JADE COLLINS

That same moment, Uncle John walked into the kitchen "What are you doing right now?" He shouted at me. I stared at him blankly still dazed from what happened, I could feel blood trickling from my hand slowly getting to realize the cut was extremely deep. Uncle John repeated his question, his voice louder this time, when I didn't reply him still in a daze which was a mistake, the insults started like they usually do "You're just so fucking weak" he said looking at me with disgust.

My face flaming hot, I couldn't reply him, I mean he's my uncle and I knew him before Aunt May died, he was truly a good man. I felt like dying, looking at the floor, I glared at the knife, if it was going to cut me it should've cut me in a fatal place, stupid knife. "Fucking weak little girl" Uncle John says, his eyes getting red and he stalks out of the kitchen. Jeanine rushed in immediately trying to apologize, I waived her off but she pulled me to my room helping me clean the injured area. "Leave me alone" I snapped at her but she ignored me knowing me too well that I was just putting up a façade, honestly I don't know how she still endures me snapping at her every time an insult episode comes on from her dad and I end up taking it out on her.

"How do you endure me snapping at you "I cried when she dragged me to my bed after she cleaned my wound. She just smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes." I know you're not angry at me, just at the situation and dad".

"He just makes me feel so useless and low and be...be..... beneath" I cried, tired of everything. Maybe he's right, I'm weak, I'm useless, just look at m-

"No, I know that look too well, you're not weak, don't take what dad says to heart, he's a hurt jerk" Jeanine says sharply. "Now, I'm going to finish dinner" she said to me and then she left the room.

Thinking about what happened earlier brought more tears to my eyes. This isn't the first time the emotional abuse started but every time it happened, it felt like my heart was torn apart over and over again. I really love my parents, my aunt and uncle, I don't know why I should be the one to be blamed. If only I hadn't insisted on going to school, more tears streamed from my eyes.

.

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"WAKE UP!" I suddenly saw Uncle John standing above me, "its 4:45am already, get dressed for workout by 5am and YOU MUST NOT BE LATE" he glared and left the room.

I quickly scrambled up from my bed not wanting to face Uncle John's wrath, I wore a black sports bra and sweat shirt and sports leggings and my sneakers. Tying the laces on the sneakers and running down the stairs to the backyard because it was 4:51 already and yeah, I'm terrified of what Uncle John could do if I was late than falling down the stairs. When I got to the backyard, I saw Uncle John and Jeanine already warming up. Uncle John looked over at me "Next time, you have to be here at least 10 minutes earlier to warm up" I nodded and gulped. And our training session began, if you could call it that. It was like we were preparing for a war, surprisingly, Jeanine wasn't tired at all. I got tired immediately after our stretch but a look from Uncle John made me go on with the work out. By 7am, we were done with the rigorous exercise, I couldn't even speak, I dragged myself to my room, had my bath, dressed for school and lay on my bed to close my eyes for 5 minutes.

"JADE!!!!!!!! Were almost late for school, are you kidding me—

"Calm down, I've had my bath and I'm dressed, what is left is to transport myself to school" I groaned, my entire body aching me. I looked at her in surprise, "what did you drink, how are you not tired" I looked at her strangely.

She laughed sheepishly" I guess it's in my blood"

"Get out of my way" I snapped playfully at her, grabbing my bag and wearing my shoes.

Getting to school, I went to my designated seat and sat down only to hear the annoying voice of the one and only Hades Pierson, what is he doing here, I thought to myself, frowning.

He grinned at me and raised his stupid eyebrows at the same time.

"Hey little girl, why do you look so tired?" He asked. I scoffed, as if he cares.

The bell rang for first period which should signal the end of our non-existent conversion, unfortunately Hades refused to get the memo and kept on goading me and throwing rolled up papers at me, I finally screamed in anger and I was given a detention slip, this time I discreetly felt my buttocks for any fake blood again. I'm honestly not in the mood for this, I thought to myself. I sat back on my seat and closed my eyes. The day went by uneventful till the last bell rang. I shot out of my seat wanting to get home as soon as possible to sleep because of my depressing thoughts, I didn't care about any stupid detention.

Getting to my locker, I saw Ronan leaning against my locker. I decided to turn around and go home instead with my books because I was so not ready for his bullshit.

As I turned, I felt someone grab my hand roughly.

"Owwwww, do you want to snatch my arm from my body?" I yelled, glaring at the culprit who was Ronan. That was really scary I thought to myself trying to calm down as he almost gave me a mini attack.

"What do you want Ronan?" I glared at him.

"I want to talk to you" he said, "can we talk?" he asked.