Sweet Child O'Mine

We all entered Applebees and instantly all eyes fell on us. I was in the middle of this group of tall tattooed men and the only short one, along with Johnny. Lyndsey and Laney were in the front telling the waitress that we had a section closed just for us. The waitress nodded and then guided us to an empty section, where I spotted four women sitting and joking around. Uncle Jimmy ran past us and yelled,

“Zee, baby!” The woman with short black hair with red highlights turned around. Her eyes brightened as she saw him and he grabbed her into a big hug. She was a bit shorter than Jimmy but then again, who isn’t? Her dark brown eyes sparkled in the light, giving them a red tint, which seemed pretty amazing to me. She wore a fitted black shirt that had musical notes cascading in a diagonal matter with a denim mini skirt. She had killer heels that made my slip on shoes look bad. He pulled away and then took her hand into his and directed her towards me. She smiled showing her perfect teeth as uncle Jimmy spoke “Zee this is Lilly” She pulled me into a hug and then pulled away.

“Nice to meet you Lilly, my name’s Zariah but you can call me Zee if you’d like”

I smiled in response “Nice to meet you too” My attention then turned to Matt, who had his arm around a woman with lovely brown hair that trailed down to her tail bone. Her grey-blue eyes shimmered as she smiled showing her perfect teeth. She wore jeans and a blue silk halter top that showed her beautiful figure off. Her heels, like Zee’s, were awesome again making mine look completely dreadful. She too pulled into a hug and then pulled away.

“I’m Katrina but if you’d like you can call me Trina”

“Hi Katrina, I’m Lilly” I then turned around as I felt a tap on my shoulder. My eyes were met with Zacky’s bright green ones. He had his fingers linked with a woman’s who had brown hair with blond highlights. Her eyes were light brown eyes that had a tint of yellow when she stood under the light. She had on a black jean skirt with a tight metallic silver corset vest. She too had any amazing figure and pulled me into a hug. She then pulled away and smiled,

“I’m Kimberly but everyone calls me Kim” I smiled and again repeated my name and how nice it was to meet them. It truly was, I felt as if I was a new family member being introduced to the family. Johnny then called my name and I met my eyes with a pair of dark blue eyes. She was fairly short, like Johnny, and had dark brown hair. She was wearing jeans also with a fitted t-shirt that neon lettering and designs. She had a killer body and she then hugged me and always wore that smile of hers that expressed happiness.

“I’m Jessica but most people call me Jesse”

“Now that we all know each other” Brian motioned towards the empty seats at the table “Let’s eat!” All the guys yelled ‘It’s about time’ and then hurried over to the table. The girls just rolled their eyes and laughed knowing that was expected. The girls sat next to their husbands and I sat next to Laney who was sitting next to Lyndsey. On the other side of me sat uncle Jimmy and he sure made eating interesting. We all ordered what we wanted and that’s when uncle Matt and uncle Jimmy stirred up one hell of a conversations. Of course uncle Zack’s input made everything funnier. I was starting to feel that maybe coming to eat wasn’t such a bad idea.

We walked into the house after Brian unlocked the front door. The house was quiet and as I stepped into the living room, I saw Aiden asleep on the couch. Lyndsey and Brian went upstairs to tuck Laney in because it was about midnight I was pretty sure they were going to let her skip school tomorrow. Feeling a bit awkward, I bit the inside of my cheek and slowly walked up to him.

What the hell do you think you’re doing?

I’m telling him to go to bed.

Are you insane woman?
Putting all my thoughts in the back of my head, I gently shook Aiden and he rubbed his eyes, slowly opening them. He quickly sat up and mumbled something under his breath. Not knowing what to say, I took a step back staying silent. He then got up locking his eyes with mine and then opened his mouth to say something but then quickly shut it when he heard someone coming down the stairs. He exhaled deeply and walked passed me bumping into Brian. I sighed and then turned around and saw Brian keeping his eyes attached to Aiden. After I heard his door shut he turned his attention to me and then locked the door as he smiled at me.

