Status: Hope you like it :)
We're Just a Little Unusual
This One's A Doozy
I’d given up on my brother’s help-clearly he had no need for me, and he wasn’t going to visit. My heart ached whenever I thought of him. My father didn’t beat me as badly after that. He would threaten me a lot, and I was punched, but at least he didn’t pound me to the floor.
Slin was careful around me once she found out, very gentle. I don’t think she ever realized it. Slin is naturally a caring person.
It was finally May, and everything was in bloom. Slin’s birthday was on May 10th and I wracked my brains for something to make her happy. She clearly still worried for me. Since her birthday came on a Saturday, I slept over. The only reason I was allowed to do that was because my father was staying at work and my mom had some sort of church retreat thing going on.
Of course, I was the only one at her party. Popular, we were not. It was very fun though. She sat on my lap nearly the whole time. I was so nervous that my present wasn’t good enough I hardly ate anything. “Here Slin. This is for you.” Her face lit up.
“You didn’t have to get me anything!” I just smiled. It was a small black box. When she opened it her eyes got huge, and kind of....melted. “Oh Chiara. I, I...” I’d given her something I made in Art. Being a fairly talented sculptor, I’d made her a charm.
It was a hollow oval. The outside was intricately decorated with twirling designs, black inlayed with silver metal. I’d worked very hard on it. “Where’d you get it?” “Made it.” She moved so fast she blurred, hugging me close, kissing me feverishly. “Best....love it....perfect....you!” I was so happy she liked it I could’ve flown.
“It really is okay? You like it?” “Love it. I can’t even imagine how you made this.” She put it on right away, glowing. “I don’t know how to thank you enough.” “You don’t need to.” Seeing her laughing again, not glancing at me sadly, was enough.
The night was fun. We played a strip poker game that ended with us just in our underwear. Awesome. We didn’t do anything....adult, that night, just kissed a lot and talked. I went back home at 8:00 am, making excuses about doctor’s appointments. There was no one home when I got there, so I crawled into bed and fell asleep.
But naturally, my family ruined the happiness. At 9 am my mom came into my room and pinched me awake. “Get up you lazy bitch.” I did, and she pulled me downstairs. “We’re going shopping.” (The one thing I was never forced to go to)
“Clean up before we get home.” “Alright.” The day was uneventful, just cleaning and reading. My parents spent all day out of the house. It was 8:30 p.m. and I was on the couch when my parents came home early. “Hi.” A hand grabbed the back of my neck, almost pulling me over the couch.
“YOU FILTHY WHORE!” “What?!” My parents were blood boiling angry, hands clawed. “YOU THINK WE’D MISS IT? WE KNOW NOW!”
I was dizzy from their blows. “What!” “FAGGOT!” Pure fear erupted. They’d never called me that before. My secret had been found out. All I thought was how Russ had broken his promise.
I ran away fast as I could, but my mother blocked the open door, pushing me back inside. “How dare you ruin the family!” I felt like a trapped animal, unable to breath. “Stop! Please!” “Disgusting little dyke, I’ll beat the fag out of you!” I hit at the windows, so scared everything blurred.
My father had me by the neck, slowly choking me. When the world started going dark I gave up, sitting limply.
Then someone pushed my mother out of the way, running forwards to punch my father out. I could feel his body crumple at the impact. “Chiara!” Through my gasps for air I knew that voice. The thing I’d least expected had come true. Leo was back.
My first reaction was love. I bear hugged my brother, breathing him in. “Leo!” He’d saved me and I had missed him so much. For a few minutes we just stood there. Then I got angry, shoving him away.
“Where the hell were you? I called and called, you never came! You’re a poor excuse for a brother Leo. You barely came in time. I fucking needed you all these years, and you weren’t there. Two years alone Leo, two years!” Another person walked in, keeping my still furious mother away. A man with pale eyes and spiky blonde hair. He waited quietly in the background.
Leo seemed smaller now. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Chiara. I couldn’t make myself come back here, and you never asked.” I clenched my teeth.
“And when I did? Where were you then?” “It was 3 weeks Chiara. I wasn’t there.” I felt tears hit my eyes. “I needed you so much. Why couldn’t you help me?” He lifted me into his arms, carrying me to the car. Even that hurt.
