Lessons In New Jersey

By the time I got home it was already dark. And only one light was on in the house. I looked at my watch and it was about almost 9.

"Oh fuck" I said to myself realizing that I was past curfew.

I quietly creeped up to the house and open the door I wasnt even half way in when I heard my mom yell.

"Madeline Marie Martinez! Where. Have. You. Been" I heard her yell from the kitchen. I put my guitar down and slunked into the kitchen where she was sitting looking through a catalog. "It is past your curfew you know what kind of wackos are out there"

"Then why'd you move us here" I replied back.

"I moved us here because....thats not the point you know when curfew is and you should of been back by then. Tell me now where you have been for the past 2 and a half hours" she replied back.

"I met some people. They needed my help okay. I'm going to my room now that you know" I turned around to leave but heard her chair scrape along the floor.

"What people. Who are they?" she questioned me.

"Just some guys" I bit my lip when I let that one slip.

"Some guys? What are theses guy's names" she questioned me.

"By guys I meant girls" I tried to cover it up.

"No you dont. You've had nothing but guy friends. And from that we had to move here." she replied back.

"Thats not even true. One slip with one guy and its my fault" I was starting to get mad.

"Yes it is. I didn't raise you like this" she started raising her voice.

"Like what. I'm nothing. you didn't raise me. You let dad raise me. And from that is why we had to move here. not cause of me. not cause of my friends. it was You." I yelled to her.

"What did I do? I tried my best" she yelled back.

"Whoring around was not trying your best. I mean what the fuck we're you thinking. You had a job. You had money. You had a husband who loved you. And a daughter who at one point loved you the same. and cause of your stupid decision this happened" Im sure with all the yelling jeremy was awake by now. probably sitting on the stair way listening.

"Nothing happened your being dramatic"

"Dramatic! I'm being dramatic! MY OWN FATHER RAPED ME! THATS BEING TO DRAMATIC TO YOU!" I again yelled.

"You put yourself in that position. if you weren't giving it up to the world--"

"Oh my gosh! fucking unbelievable. One guy! Just one guy! and I'm giving it up to the world. What about you. You couldn't even keep your fucking legs close to the preacher at our church" after that last comment I felt the hand of my mothers striking me across the face.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! I am your mother. Don't you ever talk to me like that!" she yelled and pointed to finger at me.

"Your not my mother. I don't know who you are but your not my mom." I coldly said to her and pushed her making her collide into the table. I turned and ran out the door grabbing my guitar case and running down the street. I heard my poor excuse of a mother call out to me.

"MADELINE GET BACK OVER HERE!" I didn't listen though. I just kept running not entirely sure on where I was gonna go.

The only place that I knew that I probably could go was to Gerard's house. Although seeing how we just met it would be kind of awkward.

I ran to his house stood on the steps debating whether I should knock or not. I quickly made a decision and knocked. I stood there for a moment and knocked again. I then turned to walk down the porch steps but stopped when I heard the door open. A woman had opened it she had blond hair and make up on.

"May I help you?" she questioned me as I walked back up the steps.

"Um. yea is Gerard home" I questioned her. She nodded.

"He's in his room. with a couple of friends. Are you Maddie?" she questioned me.

"Yea. Well its Madeline. But you can call me Maddie or Madeline which ever you like" I replied back. She smiled at me.

"I think I'll just call you Maddie. Okay sugar" I smiled at her "I'll go get him okay one moment" she then closed the screen door and went towards the back. I just stood there. Not really thinking about what I was doing. I looked at my shoes and continued to stare at them till Gerard came to the door.

"Maddie? Your back." I heard him say as he stepped onto the porch.

"Uh yea. I'm back. I...I know we just met and stuff but--"

"What happened to your face?" he then questioned me. I put a hand on my cheek and could feel the warmth of where my mother had hit me.

"Oh. Well. Me and my mom got into a huge fight" I looked down as I trailed off.

"And she hit you?" he questioned again. I just nodded.

"I'm sorry. I just had no where else to go" I could feel the tears run down my cheeks as Gerard pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay." I heard him say as he hugged me. "You can stay here if you want. I got the guys over I'm sure they won't mind" I nodded as he brought me in the house.

"Where's your bathroom. I'm sure I look like a clown" I questioned him.

"It's right there" he pointed to the bathroom. I thanked him and went in. I looked in the mirror and sure enough my eyeliner had run. After staying here tonight. I wasn't sure where else I would go after this.