Too Good to Be True

Hailey's POV

Taking a massive gulp, I slowly twisted the doorknob and peeked inside. Just as i'd hoped, Carl and Fiona were too busy screaming at each other to notice that the front door was ajar. I took this chance to sneak in, and, well, bolt up the stairs. I swung my bedroom door shut and sat on the floor against it, breathing heavily. Sure, I had gotten upstairs without getting caught up in the hell going on downstairs, but by the sound of it, this would be going on for a while.

A knock sounded on my bedroom door.

"Hailey?" came the soft voice. It didn't even take me a second to recognise the voice, and I swung the door open, whipping Tommy into my arms and closing it again.

"Tommy. Are you ok?" I brushed the hair from his face to see tears. He nodded slowly.

"I was scared. They've been fighting for ages. I thought they were gonna come upstairs..."

"Shh..shh." I tried to console Tommy, who had began crying softly. "They won't come upstairs, don't worry. How long have you been here yourself?" Of course, he wasn't here himself, but if you looked at it from the right perspective, he was.

"An hour," he sighed, and I pulled him into a hug, wailing.

"I'm so sorry Tommy! I would've came! I didn't know you-"

"Sissy, i'm fine. I'm just glad you're back here." he wiped a tear and hugged me again. This time I held him tighter than ever, never wanting to let go.

That is, until I heard the screaming stop.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT RACKET UP THERE!?" His menacing voice screamed. I felt Tommy tense up in my arms, and the fear struck me just as hard.

"Hide under the bed!" I hissed to Tommy, and backed up against the door. I knew I wasn't anywhere near strong enough to keep the door closed, but I could at least try. The first whack came when I least expected, causing me to let our a shrill scream.

Well that helped.
Sor-ray! How would you feel if the thing you fear the most is about to rip your fucking head off!?
Umm...pretty shit scared.
Well then!

I was too busy arguing with myself to prepare for the next whack. Sure enough, it sent me flying onto my face, and Tommy let out a terrified shriek.

"Hailey! Hailey! Daddy don't hurt her!" I tried to push myself off the floor, but it just wasn't working. Get up. Get up. Get up.

"Get up!" he demanded, and I tried once more to get onto my feet. Fortunately, I suceeded.

Or should I say unsuceeded.

I shouldn't have been surprised when the fist came and knocked me back on the ground, but I was. Tommy's cries just made it even worse. I looked up to see him come out of hiding and run up to me.

"No! Tommy! Get back under the bed!"

"No! I want to stay with you!"

"Tommy! I-" I stopped to look up at Carl. He winced as he wiped the blood off his knuckled. Yep. He hit me that hard. Without thinking twice, I lifted Tommy into my arms and bolted downstairs. Only to be met with Fiona.

"And what the fuck do you think you're doing?" She stood in my path and pushed me over, causing me to fall, and Tommy to roll out of my arms. To be honest with you, I was too scared to get back up. I was never scared, not when Tommy was there. I couldn't let myself be scared, I had to protect them. But, as I said, I was. I was scared out of my skin, even more than I was that night with Derek. I was going to die. I just knew it.

"Get the fuck up off the floor!" Neither of us budged, so Carl kicked me.

"Fiona, pick them the fuck up!"

"What!? Do it yourself you lazy bastard!"

"I'm the lazy bastard!? You're the one that can't lift your fuckin' ass off the sofa!"

"Well i'm SORRY that I don't have a fucking job!"

"Maybe if you got off your fat ass, you could GET ONE!"

I rolled over and got into a sitting position, wincing at the extreme pain this was causing me. I leaned over Tommy and shook his shoulder. It was pointless to say anything. If you could hear anything other than Carl and Fiona screaming at each other, you must be blessed. I forced a smile as Tommy rolled over to face me. His tears made my heart break there and then.

"It's not my fault! I never fucking gave birth to them!"

"But you were the one that put them in there you freak!"

"You could've easily dumped them in a trashcan!"

I covered my ears, and thankfully, Tommy did too. We dealt with this shit everyday, but nowhere near as bad. It just kept going on and on...and it was even louder. I didn't even care what they were talking about. Sure, hearing your parents say that would crush probably anyone, but me, the noise of it all was worse.
Block it out. Think of something
Think of something!? Like what!? What could possibly keep my mind off this?
What makes you happy?
I immediatley felt a spark of happiness in my heart, and the memories of the night before flooded into my head. Soon, it was impossible not to smile. I felt giddy...I felt happy...I felt....meaningful.

Frank Iero had changed my life. He had showed me that there was someone out there that really did care about you. He...he made me feel....special.

Suddenly this new feeling starting boiling inside me. It was the same feeling I had when I saw Frank...whenever we touched. I couldn't explain it. Was it...was it.....love?. The feeling got stronger and stronger, but soon it turned into something far more powerful. Anger.

"I just can't-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Everyone, including Tommy looked at me in shock as I screamed at the two shitheads in front of me. I pushed myself up, and soon I was on my feet. It was like the pain had disappeared. It was replaced by the feeling....and anger.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH WITH THIS BULLSHIT! I'VE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH IT FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, AND TOMMY HAS HAD IT FOR ALL OF HIS! WE ARE NOT JUST PIECES OF SHIT! WE MEAN SOMETHING, AND UNLIKE YOU, SOMEONE HAS SHOWED ME THAT. THIS ONE BOY HAS SHOWED ME THAT..." I felt my voice soften. "...that i'm special..." I looked back up at the two, and a snarl came across my face. "You two cunts better burn in hell. If you don't, i'll kill you myself." And with that, I lifted Tommy into my arms, the two dipshits gaping at me. I felt the greatest I ever had in my life. I felt sucessful. Sucess! I was almost free! Finally free, from years of torture! I laughed out loud, and walked towards the door.

"Good-fucking-bye." and with that, the door slammed shut. Leaving me and my brother out in the streets. Sure, we were now homeless, moneyless, but we were free, and to both of us, that mattered the most.

Freedom.