The Broken Angel

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Punish Me Only

Angelica's POV

After Beck finally left the diner, I was able to work normally again. When he was here, I was always under his constant stare, and I couldn't stand the feeling of it. It was like I was the prey and he was the predator, waiting to make his move. I didn't talk as much, I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I didn't want Beck hearing me and using it as a loaded gun later.

I know I may act tough in front of him, but he clearly gives off a dangerous vibe and if I say something wrong, he may slit my throat and not even care.

After work was finally done, Wes and I started our exciting and adventure filled walk home. During the walk, I would constantly feel eyes boring into my back, but I never saw anybody when I looked back. It honestly scared me, but I had to shrug it off and keep walking home.

We soon reach the house where we stay and I walked in first, like normal. Suddenly, I saw something being thrown at my head. I ducked down, pulling Wes down with me. I heard glass shatter against the wall and fall to the ground. I quickly looked at my attacker and saw it was my angry step-mother from hell.

"You stupid little cunt." Melanie seethed. Her face was beat red from the anger and possible embarrassment. "You're late. Go cook, now. My girls and I have been waiting around for you to finally get here."

Her "girls" were a bunch of other female women that she called "friends". They also like to bully me and push me around, but they don't like to do it to Wes, thankfully. They all think that Wes is the most adorable thing they have seen, so Melanie acts like Wes is a god when her "girls" are around. This is because she is afraid they will leave her if she didn't.

"Yes, ma'am." I said, through gritted teeth. I hated the fact that she was ordering me around, and I wanted to beat her senseless, but I had to wait. I have to get enough money to my own place, so I could take Wes and move out of here. I'm almost there, but not yet. I only need another three months worth of wages. I could ask for an advance payment, but I don't want to trouble Rosa anymore than I have too.

I looked at Wes and smiled at him. I pulled him into a hug and whispered, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Be careful, okay?" I kissed the side of his head and pulled back.

"I will, but you need to be careful too." he whispered back. "They love me, but they only tolerate you because of me." I know the way he said it sounded bad, but I knew he didn't mean it in a malice way. They tolerated me because I cook, clean and do anything they want, but they were a lot meaner to me until Wes asked them to be nicer. Now, they just ignore me like I wasn't there. Unless I do something wrong and then they revert back to torturing me.

I smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'm always careful." I said. I kissed his forehead and ran to the kitchen to make them a quick snack for them to munch on while I make dinner. I put cheese, crackers and sliced pepperoni on a tray and brought it out to them. The girls in there were pinching Wes' cheeks and making kissy faces at him, and he was obviously not enjoying it.

I dropped the tray of snacks on the coffee table, quite loudly, and their head quickly snapped to me, letting go of Wes. He looked thankful for the brief relief of pinching and kissy sounds.

"Appetizers." I said, sickly sweet.

Melanie glared at me, but I ignored her. I knew I was going to get in trouble for it later, but I didn't care. Wes looked like he wanted help, so I helped him. It's not like Melanie even like those women, so I don't know why she's getting angry over this. Melanie talks so much crap about all of them when they aren't around, that it's not even funny anymore. But, it's not like I'm going to tell them that.

I bowed slightly to them, something I must do or else, and walked back to the kitchen. I started to make the salads for them because they just started this "low-carb diet", but this was their fifth attempt at it this month.

Melanie stormed into the room and hissed, "What was that?" I gave her my best and most innocent face.

"What was what?" I asked, curiosity infused into my voice. "There was a lot of things I have done today, so I can't exactly pinpoint which one you mean."

Melanie growled at me as she grabbed a fist full of my hair and pulled me backwards. She had me doing almost a full backbend, and somehow, I was able to keep my balance because I didn't have arms behind me to catch myself.

"What I mean exactly is, why did you just disrespect me and my girls in there?" she hissed again. Some of her spit flew into my face and I almost gagged.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I snarled at her. "I was just bringing the food in like you told me to do." Melanie sneered at me and let go of my hair. I quickly righted myself and glared down at the woman in front of me.

"Just do you job." she snapped, before she turned around and walked out of the room. I go to the fridge and grab the rest of the ingredients for the salad and finish preparing them as fast as I possibly can. I bring everything out to the table when I'm finished and set everything up.

