My Brother's Best Friend

CONTENT WARNING!!!! Explicit violence and s****l situations ahead. Natalia It's pouring rain. I open the door and watch them walk out before they both turn to face me. "Do you guys have to leave?" "I'm sorry sis. I can't keep fighting with David." "I know, but do you really have to go? I don't want to stay here, alone," "I know Nat. I tried to stay, and hold out for you, but mom threatens to call the police on me every time I try to stand up for myself, and what good would me being locked up be? I won't be able to take care of you if I get arrested. She also threatened not to let me see you, at least until you turn 18 and can make your own decisions. You know how she is, and I don't even want to test her, especially once David gets in her ear. You know I have to go now. There is no other choice." "I'm sorry. I don't want you to get in trouble," "Hey, you don't need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. I just want you to see things for what they are. You know that I tried staying quiet, and lying low. I look the other way all the time. Even when he brings his friends over, and they do stuff to her, but after what happened last night, I know if I stay here, a tragedy will happen. "I know, but I will miss you terribly. It won't be the same without you, and I will worry if you are okay or not." "Don't worry about me. I'm 18 now, and I can figure it out. It isn't like I haven't been doing so practically my whole life. Now I just won't be here, risking any problems or you being taken away from me. I've thought of all my options, and this is the only way I can keep you safe. I just can't be here anymore if she is going to continue to take his side. We are always going to butt heads and end up fighting. Then, if Drew gets involved, his family will, and we don't need those types of problems. We don't need other people in our family business. We don't need the attention being put on you. I have kept you safe all of these years, and I will continue to do so. I'd rather remove myself from the situation to better myself for you. The good thing is they don't treat you as badly. He doesn't bother you. I will take care of you from afar." "WE will take care of you from afar. I'm in this too. I want the best for you, Natalia." "Yes, we will." "Okay," "Nat, don't look so sad. Remember, Drew and I are going away to make money so we can get you out of there once you turn 18. That's less than a year. We set goals. Soon enough, we will all be back together. I am going to go take a year off from school and work at the grocery store while I look for something better, and Drew is going to go do his thing with the trade school. We already explained this to you. Nat. Drew already has a guaranteed job within his family's construction business when he's done. This is all his dad is asking from him. He will be making bank soon, and hopefully I will be too. I am going to apply to every available position in town. I just need to be out of this toxic place to get my mind straight too." "Blake is right, Natalia. If he stays in this house, he will never grow. That man is too jealous and won't appreciate Blake being better and making more money than him. It will end up becoming a problem. I know you don't understand anything right now, but you will. I promise we are going to work to get you out of here. I promise I will be back for you soon. I promise I'm only going to be gone for a little bit. I promise time will fly by." My brother Blake and his best friend Andrew both stand at the front door, with their backpacks slung over their shoulder, making all of these promises to me. They look so determined and ready to go, so who am I to stop them? They are ready to leave me here all alone with these monsters. I can't tell them now though. Blake doesn't know that David comments on my body and my mother just laughs and tells me to give him a little twirl so he can get a better look. My brother doesn't know that my doorknob rattles at night. He doesn't know that I have to secure the door with my bookshelf for an added layer of protection in case it is needed. He doesn't know that sometimes when I come home from school, my things are scattered everywhere, because they went through my things. He doesn't know that I can't keep money in my room, because if he finds it, he takes it. He doesn't know that I caught David sniffing my panties when he thought I wasn't home. When he noticed me watching, he didn't even care to look ashamed or try to stop. Instead, he smirked, and put them in his pocket and said he would use them later. Blake doesn't know, because I never told him. I didn't want him to worry anymore than he already does. I didn't want to cause another fight. He has already dragged his best friend into this. They both feel responsible for me, and I hate that. I just nod, not wanting to worry them though. "Goodbye Natalia. Take care of yourself," I feel the presence behind me. No words needed. I feel the hands in my head. "What's going on here?" "Are you finally leaving? Oh, Drew is here. I would tell you boys to stay longer, but you guys know how David gets when he arrives home. He likes to be peaceful," she gives Drew a fake smile. "No worries. We are leaving, Marsha." He turns to me. "Nat. Call me if you need anything," "Okay, if mom lets me use the home phone, I will ring you," she snorts, and pulls my hair not so hard that they notice, but hard enough that I feel her threat. "David doesn't like children playing on his phone," "This is not his home, mama. He doesn't make the rules here. You do. Nat can call Drew or me if she wants to," She removes one hand from my hair to wave him off. "He pays the bills, so he is the man of this house and what he says goes." My stomach sinks. She always says that. "Just take care of Natalia while we are gone, mama, please. You are still responsible for her. She needs to be your priority," Her laughter haunts my dreams at night. "Of course, what kind of mother do you think I am?" The tone she uses is scary. Before I can say anything else, she yanks me back into the house and slams the door shut. She grabs me, turns me around, so I am facing her. She pulls her hand back and slaps me across the face, hard. Tears stream down my face. I can't believe she just did that, but what I really can't believe is that they really left me here. They're gone, and just like that, I am stuck here with my mother and her abusive boyfriend, all alone. "I told you to stop looking at Andrew that way. Boys are bad news. They only want you for one thing, and we are saving that for a real man," What is she even talking about? Her hand reaches out, and I pull away, but the way she looks at me has me rethinking, and I get closer to her instead. "All of this pretty, natural red hair. They sure will pay a pretty penny for all of this," "What do you mean, mama? You can't cut my hair," "I can do whatever the f*ck I want. I am the adult, and this is my house, so you better f*ck!ng listen to me. You are not going to live under my roof and think you are going to do whatever the f*ck you want to do. He isn't here to protect you anymore, so watch yourself, little girl," I hate the shouting. I ignore my mother and run to my room. I slam the door shut, lock it and do my nighttime safety routine. The bang on the door makes me jump. "Don't make me tell David, Natalia. Don't make him have to take your door," she screams, and a shiver runs down my spine. The day they take my door is the day I leave. I don't care if I'm not 18 yet, I will run and hide somewhere, anywhere. I'd rather be on the streets than exposed to that man. I lie down, and quickly swipe my hand under the bed. I feel it and I am relieved. My survival kit. It's just an old backpack that Andrew gave me. I added things in there that would help me in case I needed to escape. That's why I named it my survival kit. No-one knows about it. It's ready in case I ever have to leave. I just have to stay safe and lie low until the guys return.