3. Chloe
1140 Words
It's dark in here. Derek shushed me again and I knew it was because daddy came back.
The noise of the glass breaking is too loud and it hurts my ears.
Daddy grunts and curses as he slams one door shut.
Then the other. And the other.
"Chloe?" He yelled my name and I knew that if I went out, he would slap me like he did many times before. This time, I stood by Derek and held his hand.
"It's going to be okay," Derek whispered and I nodded.
Most of the time we waited until daddy fell asleep and we went out of the closet.
Mommy is always at work when daddy comes home. She doesn't know that daddy drinks and hits us.
"Chloe!" Daddy yelled louder and I let go of Derek's hand to cover my ears.
Derek hugged me and I closed my eyes.
The noise became louder and the door to our room opened up. Daddy is in here.
"Derek. Chloe. Where are you?" He said in a playful voice, but he has done that before.
He lied and told me he bought me a Teddy Bear. I believed him and went to look for my Teddy Bear. Daddy lied.
Daddy hit me hard in the face. Derek helped me. Daddy hit Derek too.
"Where are you?"
The door to the closet opened and I saw daddy's angry face.
Daddy stretched his hand and he grabbed my hair.
"Let her go!" Derek slapped Daddy's hand.
"Are you hiding from me, you little sh!t?" He shook my head and I started crying.
"Please, daddy. Please, don't hurt me."
A big hand hit my face and I screamed.
"No!" I woke up from the nightmare and unfortunately woke Jessica too.
"Chloe? Are you okay?" She comes into my room and sits on my bed, comforting me.
"I am sorry, Jess. Nightmares."
"It's okay. Do you want me to stay?"
"You don't have to. Go back to sleep."
"Was it the same nightmare?" She asks and I know I have to lie again.
"Yes."
"Do you want some hot chocolate or tea?"
"No, Jess. Thank you. Go back to sleep. We have to get up in four hours."
"Fine," she kisses me on the forehead and leaves.
I lay back down and stare at the ceiling.
How can I fall asleep again? Those nightmares are too vivid and livid.
My hand moves automatically toward my stomach, where dad once hit me with a broken bottle and left a small scar.
Only Derek knows how it happened and mom has no idea. I am never going to tell her either.
Ten years ago, dad was in a car accident. He was drunk and injured two people. Dad was arrested and after one of them died, he was sent to prison. I haven't seen him since that day. These were the most peaceful ten years of my and Derek's life.
Mom was devastated when dad was sent to prison and went to see him every week. She stopped going a year later when dad died in prison. He was attacked by another inmate. At least, that is what we were told.
Until this day, mom thought dad was a saint. He was a saint with her and a prick to Derek and me.
I used to feel bad for thinking this, but I am glad the bastard died.
He got what he deserved.
I grab my phone and put on Bones. It helps me fall asleep when I hear noises in the background.
Tempe's father left her when she was a teenager but he was a good father to her. Maybe if my dad had left before I was even born, my start in life would have been better.
I close my eyes and listen to the noises in the background until they become muffled and I finally fall asleep.
The alarm startles me awake and I moan into my pillow.
"I want to sleep," I complain and shut it off, but another annoying sound disrupts my sleep.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. We have one hour to get ready," Jessica comes in and invades my room.
"I want to sleep."
"You are the one who booked the tickets. Complain about it to yourself. Now get up or we're going to be late."
Ugh. I hate this so much.
How come I can wake up early for work but not for vacation? Something is wrong with me.
"Coffee?" Jessica asks and I desperately accept.
Coffee helps. Mostly.
One hour later we were on our way to the airport. In about three hours we are going to be in Savannah.
Two and a half hour plane ride to Savannah, I can get a good morning's sleep.
My mom calls me as soon as we are out of the cab.
"Hi, mom."
"Hi, sweetie. How are you?"
"Fine. We just got to the airport."
"Oh, have a nice flight sweetheart."
"Thanks mom. When is Derek coming?"
"He must be landing right now, I believe."
"Okay. Well, I will text you as soon as I land."
"Alright, sweetheart. Say hello to Jessica for me."
"Will do, mom. See you later."
"See you, baby."
I hang up and with Jessica on my left, we head inside.
"My mom says hello, by the way."
"I will thank her, once we are there. I hope it is not too crowded though," she crosses her fingers.
I hope crossing your fingers works, because a crowded space is not what I need right now.
To our luck it is not too crowded.
"When do we board again?" Jessica looks at her ticket on her phone and then at the monitor.
"Half an hour," I say as I bite on my newly bought expensive sandwich.
"Have you checked the messages from yesterday?" Jessica scrolled on her phone and gasped or rolled her eyes.
"About Hailey?"
"Yes. She told him to f**k off. They talked and talked for a long time before she actually said it. It must have taken guts. They were together for so long."
I decide to read the messages and in the end, I don't know if I feel relieved or angry.
My mind drifts and I text Hailey.
'I just read the messages. Hailey, I am very sorry.'
Maybe this is enough. That bullshit about him not being good enough for her and so on, feels fake.
The minutes pass by quickly and soon we are boarding the plane.
"We have everything, right?" Jessica checks her things again.
"Even if you don't, you can't get out now. Look out of the window, put on your headphones and listen to music."
"That does not help me," she hisses and I smile.
I relax on my seat and wait for the plane to take off.
Savannah, here we come.
- Writer