I then went back into the kitchen and warmed up some leftover pasta for Wes and I. It was from a few nights ago, so it wasn't bad yet. Once I was done, I go out to the living room and tell the women that their dinner is done and quickly pull Wes upstairs. I pushed my door open and walked over to my bed, sitting down. Wes followed in behind me and closed the door, locking it. We each grab a fork and start eating the pasta out of the bowl.

"So, how bad was it?" Wes asked and I gave him a curious look.

"How bad was what?" I asked, not knowing what he meant.

"I saw Melanie follow you into the kitchen. I wanted to go too, but those cougars wouldn't let me go." he said, making a disgusted face. I laughed, shaking my head.

"It wasn't anything bad." I said, shrugging. "She just yelled at me and pulled my hair a little bit. Nothing too bad or painful." Which was actually true, because I had lost almost all feeling in my scalp. They can pull my hair all they want, but I would barely feel it.

"That's good." he said, sighing in relief. "I thought she stabbed you again." He glanced down at my abdomen when I was previously stabbed before by Melanie.

It happened when I was fourteen. I came home late from middle school and went to find Wes immediately. I had gotten detention for some reason that I can't remember, but Wes had gotten out of school before I finished detention, so Melanie had to pick him up herself.

In the end, I had found him hiding in my room, his body covered in fresh bruises. I started crying when I saw him like that. The only thing I could think about at that time was how it was all my fault. I should have been a better kid. I shouldn't have gotten detention. I should have did a better job protecting my little brother.

I rushed over to Wes and pulled his body into my lap. He had stayed in the same fetal position he was in when I entered the room. I saw he was crying too and it looked like he has been for a while.

"What happened, Wesley?" I asked. "Who did this to you?"

"M... Melanie." he choked out between his tears. I could tell it hurt him to talk or even breathe, but I had to know why.

"Why? Why did she do this to you?" I asked, furious.

"B-Because you were ... Late, so she .... h-had to go g-get me ... and she d-d-didn't want to. S-She was mad at y-you." he sobbed. My jaw clenched as anger coursed throughout my body, pushing me to move.

"That's it." I growled. I pulled away from Wes, but he grabbed onto my waist, begging me not to go, not to leave him, but I couldn't stop myself. I untangled myself from him and stomped down the stairs and to the kitchen, where I saw Melanie pulling liquor out of the fridge, like normal. Wes ran after me and hid behind my body, scared and in pain.

"What?" she asked, looking at me.

"You!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "How could you do this to him?!" I pointed to Wes as he shook standing there. "It was my fault, not his. You should have done this to me! Don't you dare ever touch Wesley again! He's not one of your playthings! You can't do that!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Melanie screamed back at me. I growled, literally growled, at her and lunged at her. I started punching her, again and again and again. I kept punching her until her face was entirely bruised.

After all of my anger left me, I stood up and started to walk away from her. I had thought she was unconscious, but that was a big mistake. Wes had screamed something to me, something that made me turn around, but I don't remember what. The next thing I remember was turning around and pain overtaking my entire body, starting at my abdomen.

"Guess you shouldn't turn your back on your opponent." Melanie whispered in my ear. She twisted the knife and ripped it out of my stomach. A loud, ear-piercing scream filled my ears, but it wasn't my own. It was Wesley's scream. He screamed and cried as he held my bleeding body.

And honestly, in that moment, the only thing I could think about was how thankful I was that she left Wes alone.

I thought I was going to die that day, and Wes thought so too. I bled out, a lot of blood, but Wes had kept enough pressure on it that I was able to make it until my father had gotten home. He said he didn't want me dying just yet because he needed to pay me back for what I had done to Melanie.

I'm not sure how he fixed me, but he was able to stop the bleeding and keep me alive. Still not sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

"Angel?" Wes called and I looked up at him, drawn out of the memory. "What's up?" I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm just remembering that day." I said, laughing. "You cried so much."

"I thought you were going to die." he said. His voice sounded like he was in so much pain, that I pulled him into a hug without thinking about him. He wrapped his arms around me and sniffled.

"Don't worry about that. I won't die that easily." I said, tears coming to my eyes. "You will be stuck with me forever and ever until the day that I can guarantee that you are safe and sound. Until then, you will have to put up with me." A single tear rolled down my face. "You don't have to worry about me. Please, worry about yourself."

Please.