I held up my phone as Henry took it, pressing a small button that adjusted the ringtone to silent. Additionally, he dimmed the lighting. I offered him a sweet smile.
The roads were flooded with rain water and a dark sky rolled above us in anger. It reminded me briefly of the stormy nights the church’s power would go out. Those were the worst. No lights. No heating. Not that the basement had much to begin with, but something was always better than nothing.
Anani turned around in a sharp movement and pleaded, “don’t go home.”
I rose a brow. “What? Why?”I totally didn’t want to.
Those diamond eyes glittered with anger and I instinctively flinched back. It was aimed at me, but didn’t seem to be about something I had done. Anani’s eyes then shone with guilt seeing my reaction and softly explained, “I just would feel better if you weren’t at a damn trailer park.”
I blushed in embarrassment and stammered, “I mean, I know it’s not like your house…”
Ledger scoffed and hit his twin on the head. The two of them seemed to bop each other on the head a lot. Or was that just me? “Ignore him, Maya. This isn’t about where you live. He’s just worried about you and is shit at showing it.”
I frowned before twisting my hands in my lap and murmuring, “really, I’m fine.”
Somehow the boys found their way to my trailer park. I bit my lip as I directed them down the lane toward a stone-colored trailer, the laminate sides drenched from the rain and the windows screaming with darkness. I knew Jed wasn’t home, the truck gone, but that didn’t mean my mother wasn’t.
“We will pick you up tomorrow,” Ledger spoke gently but very confidently. I nodded because I didn’t want my new friends to be upset. I just hoped mother or Jed wouldn’t notice.
I slid from the truck and paused. “Thanks for everything.” It was muttered and my cheeks were bright pink, all three of them traded small smiles with me. I trudged up the wooden steps toward the rickety front door. I offered them a small wave.
The trailer smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. I wasn’t particularly used to the smell, the church hadn’t smelt like that, but I was growing used to it. Jed smelled like that. I hated it.
“Where the fuck have you been?” A raspy feminine voice asked me. I squinted in the darkness of the trailer. I dropped my bag onto the floor.
Everything was the same from this morning. I could see the shattered plate I had dropped this morning, after the first hit, laying in the dusty kitchen. I categorized the yellow cabinets, shag carpeting, and dated furniture. I looked for Jed and any other threats, before looking at my mother.
I flinched at how tall she was compared to me. Her body was much larger than my own and covered in a sweaty nightgown. I examined her white-blonde hair that always made me question my darker hair, instead of making eye contact.
“Where Maya?!” She screamed. My back hit into the trailer wall as thunder erupted from outside. I could feel something jabbing into my back. I groaned at the sensation of blood dripping down my school skirt. At least I would be healed by morning. Thank God for the nail sticking out.
I swallowed and rasped out, “study group.”
“Whoring yourself out more likely. I saw the men who dropped you off.”
I shook my head, “no, just study partners, mom. They didn’t want me to walk back in the rain.”
She growled, a manic look in those dark eyes as her hand snaked forward to grab me by my hair. “Liar!” I hated that look in her eye, it was the one that made her think she was doing the right thing by hitting me, by purging the devil from me. Jed just seemed to take advantage by joining in on the action.
I groaned as her hand tightened on my hair. She dragged me toward the kitchen sink and yanked open a cabinet. The cabinet I had filled after unpacking. She placed a bottle of hand soap onto the counter.
“Clean your mouth out, now,” she snarled. “Liars are impure. Sinner.”
I began to whimper as she poured the soap into my mouth, filling it with water and making me choke on the bubbles. I couldn’t control my gut reaction to expel it. I felt the bile rise as my stomach forced out my sandwich from lunch onto my mother. I swore internally. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“You disgusting bitch,” she raged. “That’s the devil removing your sin!”
I let out a strangled sob as she dragged me to the ground, in the throw-up, and kicked me in the ribs. I gasped as something snapped. I could barely breathe as the intense pain radiated through me. She wasn’t done though. Never done. Never enough.
My mind blanked with the singular hit to my back. I knew this punishment. Pastor Malcolm had done it often. I swallowed back the pain as my eyes found my backpack, only a bit away. My phone was in the side pouch and turned inward. I stared at it, attempting to draw strength from the thoughts of my new friends.
I had no idea how long she hit me.
When the door opened, I realized my mother had stopped. She talked with Jed, a happy lilt to her voice as my consciousness began to fade. I couldn’t look at Jed and he made no mention of me. Instead, they began getting ready for dinner.
As if I wasn’t lying on the floor in my own puke and blood.
I groaned as the door closed, waking me from my half-unconscious state. I watched the truck’s headlights fade as I stumbled to my feet. I let out a small string of curses before looking to the floor. I shook my head with disgust before pulling off my shredded hoodie. I had no idea what I would wear to cover the bruises in the future.