“You can go to bed now. Want me to send Lyndsey to you?” I nodded and he also did in response. He started walking up the stairs but then stopped as he looked at me “Good night”

“Good night” I said. He continued up the stairs and shortly after hearing the door to his room close I did the same. Entering my room, shutting the door behind me, I started stripping out of my clothes and pulled on a pair of sweats with a noodle strapped shirt. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my hair, putting my hair into braids, and then brushed my teeth. Feeling exhausted I crawled under the covers and snapped my head into the direction of my door as I heard a knock mixed with Lyndsey’s voice. “Come in” I voiced as I adjusted my position in my bed. She walked in with pajama pants and a tank top. She hurried over to me as she jumped on my bed. We both laughed and then she sat in front of me.

“Good night kiddo” She pulled me into a big hug and then kissed my forehead. I felt tears pricking my eyes but quickly blinked repeatedly in attempt to shoo them away. She looked at me with sad eyes “What’s wrong?”

“Brian and Aiden are fighting because of me right?”

She shook her head “No, babe, of course not”

“They seemed fine before I came along. Maybe I should just leave. It’ll be for the better” I let a silent tear slip down my cheek. She wiped it away with her thumb and then smiled.

“No, it won’t. Laney loves you, I do, Brian does and so do the guys”

“Brian feels nothing for me. He barely talks to me, all he does is smile and most of the time I just think that those smiles are fake. I understand that he wasn’t expecting me but he could at least show that he wants me here, even if he doesn’t mean it. I could go live with someone else; I don’t want to keep burdening you like I am. It’s not right of me to do so”

“Oh honey, you aren’t burdening anyone and none of what is going is your fault. Aiden is just a spoil brat and thinks that everything goes his way, and it just doesn’t. Brian does want you here but he fells like everything is his fault too. He doesn’t like the way Aiden’s treating and is still in a little shock that you’re here. Don’t worry, babe, give it time. You’ll see.”

I smiled and pulled her into a tight a hug. She felt so warm with care and I wanted to live on that. I wanted my mom to hold me like this and to tell me that she loved me. She pulled me away and placed one last kiss on my forehead and then walked out of the room as she turned off the light. I was left in the darkness to mope about how much I hated life. But the truth is I couldn’t do that. I lived in a nice house and had people that actually showed me that they wanted me around and had not intentions of hurting me. As for Aiden, I did wonder why he didn’t like me so but it just seemed that he wasn’t ready to accept me and I understand him. I’m a stranger and he has only known me for a day, how could I expect show much for him.

Oh honey, you have to good of a heart.

No I don’t, I just see things the way that I see them.

Or how you want to see them?

I looked out the window and stared out at the stars. They glistened as I silently let tears fall and that’s when I felt everything I was feeling. I ran my finger against the soft blanket and whispered hoping that my mom would hear me somehow, “I miss you mom”

Brian’s POV

Lyndsey walked into the room shutting the door quietly behind her. She smiled at me as she cuddled into the bed with me. I tangled her feet with mine and felt how cold she was. I kissed her softly on the lips and she sighed heavily. She then started making figures with her fingertips on my bare chest and started to speak softly.

“Bri”

“Yeah baby”

“Do you want Lilly here?”

I looked at her, expressing confusion as I answered her. “Yes. Why do you ask?”

“She doesn’t feel like it, she started crying before bed because she feels like the fights between you and Aiden are because of her.” She then crawled onto me sitting on my lap, placing her legs on each side of me. “Why are you and Aiden fighting so much?”

I sighed and then figured it would be stupid of me to lie to her “He doesn’t want her here but he’ll come around”

She frowned and then rested her head on the crook of my neck “I want her here. She seems so…I don’t know. Its like she has this terrible past that she doesn’t want to tell anybody and she’s keeping it locked inside, which is causing her a great deal of damage.”

“I don’t know what to say baby, but whatever it is she’ll tell us. We just have to give her time okay?”

She nodded “You’re right”

I lifted her head by the chin gently and kissed her. I then pulled away from her and stared into her eyes, without this woman I wouldn’t be here today. She went through good and bad with me and I was an inconsiderate asshole who cheated on her. I don’t deserver her.