The man walked behind us. Leo set me in the back of the car. “Who’s that?” I pointed at the pale man. “Taylor.” “But you said you love Taylor on your answering machine...” My voice faded when I got it. “Oh.” Taylor (who I would always think of as the pale man) laughed and grabbed Leo’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you Chiara. Leo always talks about you.” “He should.” I was still angry, but we were both at fault. “Where are we going?”
“I got a hotel room.” I didn’t want a hotel room, too tired and hurt to be strong. I didn’t want to spend the night alone. “Can you take me somewhere else?” Leo glanced back. “Where?” I told him Slin’s address, and that it was a safe house. “Uh, Leo? I have some stuff to tell you too.” “I’m listening.”
I was so nervous my stomach hurt, even though he’d already told me he was gay.” “I’m a l-lesbian.” After a few shocked seconds he smiled. “Kay.” Easy as that.
When we got to Slin’s house it was 9:30, pitch dark. Slin’s light was still on. I knocked on her door, and someone came running. Slin threw open the door. “Chiara!”
I must’ve been an astonishing sight. She embraced me and I melted at her touch. At last I felt like home. Leo stood near us, introducing himself to Slin’s rather surprised mom.
“Hi. I’m Chiara’s brother, Leo.” “Oh. Oh my. I’m Tansy.” Taylor was waiting patiently behind him, hands folded. I looked back to Slin.
“My parents found out. Russ told after all.” “Is that why you’re...like this?” “Yeah. Leo found me just in time.” Her glance at him was not kind.
“He should’ve come back sooner.” True, but he was here now. All else was forgiven.
“So, can I stay for a night?” I didn’t want to admit that what I desperately needed was human comfort, especially hers. “Of course! But what are you going to do about your parents?” Good question. There was no way I could go back, not after my secret had come out. “Er, I’ll get emancipated, and find someplace to stay.”
I was turning 18 in eight months. Then I could rent an apartment....if I could afford one. I had some money saved up, though not a lot. “I’ll pay for her of course. I’ve got quite a lot saved up now.” Leo butt in. I was angry again.
“Leo, I love you, but you can’t always take care of me. I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll do it myself.” Slin let go of me and stepped back. Leo was toe to toe with me, eyes furious. “You can’t do this on your own. Just take the fucking money.” “No! I was the one stuck here alone for two years Leo, with our parents. I can take care of myself.”
“You didn’t seem to be doing a good job of it, and I don’t give a shit about your ‘empowerment’. You’re 17! Chiara, take the damn money.” “And you’re 20. Use it for yourself.”
It was about to become a massive, family hating argument when Tansy stepped in. I’d never heard her angry, so I hadn’t realized she could control us with just her voice.
“Enough. You’re acting like children, and it’s embarrassing. Chiara, you will be taken away from your parents. There’s no way you’ll have to stay with them now. Leo, you can give Chiara half the money she needs to pay for her apartment. She’ll supply the other half. And now, I would appreciate it if you would leave my house, so my family can sleep.”
Apparently I was included in that family, because she took my hand as she said it. I felt bad. We’d disturbed the whole neighborhood, and almost ruined our friendship.
“Alright. Sorry Chiara.” “Sorry Leo.” He kissed me on the cheek and left, bringing Taylor with him. “So....” Tansy brought me inside and checked me over.
“Why in hell haven’t you been to a hospital?” “I didn’t know I needed to.” She just looked at me.
A few days later I was out of the hospital, broken ribs fixed, various cuts salved (if that makes any sense) and back stitched.
Why days? Because it was immediately obvious I was a victim of abuse, what with my new and old wounds, past healed broken bones (that I never knew about) and current...problems.
The police had been called, and when they learned what had happened they brought my parents in to get the whole story. Long story short, I was allowed to live with Slin until my application for emancipation got approved.
When I turned 18 I moved out and started living on my own, besides the money Leo sent annually from college. Was it easy? No. Did I do it? Yes.
I made it through our last year of high school after we finally stood up for ourselves and begged for the principal to stop the bullying. What followed was a school wide rule of no homophobic attacks, and the teaching of being kind to others. Turned out we weren’t universally hated, and Katie stood by our side.
I was never sure just why she cared, but she did. When we graduated Slin went to the same college as I did, and I’m sure you can see how the rest of our life went.
