What Makes a Song a Hit?

** flashback**

I was ten, sitting in my room on the bed, under the covers, when I heard the door slam. I looked at the clock, it read 1:30am, was that dad? I was getting worried about him; he seemed more depressed than ever lately, crying when he thought I wasn’t looking. It would help if Sam was ever home anymore, he kept going to his friend’s house and practicing with his new band, like that’s ever going to take off. I heard my dad walking up the stairs, he sounded like he was stumbling, I huddled up in bed. Suddenly my door swung open and my father stood at the door, he stumbled over to my bed and pushed me out of it. I gasped and looked up; he towered above me with a scowl on his face as I lay on the floor, I could smell the alcohol on him. “ITS ALL YOUR FAULT!” he yelled, I flinched “you’re the reason she left! The reason I lost my job and the reason your brother won’t come home anymore!” he kicked me in the stomach and laughed, “why don’t you stand up for yourself, oh yeah you can’t, cos you’re useless!” I lay on the floor, he kicked me again in the stomach and grabbed me by the hair, throwing me against the wall, I leaned there, he came over and slapped me against the face, and without missing a beat grabbed my wrist in a death grip, I gasped in pain at his grip, as he dragged me toward the stairs, and pushed me down, laughing as I fell on the hardwood. He came down the stairs, and leaned in close to my face, I flinched, smelling his foul alcohol breath in my face “if you tell your brother about this I’ll make it worse, you got that you little bitch?” he asked me, I nodded, he grinned and walked up the stairs toward his room, I heard his door slam and moments later, his drunken snores.

**end flashback**

I stared at the wall in horror, I had almost forgotten about that night, dad didn’t remember a thing the next morning, and I never told Sam. it was all just forgotten, I realised how stupid I was being and rushed to open the bathroom door, as soon as it was open I grabbed him in a crushing hug, my body shaking from my violent sobs. Crying helplessly into his shirt, he hugged me back, but it seemed tense in a way. “What happened Alex?” he asked softly, “did dad hurt you?” I nodded into his chest. I felt his body become incredibly tense I looked up at him, he looked furious. When he saw me looking at him, his expression softened and he smiled lightly at me. “Come on, it’ll be alright” he smiled “come into the kitchen, I’ll make you pancakes?” he offered.

I smiled and nodded, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen, he picked me up and gently placed me into a stool at the bar, I giggled. He started making the pancakes, ben came in from the other room and when he saw me he smiled and hugged me around the waist “hey kitten!!!” he gushed “you’re out, how you feeling?” he asked. I gave him a thumbs up and he chuckled, suddenly, Danny, Cam and James emerged from the living room, taking turns in giving me tight hugs of comfort. I smiled and held them tight, in that moment I felt so loved, happier than I had ever been. Suddenly Danny looked up “fuck, the showers free I haven’t showered in 2 days!” he raced to the bathroom like an idiot, James and Cameron followed him, running full speed. Ben chuckled and grinned down at me, “bunch of filthy animals, eh kitten?” he winked at me. Was that Bens new nickname for me now? I liked it.

Sam was still cooking the pancakes, suddenly he stopped and a look of realisation came across his face. “Alex?” he asked “you didn’t really trip and fall down the stairs that day five years ago did you?” he sounded scared of my answer. I shook my head slowly and a furious look came across his face, ben just looked confused. “I should have realised!” he said angrily “I never should have left!” his voice was getting louder “THAT BASTARD” he yelled. Ben looked taken aback by this sudden outburst. I shook my head and got up, hugging Sam around the waist; he paused and hugged me back. Ben came and joined in, Sam whispered in my ear “no-one will ever hurt you again, I promise” I patted him on the back. By now ben had put two and two together “I’ll be your awesome bodyguard” he murmured, I decided then and there that Ben would be my new best friend. I smiled, things were finally getting better