Lilly’s POV

“Some days I sit, starin' out the window, watchin' this world pass me by. Sometimes I think theres nothin' to live for I almost break down and cry. Somtimes I think I'm crazy, I'm crazy, oh so crazy. Why am I here am I just wasting my time?” I sung to the song and bobbed my head as I did my homework. Weirdly I loved Eminem and his songs, especially the ones he made for his daughters. I wondered if my dad would do that to me if he was still alive. I snapped my head into the direction of the threshold to my bedroom and found my mother hurrying over to me. She dropped on her knees and began searching under my bed and then under my dresser. “Mom what are you looking for?”I asked as I turned off my CD player and hopped of my bed.

She snapped her head into my direction and quickly got up. She gripped my arms as her eyes widened “Where’s your money?”

“My money? I gave you my last paycheck yesterday, I don’t have anymore”

“You fucking liar!” she spat.”He wont give me any if I don’t give him the money now!”

“Mom, listen to me, I don’t have any money”

“Come with me then!”

“Mom what are you doing?” I asked with fear in my voice.

“If you don’t have money then you’re going to have to give him something else”

I shook my head and began to protest “No! Mom, please, no!” Before I could protest any longer my head snapped to the side as she slapped me harshly on the face. My face stung and I looked at my mother with watery eyes.

“Listen to me, you little bitch, you are going to give him what he wants whether you like it or not, understand me?”

I closed my eyes and nodded. She grabbed me firmly by the arm and dragged me down the stairs to the kitchen. My eyes fell on the man who had short black hair and brown eyes. He was aligning several lines of cocaine. As he looked up at me, he smirked and stood up. He grabbed me by the neck and slammed me on my back on the table. He started undoing my jeans and I started fighting him off. He raised his right hand and I closed my eyes, preparing myself for the pain. Feeling that familiar sting, just ten times more painful, I hit the floor. He then raised me by my hair and pushed me on the cold wood table face down. He pulled down my pants along with my panties and I turned my head to look behind me. I found him unwrapping a condom and he snapped his eyes on me and slammed my head against the table. He took out a knife and then placed it on my neck. I flinched at the cool touch of the blade and he began to speak,

“Mira stupida, you better shut up before I fucking make you!”

I stayed silent as the tears began to flow. He entered into me harshly and I whimpered in pain. I looked at my mother who was sniffing lines. Her eyes met mine and she had a blank expression; she didn’t care that I was being sexually abused right in front of her. She got her fix and that’s all that matters. He dug his nails into my skin causing me to cry out in pain as he went deeper and deeper with each thrust. I cried silently and whispered to my mom, “Mommy, help me. Please mommy, make him stop” She ignored me and continued enjoying her drugs. I cried out in pain and started screaming when I realized this man was not even close to being done with me. He slid out of me and dragged me to the closest room. He threw me on the bed and I began to scream for him to stop. “GET OFF OF ME PLEASE! DON’T HURT ME, JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE!

“STOP PLEASE! GET OFF ME!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I felt hands on my shoulders and gentle shaking.

“Lilly, wake up. Please baby wake up” I heard Brian’s voice echo through my ears. I slowly opened my eyes and then hugged him, not caring if he approved or not. I broke out into sobs as that horrible memory played in my head. He started rubbing my back and hushed me. “What’s wrong, Lilly? Who is hurting you? Please tell me, everything is going to be okay”

“Nothing, I just had a bad dream” I whispered.

“It didn’t just seem like a bad dream” He said with worry in his voice. I pulled away and nodded.

“I’m fine, really”

“Okay but I’m going to stay with you until you fall back asleep” Before I could argue, he laid be back down gently and pulled the covers over me. He then crawled beside me and pulled me close to his chest. I felt oddly safe in his arms but I knew that he would do no harm. He started rubbing my back and began to sing “Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost, it's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over. I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time but I'm too young to worry. These streets we travel on will undergo our same lost past. I found you here, now please just stay for a while I can move on with you around. I hand you my mortal life, but will it be forever? I'd do anything for a smile, holding you 'til our time is done. We both know the day will come, but I don't want to leave you” I felt my eyes brim with tears as he had done what I always wanted my dad to do. I held him closer and felt my eyes begin to get heavy while he continued to sing “Newborn life replacing all of us, changing this fable we live in. No longer needed here so where do we go? Will you take a journey tonight, follow me past the walls of death? But girl, what if there is no eternal life?”