Who Can Really Blame You?

“Hi, Ainsley,” Carter’s mom says when we come in, “Hello everyone I don’t know.”

“Mom,” Carter says, then introduces everyone.

“Lovely to meet everyone,” she says, “I guess you want the living room?”

“Yeah,” Carter says smiling. She nods, gets off the couch and says she’ll be in her room if anything catches on fire. Tayler actually laughs.

“What should we do?” Hadley asks.

“I don’t know,” Carter admits, “Just hang out?”

“Simple,” Talia says nodding, “Beautiful. I like it.”

I smile at her, and sit on the couch, where Talia quickly sits on me.

“Tayler’s right,” I gasp, “Your ass bones are painful.”

She jumps off me, and pouts. I pat the seat next to me, and she sits. I throw an arm around her shoulders.

“Did someone ever catch anything on fire in your house?” Tayler asks.

“Yes,” Carter sighs, “They caught the couch on fire. We had to get a new one.

“How did it catch on fire?” Talia asks.

“I really don’t know,” he admits. I smile.

“Will you feed us?” Tayler suddenly asks, a very hopeful note in his voice.

“Sure,” Carter says, “Let’s go to the kitchen.”

Tayler and Talia both run into the kitchen. I roll my eyes when Hadley follows.

“So,” Max says, taking Talia’s seat next to me, “Why’d you invite me?”

“Because you’re my friend?” I say, but it comes out in a question. He nods.

“I was just wondering,” he says.

“I figured,” I say, “Since you asked.”

He chuckles slightly. My phone goes off, and I make a face before pulling it from my pocket to answer.

“Hello?” I ask.

“Hey, Ainsley. It’s Hank,” Hank says.

“Oh hey,” I say, glancing at Max, “What’s up?”

“Listen, I just fired some kid for stealing from me, and I need someone to work tomorrow afternoon. I won’t be there, but Nick will be,” he says, “Nick’s a freshman in college. I think you’ll get along.”

“Okay,” I say, “are you asking me to cover his shift?”

“Oh, yeah,” he tells me.

“Okay,” I say, “How much do I get paid?”

“How about eight bucks an hour?” he asks.

“Alright,” I say, “What time?”

“As soon as you can after school,” he tells me.

“Alright, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, Ainsley. I’ll tell Nick that he has to train you.”

“Okay,” I reply, “Bye.”

He hangs up, and I shove my phone back in my pocket.

“You have a job?” Max asks me. I nod.

“At Consequence X,” I tell him.

“That’s cool,” he says, “Do you get an employee’s discount?”

“You know,” I say thinking about it, “I have no clue.”

He smiles as the twins come back in the room loaded up with what appears to be an entire pantry’s worth of food.

Carter appears behind Hadley, looking stunned. I laugh.

“They’re hungry people,” I tell him.

“I can tell,” he says, watching them start in on the snacks. Talia and Tayler argue over the last fruit roll up, making me roll my eyes.

I wave to Carter as he drives off into the dark, after dropping me off at home. I watch him until he’s gone, and then I walk up to the front door and go inside.

“Ainsley?” My dad calls out.

“Hey dad,” I reply, going up the steps.

“I’m going to a meeting,” he tells me, appearing at the foot of the stairs.

I nod, and continue up, “Have fun.”

He doesn’t say anything, just leaves. I sigh, and go to my room.

I wake up to my dad stumbling in my room.

“Dad?” I ask, groggily, “What are you doing?”

“What’s this bag for?” he slurs, “You leavin’?”

I sit up and look at what he’s looking at.

“Dad,” I say, rubbing my eyes, “That’s my school bag. Go back to bed.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” he says, stumbling towards me. He points a wobbly finger at me. “Just like your mother,” he mutters, “Tryin’ to leave me!”

“I’m not trying to leave,” I say.

“Dun lie to me,” he says, grabbing my face.

“I’m not,” I tell him, prying his hands off my face. He pushes me off the bed. I wince at the thud I hear when I hit the floor.

“You’re lyin,” he mutters, wobbling above me.

“No I’m not,” I tell him, trying to stand to get back into bed.

“Yes you are!” he yells, pushing me again.

“Stop it!” I exclaim, “I’m not lying. I’m trying to sleep.”

He takes me by the shoulders and looks me in the eye. I stare back. We don’t move for a long time, until he suddenly pushes me again. I stumble backwards into my dresser, and wince as the corner digs into my back. I fall on my ass and stare up at my dad.

“Get out,” I tell him. He moves towards me. “Get out!” I yell, standing quickly to push him from my room. He pushes me again, and I stumble back a step, and then he knocks me onto my stomach. I turn over and try to stand.

“You lie,” he tells me, “You get punishment.”

I stare at him, and then look at his hands as he pulls his belt from the loops. I scramble away, and yelp when the belt hits the back of my legs.

“Stop!” I yell, stumbling, and landing on my knees on the floor, facing away from him. He hits me again, and I can’t help but curse. “Shit! Stop!” I yell.

“Watch your mouth,” he grumbles, and swings the belt into my back again. I fall over, and curl up on myself.

I feel the belt marks stinging on my back, and after the fifth hit, I feel tears falling down my face, across my nose, and onto the floor.

“Goddamn liar,” he mumbles leaving, “Just like his mother.”

I don’t move for a minute. I suddenly scramble to the door, and lock it. I close my eyes, and touch my back lightly. It’s not bleeding, but it hurts like a mother fucker.

I go back to bed, and lie on my stomach.