At 23 we married, in what Slin later described as the ‘most fucking awesome thing I’ve ever done’. Life is good.
END
Slin was careful around me once she found out, very gentle. I don’t think she ever realized it. Slin is naturally a caring person.
It was finally May, and everything was in bloom. Slin’s birthday was on May 10th and I wracked my brains for something to make her happy. She clearly still worried for me. Since her birthday came on a Saturday, I slept over. The only reason I was allowed to do that was because my father was staying at work and my mom had some sort of church retreat thing going on.
Of course, I was the only one at her party. Popular, we were not. It was very fun though. She sat on my lap nearly the whole time. I was so nervous that my present wasn’t good enough I hardly ate anything. “Here Slin. This is for you.” Her face lit up.
“You didn’t have to get me anything!” I just smiled. It was a small black box. When she opened it her eyes got huge, and kind of....melted. “Oh Chiara. I, I...” I’d given her something I made in Art. Being a fairly talented sculptor, I’d made her a charm.
It was a hollow oval. The outside was intricately decorated with twirling designs, black inlayed with silver metal. I’d worked very hard on it. “Where’d you get it?” “Made it.” She moved so fast she blurred, hugging me close, kissing me feverishly. “Best....love it....perfect....you!” I was so happy she liked it I could’ve flown.
“It really is okay? You like it?” “Love it. I can’t even imagine how you made this.” She put it on right away, glowing. “I don’t know how to thank you enough.” “You don’t need to.” Seeing her laughing again, not glancing at me sadly, was enough.
The night was fun. We played a strip poker game that ended with us just in our underwear. Awesome. We didn’t do anything....adult, that night, just kissed a lot and talked. I went back home at 8:00 am, making excuses about doctor’s appointments. There was no one home when I got there, so I crawled into bed and fell asleep.
But naturally, my family ruined the happiness. At 9 am my mom came into my room and pinched me awake. “Get up you lazy bitch.” I did, and she pulled me downstairs. “We’re going shopping.” (The one thing I was never forced to go to)
“Clean up before we get home.” “Alright.” The day was uneventful, just cleaning and reading. My parents spent all day out of the house. It was 8:30 p.m. and I was on the couch when my parents came home early. “Hi.” A hand grabbed the back of my neck, almost pulling me over the couch.
“YOU FILTHY WHORE!” “What?!” My parents were blood boiling angry, hands clawed. “YOU THINK WE’D MISS IT? WE KNOW NOW!”
I was dizzy from their blows. “What!” “FAGGOT!” Pure fear erupted. They’d never called me that before. My secret had been found out. All I thought was how Russ had broken his promise.
I ran away fast as I could, but my mother blocked the open door, pushing me back inside. “How dare you ruin the family!” I felt like a trapped animal, unable to breath. “Stop! Please!” “Disgusting little dyke, I’ll beat the fag out of you!” I hit at the windows, so scared everything blurred.
My father had me by the neck, slowly choking me. When the world started going dark I gave up, sitting limply.
Then someone pushed my mother out of the way, running forwards to punch my father out. I could feel his body crumple at the impact. “Chiara!” Through my gasps for air I knew that voice. The thing I’d least expected had come true. Leo was back.
My first reaction was love. I bear hugged my brother, breathing him in. “Leo!” He’d saved me and I had missed him so much. For a few minutes we just stood there. Then I got angry, shoving him away.
“Where the hell were you? I called and called, you never came! You’re a poor excuse for a brother Leo. You barely came in time. I fucking needed you all these years, and you weren’t there. Two years alone Leo, two years!” Another person walked in, keeping my still furious mother away. A man with pale eyes and spiky blonde hair. He waited quietly in the background.
Leo seemed smaller now. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Chiara. I couldn’t make myself come back here, and you never asked.” I clenched my teeth.
“And when I did? Where were you then?” “It was 3 weeks Chiara. I wasn’t there.” I felt tears hit my eyes. “I needed you so much. Why couldn’t you help me?” He lifted me into his arms, carrying me to the car. Even that hurt.
