The back door slammed shut. Blind rage filled me as I tore through the house, breaking nearly everything in my path. If I'd had enough strength, I'd have pulled the fucking fridge down. Instead, I settled for throwing a pan at it. It dented it slightly, but it wasn't enough. What I really wanted to do was illegal.512Please respect copyright.PENANAwLTvHCp8Kv
512Please respect copyright.PENANAOy5kYbBZgp
I wanted to go to Jude's house and rip his throat out.512Please respect copyright.PENANAs8DOq35I8J
512Please respect copyright.PENANAe6fmtyEADy
That made me sound crazy, I know, but I was pissed. Slowly, as the anger ebbed away, I realized what I was missing. Or rather who. I slid down to the floor and my hands shook as I looked at them.512Please respect copyright.PENANAQyVpuiCIgV
512Please respect copyright.PENANAQDtH0egGEA
Christian should have been here to see my rampage. He would have loved it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAHED53GIbHR
512Please respect copyright.PENANArP3ExGpnjK
I wondered where he was. I thought about going to see him. Maybe if I went, he wouldn't want to see me, and then I would come home in more of a mess than I already was.512Please respect copyright.PENANAXJF7Yk4ZjJ
512Please respect copyright.PENANAKMEqd515Se
Maybe it wasn't worth it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAoKUD37GFl0
512Please respect copyright.PENANAg547hza5on
Sighing as the anger left and was replaced with exhaustion, I stood up and went to lock the back door, only to find someone standing on the other side of it. My hand shook as I reached for the doorknob and turned it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAAa0Asl2JpX
512Please respect copyright.PENANAIyyyolotjW
Christian stepped over the threshold, his eyes full of apology and something more, and wasted no time wrapped his arms around me and kissing me hard. My arms automatically went around his neck. His fingers were pressed into my skin, so tightly I thought they'd leave a mark, but I didn't care. Something inside me had repaired itself when I saw him.512Please respect copyright.PENANAqBqcETpGT0
512Please respect copyright.PENANASxSLUPxfdx
He pulled away from my mouth and buried his face in my hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so fucking sorry, Kendall."512Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2PwHWovuA
512Please respect copyright.PENANA9QubKTMxti
My head was resting against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Regret sat in my gut and I wanted to tell him the truth about Jude. About the kiss. About what I found out. But I knew it wouldn't help anything right now, so I stayed quiet. We ended up on the living room couch, his hands everywhere all at once, his mouth still on mine.512Please respect copyright.PENANA5aoVDJc1e4
512Please respect copyright.PENANADFCsWGJwey
A slamming sound jarred me awake. I instantly panicked, realizing what was going on, and looked around. Christian was asleep beside me, his breathing soft, his arm draped across my stomach. Something slammed again, then a figure appeared in the space that connected this room to the kitchen.512Please respect copyright.PENANAuzb2HqwNXe
512Please respect copyright.PENANAQZhBmRsc8h
"What are you doing?" My mother asked angrily. "Who is that boy? ANSWER ME!" she screamed.512Please respect copyright.PENANAm1RFnNNO2M
512Please respect copyright.PENANAAVm4RH3pjE
Christian was startled enough to wake up. He blinked a few times and his eyes widened. He whispered, "Oh, fuck."512Please respect copyright.PENANA3Eg0dD8JAY
512Please respect copyright.PENANASMniyQWdHM
"He's my boyfriend, mom." I glared at her and the bottle she held. She never would have yelled at me normally. She needed some help. "We weren't doing anything."512Please respect copyright.PENANA4AOOwvOBgh
512Please respect copyright.PENANAUrXs8tg8OQ
She came close to me, reached down and slapped me across the face. My head snapped to the side and I let out a small cry. My mom, no matter how drunk she was, had never hit me in my entire life. My eyes burned with tears as I turned my head to look at her.512Please respect copyright.PENANAF8mXoZ4qJE
512Please respect copyright.PENANACbUlil7xcg
"Don't lie to me, you little bitch," she hissed. "I know what you're doing when I'm not home. Do you enjoying fucking all the boys in the town? You know why they do it, don't you? They feel bad for you. You're not much to look at and you don't have a father, so they feel sorry for you."512Please respect copyright.PENANAlee1S0nPR3
512Please respect copyright.PENANAi7DNr46C7g
That was when Christian chose to intervene. He climbed over me, stood in my way, and stared at my mom. I watched her watching him and I thought she was going to smack him to, but she didn't. She just kept staring at him, then her lip curled nastily.512Please respect copyright.PENANAlGyBZsRW56
512Please respect copyright.PENANAwYaOakSiXx
