The City Is at War

I walk out of Gabe’s house, fuming, when I see Jon. He looks up, glares at me, but keeps walking.

“I am so fucking tired of you hating me for no damn reason!” I yell after Jon.

My voice fills the quiet street and echoes eerily down the block. Jon stops and gives me an annoyed look.

“Ever since we met, you’ve been giving me those looks and I wanna know why,” I continue.

“I’ll tell you whatever you want, if you stay away from Victoria,” Jon hisses.

“I’ll talk to whoever I want,” I retort.

“I can make your life-”

“What? A living hell? Is that it? Jon, I didn’t move here because my Daddy got a new job or something. I moved here, to survive. There is nothing you can do to me, Jon.”

“Oh yeah, Sabrina, you’ve been through hard times. You’re just some whiny little rich brat,” Jon laughs.

Suddenly I can’t take it anymore. I can’t let it slide this time. I’ve been holding in all of this pain and anger for way too long.

“You think this is funny?!” I scream, pulling up the sleeves of my striped shirt. Jon gasps at the bruises on my arms and I smile wickedly.

“Go ahead and laugh Jon. It’s fucking hilarious right?”

Jon takes a step forward and touches my arm and I jump away.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” I scream.

The pain and memories come flooding back and tears fall out of my eyes. I can hear it so clearly, see it so crystal clear.

“Don’t come here anymore!” they yell.

The tallest one, a boy with bright blue eyes, kicks me in the stomach.

My boyfriend.

A girl with dark brown hair punches me, repeatedly.

“Slut!” she yells.

My best friend.

A police siren sounds down the block and the kids run. But not before the little girl I tutor leans down and pushes the smooth blade of a knife into my arm. I cry out in pain and two officers get out of the car. One of them is my father.

“It’s just Sabrina,” he grumbles.

The other officer laughs, “some daughter you got there Mason.”

“Sabrina, you a piece o’ shit,” my father grunts, kicking me.

He spits out his gum in my hair and they both laugh.

Warm strong hands wrap around my waist and I’m brought out of my painful reverie.

“Get off of me!” I scream through tears.

“No,” the voice says softly and I realize its Gabe voice; Jon is long gone.

“Get the fuck away from me.” I yell even louder now.

My tears are still coming, faster than ever, and Gabe doesn’t let go.

“I won’t let you go. Not until you stop crying,” he says forcefully, pulling me onto his lap.

Gabe is holding me tightly to his bare chest, but I don’t care. I lean into his shoulder and cry. We sit like that for hours, Gabe whispering in my ear, that everything will be alright even though I don't believe him.