Amara was sitting in her room staring into space her mind drifting away but she was brought back by a hit on the head,it was her mother who threw a shoe at her she said nothing but just got out of bed and went to answer her mother, For amara this is a normal morning it would get worse sometimes it was a buket of water sometimes she wad slapped or in the night where her drunk father or brother would drink and fall asleep in her room in the same bed as her,sometimes she will even wake up to them pissing on her ,even when she was awake the house was still hell for her, she doesn't get enough food because they would eat before her,she was only given bread if it was her lucky day she would get peanut butter or butter with it ,they even shared the same bathroom, so most of the time they would enter while she was bathing, everyday was like she was living in hell, and it was 11 April her birthday, she never really liked celebrating it,it was the day she was brought into this world just to suffer.
Amara was sitting at the dining if you call it that though, there are clothes, shoes, dirt everywhere, and every time the looks or taste disgusting and her mother is always complaining.
Susan: If you don't my fucking cooking get a fucking job and buy your own damn meal.(she yells)
But that is exactly what amara does, she does have a fucking job and buys her own meal which they won't even let her enjoy ,her brothers all her elder barely does anything, she just turning 16 has been the breadwinner of the family, only her mother help out by working at a bar.
Fred: Heard it was your birthday love.
Amara: Yes, father
Fred: Well, are you going to buy some cake on your way from work?
Amara: Yes, I will father.
Fred: Well then, happy birthday pumpkin.
Amara: Thank you, Father
Susan: Have some bread before you leave (she gave her two slice bread with jam in the middle) happy birthday
Amara: Thank you, mother (she put the bread in her bag). I'll eat it at school.
Susan: Off you go then.
Amara went out limping one of her legs as she walked to the school bus parked in front of her house it came exactly 7 o clock ,she got on the bus and sat next to her best friend Ruby, Amara and Ruby has Always been friends and Ruby's father own the store Amara works at after school ,Ruby is a Chinese American.
ON THE BUS
Ruby: Why are you limping.
Amara: Oh, I fell from my bed while sleeping.
Ruby : (she whispered) Are you sure it wasn't Luke again?
Amara: No, no, I locked my door like you said
Ruby: Oh, thank God, so did you do your homework.
Amara: Yes, I did. You?
Ruby: Of course I did
Ruby was a good friend, she is quite popular at school, which is why no one dares bully amara ,at least she can breathe on that side, but amara is not always been truthful to Ruby because she didn't want Ruby getting involved with her family, she had to lie and say she fell off the bed but she didn't lie about taking her advice of locking her room but this made her creepy brother Luke angry, he enjoyed watching amara sleep or bathing,he came at night to watch her sleep but she had locked the door, so he kicked open the door and angrily pushed amara off the bed but she fell on the table by her bed and he yelled at her to leave the door open.
Luke: You better leave the bloody door open I'm just trying to look after you for fuck sake (he yelled and left)
At school, after the first class was over amara went to the bathroom to change her bandaid on her legs, on one was there she was sure of it ,so she pull down her pants, unwrapped the bandaid, her thighs were full of bruises but she had patches on them They were almost black, tears rolled down her cheek as she tried to put on a new bandaid but just then someone came out one of the toilet, it was a girl with dark short her and pale skin she almost looked like a ghost, without our saying a word this girl helped amara with the bandaid and just walked out,Amara was sure to thank her but she didn't say a word and just left, amara puts her pants back on,cleaned up and went back to class,as she entered she saw the same girl from earlier, but now she can see her face clearly and she knew it was a new face,as she sat down the teacher introduced the girl to the class.
Teacher: This is grace Adams, new to town, although she missed the first class, she is now here,say hi grace.
Grace: (she stood up) Hi everyone I'm grace.
Teacher: Good she's Grace everyone (the class clapped) sit back down grace.
Grace: Thank you sir. (She sat down)
There was something about grace that drew amara towards her,she had a black short hair, pale skin,a piercing on her nose, she wore very colourful outfits but with more black, she looked edgy but yet she spoke soft, she had big black pupils, that makes her eyes big and doll like,she looked very pretty, amara can tell she was attracted to this girl but why,this has never happened to her.
After school, amara left with Ruby and her father in their car. They dropped Ruby off at home and headed to the shop.
AT THE SHOP:
Amara has changed into her work outfit or uniform. She is working from 4 to 8pm, then she goes home and starts her day all over again, amara was drifting away again in her thoughts when she heard the shop Bell she regain herself and looked up it was the girl from the bathroom.
Grace: How much for the chocolate bar?
Amara:it's 13 dollars.
Grace: Okay, I'll have two then,please.
Amara:Okay that will be 26 dollars.
Grace paid to chocolate and left ,maybe she didn't remember that was what amara thought.
Soon he was time to go home Ruby's dad helped close up like he always does and Amara went home with a box of cake in hand, Ruby had come by earlier that day to give her a cake like she always do on her birthday and now at home and her family are eating her own cake without her but she was used to it ,she had already eaten at the store so she was full, she took her bath, which her mother also complained about.
Susan: Stop fucking wasting water,you do not pay the fucking water bills.
But she does indeed pay the fucking water bills, well sure her father pays for it but it was her money used,she ignored them and went to sleep with the door open because truth be told she had no door to close anyways, she woke up in the middle of the night and found her brother Luke standing beside her he noticed her away and smiled and said.
Luke: my little cupcake, I will protect you forever, I love you.
Amara: I love you too brother.
He then kissed her forehead and left, amara was scared to the bone,of course he stares at her while she was sleeping almost everyday but this was different, he was being different lately, she just cried quietly still she fell asleep.