lips. I want to go back - to the time when things used to be good. So good that it almost feels like those days were just a dream now. Some hours later I sat on the floor, still not knowing what the hell was going to happen. Maybe it's hard to understand everything when you're just a fifteen-year-old girl like me. Maybe I should go find Mom... it's been nine hours since she left the house. The fight started in the morning, but she's never been gone this long, not in all these years of fighting. My heart was throbbing, and a shiver ran all over my body. I hadn't eaten anything, but somehow I still had enough energy to look for her. I slowly got to my feet and took a step forward - then I heard the click of a door. It was Dad's room. He walked out holding a suitcase. No... please don't leave me. Please. Please. He looked at me - and I had never seen him look at me like that before. "Here... hope you'll be alright with your mommy," he said He placed some money on the table, and I grabbed his hand. "Please, Daddy, don't leave me. Not like this. Please, I don't want me and Mom to be alone. Let's just have a beautiful life again, like we used to. Please." I begged, but there wasn't a single trace of hope in his eyes. I've never cried this much in years. I wished it was all just a nightmare. I didn't want this. I never dreamed of this. I just want my life back - everything that I lost. But it's too late. My life already slipped to the edge, somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. He left. Without another word. Even as I begged, he didn't care - he just left me like a stranger in hell. I gasped and looked around the hall, realizing that everything that happened in a single day had completely changed my life. I wanted to find my mom - at least her. I promised myself I would take care of her. Even if we lost everything, I'd make sure she was comfortable with whatever she had. I threw on a jacket and pajama pants over my shorts, grabbed a flashlight, and stepped outside. The cold air hit my body, making me whimper, so I pulled my jacket tighter and hugged myself. I walked and screamed my mom's name, but there was no trace of her. It was late - around 9 p.m. The night felt dangerous. Mom always used to tell me never to go out at night because it wasn't safe. But I didn't care what happened to me. I just wanted her back home. I searched through the park but couldn't find her, so I sat on a bench for a while. There were streetlights, but the place still felt dark. Fear started creeping in. Then I heard footsteps - the wind was strong, and I couldn't tell where the sound was coming from. A tall man stood in front of me. His smile looked scary. I thought maybe he was also looking for someone, just like I was. So I asked, "Have you seen my mommy? She ran out of the house. I'm searching for her. Please tell me if you've seen her anywhere." Even though he looked terrifying, I needed to ask - for Mom. "Yes... come with me. I've seen your mom over there," he said. Thank God, I thought. I got up, ready to follow him, but then suddenly I remembered what my mom had told me - be careful with strangers, they might manipulate you. I froze and said, "No... I won't come with you. But could you please tell her to come to me instead? My mom said I should be careful with strangers." But then he suddenly grabbed my wrist so hard that I stumbled into him. He forced my chin up and hissed, "You'll come with me... we can have plenty of time together and forget about your mom, darling." He leaned closer, trying to force a kiss, and I could almost feel his lips brush my cheek as I struggled to pull away, desperate to escape his grip. Tears run down my face as i tried hard as much as I can i screamed until I heard my resound back but no one came i asked help but no one seems listen my voice. i was shouting but he was covering my mouth with his hands he tears my jacket off and my shirt almost ripped. i pushed him hard but he didn't let go, i screamed and screamed and screamed and I lost my voice...my voice gradually decreased and i couldn't scream anymore he made me fall on the ground and tears my pajama off....i could feel the cold air even more. i tried to shake off my legs from his touch but he grabbed me hard i could feel his fingers digging into my flesh. I couldn't catch my breath i could not understand what was happening but when he was about to pull out my panties, I found a rock beside my hand and grabbed it. With all the strength I had left, I hit him hard in the eye. He screamed, and I could see blood streaming down his face. I took my chance and pushed myself up to my knees, trying to gather whatever energy I had left. I ran. I ran as fast as I could, and when I finally realized he wasn't following me, I felt a wave of relief-but I could still feel his touch lingering on my body. It hurt, in a way I couldn't explain. I was terrified, breathing hard, my shirt torn and my pajama ripped. I had left my shoes behind, and I knew I'd never go back to that place. I tried to speak, but no sound came out-just a deep pain burning in my throat. I wanted to ask for help, but fear held me back. What if someone did the same thing again? My eyes darted around, searching for something to cover myself, and that's when I saw a towel hanging nearby. I covered my lower body with the towel, but I still needed something to wrap around myself. My whole body was shaking, my skin cold against the air. Everyone must've been asleep by now. The world felt too quiet for what just happened. I took a few steps forward, my legs trembling with every move. I felt weak-so weak I thought I'd collapse right there. My breathing was shallow, ragged. Somehow, I reached the roadside. Cars passed by, lights flashing, people going on with their lives as if nothing had changed. Everyone seemed fine, busy, maybe even happy.... I wished-just once-I could be like them. Happy. Safe. Normal. I walked along the edge of the road, hugging myself tight, trying to stop the shivering that came from somewhere deep inside me. Then I noticed a crowd ahead-a group of people gathered in the middle of the road. For a moment, I thought it must've been an accident. Someone must've gotten hurt. But I couldn't see clearly through the people surrounding the scene. I hoped, silently, that it wasn't something terrible. My mom once told me that sometimes people die in accidents. I never really understood what that meant until the day my aunt died in one. Mom said dying means there's no coming back. No second chance. No more voices. No more hugs. The crowd began to shift, people stepping aside as an ambulance pulled up. The siren echoed through the night, slicing through the stillness. I stood frozen, watching as strangers lifted a body onto a stretcher. My heart started pounding faster. Something inside me whispered that I didn't want to see. That I already knew. And then-I did see. The world went silent. My mom's face was pale and streaked with blood. Her eyes were closed, her body still. Too still. "No," I whispered. Then louder, "No... no, she can't be... she can't leave me like this." My knees gave out, and I fell hard onto the ground. I couldn't feel the pain of the fall-only the emptiness spreading inside me. My lips trembled, but no tears came. I didn't even know how to cry anymore. I just stared. I wanted to crawl to her, to grab her hand, to shake her awake. She would listen. She always did. She wasn't like Dad-she wouldn't leave me behind. Not her. Not my mom. But my body wouldn't move. The only part of me still alive was my eyes, locked on her face, memorizing it like it might disappear forever if I blinked. My breath hitched. My chest tightened. The air felt heavy, too heavy to breathe. Someone draped a cloth around me, but I barely noticed. My gaze stayed fixed on her as my vision started to fade. My lips parted, and the last word I could manage slipped out, trembling and broken- "Mommy..." The sound of sirens faded into a blur as everything went dark, and the last thing I felt was the cold air kissing my skin before my eyes finally closed.