Chapter 11: Carter

Ahliyah sat on the couch waiting for me to explain what happened last night. I didn't know where to start though and I didn't want what she saw in me to change like it had with Lorenzo. I sighed rubbing my hands on my legs trying to figure out where to start the story. Where do I begin?

" This story is long, are you ready?" I asked.

She sat up straight, nodding her head. " I lied to Elias and told him I caught a deadly sickness. He gave the week off. Tell your story." She smiled.

I decided to start where it all began when my mother died. I told myself that I wouldn't cry but I knew that was going to be really hard because what I had gone through living in that house scared me even though I was no longer living in it.

" When my mother died, I was really close with my dad. We were as thick as thieves and then he met Nora. I didn't like her because it felt like he was giving up on my mom and I, even though she died I didn't want anyone to replace her. Nora and my dad got married, things were well until my dad had to go back to work. He worked as some boss for some business and I was left alone with Nora. Nora started out as the loving stepmother, she would take me out and talk to me about life," I sighed. I felt my throat knot up and I was holding back my tears.

" Then she changed, she called me out my name and told me how I was going to be nothing. How I was dumb and nobody would ever want to be around me, or love me. As the days passed, things got worse, she chased me to the front door once. She pinned me against the wall and punch me in the face, but that was the first beating I received from her. She tried to push me down the steps, but she always punched me. After the abuse, she would go back to being nice, then I had to lie."

I was so scared that lying was on of the best decision I had made. I was scared that if I didn't then Nora would hurt me to the point where I wouldn't be able to remember anything.

" One night though, I was in my room and Nora was fine. I stayed out of her way where she was in the house, I had went the opposite way. She got mad for no reason and came in my room and pushed me, when I didn't seem scared she punched and kicked me. She left me in my room to clean up the blood before my dad got home. Then when he got home things were back to normal, she was nice again." I cried.

Ahliyah pulled me close and I cried in her shirt. I let everything go every single shred of piece of pain that still haunted me when I closed my eyes, or when I was out hanging around with people. I let it go. I couldn't hold onto it anymore but I couldn't forget what I had gone through either.

" Why would Nora do that to you? You didn't deserve any of that." Ahliyah asked.

" I still don't know, maybe to show me that she had power since she was my step mom. I used to make excuses for her and I couldn't figure out why I wasn't deserving of her love." I wiped the tears away, sighing because it was hard for me to believe I went through any of that, it was also hard letting it all go.

" You have those nightmares because of your step mother?" She asked.

" Yes, sometimes I'm able to sleep through them. When they get worse, I'll wake up in sweats or end up getting sick." I huffed. " Sorry for getting your shirt wet." I smiled sadly.

" It's okay. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. I'm here if you need anything." She held my hand. Her hand was warm and it was the most comforting touch I've had. We were sitting here together as friends and I was telling her everything like I had spent a lifetime with her. She didn't shy away or run when I told her what happened to me. She sat there and listened to everything as I told it.

" Meeting you I wouldn't of thought you went through all of that. I think sometimes we think people problems are not worse than are own, when they are. Listening to you tell what happened to you, makes my problems seem so small compared to what you went through." She said.

I didn't know what it meant when I was told that I needed to connect with someone and let my fears go. But, sitting with Ahliyah and telling her lifted some of the weight that was on my shoulders. There were still somethings that I kept to myself that I wasn't comfortable telling her yet.

I liked her and I was on my way to loving her.

She laid her head on my shoulder, grinning. " I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I want you to know that, no matter how hard thing get or even if you push me away. I'll always be right here." She closed her eyes and we enjoyed the peace we had together.

I believed her. I knew she wouldn't let anything happen to me and that scared me. I knew my step mother was probably wondering when I would come back home because I didn't leave anything saying I was leaving. I didn't want anything to happen to Ahliyah though because she meant more to me than a friend, or someone I gave a home to.

I wouldn't allow my step mother to take her away from me, or any one for that matter.

I placed Ahliyah in her bed, so she could sleep. As I walked out of the room, she sat up and I stood by the door. " You're not going to lay in here. At least until you nightmares get under control." She smiled.

" Are you sure?" I asked. I felt better when I was laying beside her, but I wanted to be okay with this on my own too. She nodded her head and I got in the bed beside her, and we laid there.

I was getting used to being in the same space as her. I loved how I felt different around her I could be myself without worry. I wrapped my arm around her waist and closed my eyes happy about the chance that was going to come.