The man walked behind us. Leo set me in the back of the car. “Who’s that?” I pointed at the pale man. “Taylor.” “But you said you love Taylor on your answering machine...” My voice faded when I got it. “Oh.” Taylor (who I would always think of as the pale man) laughed and grabbed Leo’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you Chiara. Leo always talks about you.” “He should.” I was still angry, but we were both at fault. “Where are we going?”
“I got a hotel room.” I didn’t want a hotel room, too tired and hurt to be strong. I didn’t want to spend the night alone. “Can you take me somewhere else?” Leo glanced back. “Where?” I told him Slin’s address, and that it was a safe house. “Uh, Leo? I have some stuff to tell you too.” “I’m listening.”
I was so nervous my stomach hurt, even though he’d already told me he was gay.” “I’m a l-lesbian.” After a few shocked seconds he smiled. “Kay.” Easy as that.
When we got to Slin’s house it was 9:30, pitch dark. Slin’s light was still on. I knocked on her door, and someone came running. Slin threw open the door. “Chiara!”
I must’ve been an astonishing sight. She embraced me and I melted at her touch. At last I felt like home. Leo stood near us, introducing himself to Slin’s rather surprised mom.
“Hi. I’m Chiara’s brother, Leo.” “Oh. Oh my. I’m Tansy.” Taylor was waiting patiently behind him, hands folded. I looked back to Slin.
“My parents found out. Russ told after all.” “Is that why you’re...like this?” “Yeah. Leo found me just in time.” Her glance at him was not kind.
“He should’ve come back sooner.” True, but he was here now. All else was forgiven.
“So, can I stay for a night?” I didn’t want to admit that what I desperately needed was human comfort, especially hers. “Of course! But what are you going to do about your parents?” Good question. There was no way I could go back, not after my secret had come out. “Er, I’ll get emancipated, and find someplace to stay.”
I was turning 18 in eight months. Then I could rent an apartment....if I could afford one. I had some money saved up, though not a lot. “I’ll pay for her of course. I’ve got quite a lot saved up now.” Leo butt in. I was angry again.
“Leo, I love you, but you can’t always take care of me. I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll do it myself.” Slin let go of me and stepped back. Leo was toe to toe with me, eyes furious. “You can’t do this on your own. Just take the fucking money.” “No! I was the one stuck here alone for two years Leo, with our parents. I can take care of myself.”
“You didn’t seem to be doing a good job of it, and I don’t give a shit about your ‘empowerment’. You’re 17! Chiara, take the damn money.” “And you’re 20. Use it for yourself.”
It was about to become a massive, family hating argument when Tansy stepped in. I’d never heard her angry, so I hadn’t realized she could control us with just her voice.
“Enough. You’re acting like children, and it’s embarrassing. Chiara, you will be taken away from your parents. There’s no way you’ll have to stay with them now. Leo, you can give Chiara half the money she needs to pay for her apartment. She’ll supply the other half. And now, I would appreciate it if you would leave my house, so my family can sleep.”
Apparently I was included in that family, because she took my hand as she said it. I felt bad. We’d disturbed the whole neighborhood, and almost ruined our friendship.
“Alright. Sorry Chiara.” “Sorry Leo.” He kissed me on the cheek and left, bringing Taylor with him. “So....” Tansy brought me inside and checked me over.
“Why in hell haven’t you been to a hospital?” “I didn’t know I needed to.” She just looked at me.
A few days later I was out of the hospital, broken ribs fixed, various cuts salved (if that makes any sense) and back stitched.
Why days? Because it was immediately obvious I was a victim of abuse, what with my new and old wounds, past healed broken bones (that I never knew about) and current...problems.
The police had been called, and when they learned what had happened they brought my parents in to get the whole story. Long story short, I was allowed to live with Slin until my application for emancipation got approved.
When I turned 18 I moved out and started living on my own, besides the money Leo sent annually from college. Was it easy? No. Did I do it? Yes.
I made it through our last year of high school after we finally stood up for ourselves and begged for the principal to stop the bullying. What followed was a school wide rule of no homophobic attacks, and the teaching of being kind to others. Turned out we weren’t universally hated, and Katie stood by our side.
I was never sure just why she cared, but she did. When we graduated Slin went to the same college as I did, and I’m sure you can see how the rest of our life went.
At 23 we married, in what Slin later described as the ‘most fucking awesome thing I’ve ever done’. Life is good.
END