"I want you out of here," she said, craning her neck to look at me. "I won't have you sleeping with every boy in my house. I want you gone by tonight."512Please respect copyright.PENANA2RNY1ivYp5
512Please respect copyright.PENANAU4niqAMx32
When she left, I closed my eyes, my hands trembling. Christian sat beside me, put his hands against my shoulders, and started to lift me. "Come on," he said softly. "Let's go."512Please respect copyright.PENANANGQU2NyPmI
512Please respect copyright.PENANAOsSKhdwgrF
"She didn't mean it," I said, knowing it wasn't true. When you drank, your deepest desires and truths came out. "She just had a bad day, that's all."512Please respect copyright.PENANAU68HbEpoYF
512Please respect copyright.PENANAPeoaMAO4ZL
When my knees gave out on me, I didn't want to get up again. One of Christian's arms went around my middle, the other underneath my legs, and he carried me into the kitchen. My mom was standing at the sink, drowning another glass of alcohol. She didn't even turn around.512Please respect copyright.PENANAKU2MtcSDnc
512Please respect copyright.PENANAxOrUl5BPWe
"You know," Christian began, "if you were a better mother, and not a monster, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. I've seen what drinking does to people and I don't like it. But I sure as hell wouldn't let you lay another finger on Kendall, so we're leaving. You're never going to see your daughter again, Mrs. Scott. I hope you're happy."512Please respect copyright.PENANAx8Ts487Qk8
512Please respect copyright.PENANAqrzlf67Q9e
As he walked out of the house with me in his arms, the glass my mom held could be heard shattering on the floor.
ns216.73.216.29da2 I wanted to go to Jude's house and rip his throat out.512Please respect copyright.PENANAs8DOq35I8J
512Please respect copyright.PENANAe6fmtyEADy
That made me sound crazy, I know, but I was pissed. Slowly, as the anger ebbed away, I realized what I was missing. Or rather who. I slid down to the floor and my hands shook as I looked at them.512Please respect copyright.PENANAQyVpuiCIgV
512Please respect copyright.PENANAQDtH0egGEA
Christian should have been here to see my rampage. He would have loved it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAHED53GIbHR
512Please respect copyright.PENANArP3ExGpnjK
I wondered where he was. I thought about going to see him. Maybe if I went, he wouldn't want to see me, and then I would come home in more of a mess than I already was.512Please respect copyright.PENANAXJF7Yk4ZjJ
512Please respect copyright.PENANAKMEqd515Se
Maybe it wasn't worth it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAoKUD37GFl0
512Please respect copyright.PENANAg547hza5on
Sighing as the anger left and was replaced with exhaustion, I stood up and went to lock the back door, only to find someone standing on the other side of it. My hand shook as I reached for the doorknob and turned it.512Please respect copyright.PENANAAa0Asl2JpX
512Please respect copyright.PENANAIyyyolotjW
Christian stepped over the threshold, his eyes full of apology and something more, and wasted no time wrapped his arms around me and kissing me hard. My arms automatically went around his neck. His fingers were pressed into my skin, so tightly I thought they'd leave a mark, but I didn't care. Something inside me had repaired itself when I saw him.512Please respect copyright.PENANAqBqcETpGT0
512Please respect copyright.PENANASxSLUPxfdx
He pulled away from my mouth and buried his face in my hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so fucking sorry, Kendall."512Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2PwHWovuA
512Please respect copyright.PENANA9QubKTMxti
My head was resting against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Regret sat in my gut and I wanted to tell him the truth about Jude. About the kiss. About what I found out. But I knew it wouldn't help anything right now, so I stayed quiet. We ended up on the living room couch, his hands everywhere all at once, his mouth still on mine.512Please respect copyright.PENANA5aoVDJc1e4
512Please respect copyright.PENANADFCsWGJwey
A slamming sound jarred me awake. I instantly panicked, realizing what was going on, and looked around. Christian was asleep beside me, his breathing soft, his arm draped across my stomach. Something slammed again, then a figure appeared in the space that connected this room to the kitchen.512Please respect copyright.PENANAuzb2HqwNXe
512Please respect copyright.PENANAQZhBmRsc8h
"What are you doing?" My mother asked angrily. "Who is that boy? ANSWER ME!" she screamed.512Please respect copyright.PENANAm1RFnNNO2M
512Please respect copyright.PENANAAVm4RH3pjE
Christian was startled enough to wake up. He blinked a few times and his eyes widened. He whispered, "Oh, fuck."512Please respect copyright.PENANA3Eg0dD8JAY
512Please respect copyright.PENANASMniyQWdHM
"He's my boyfriend, mom." I glared at her and the bottle she held. She never would have yelled at me normally. She needed some help. "We weren't doing anything."512Please respect copyright.PENANA4AOOwvOBgh
512Please respect copyright.PENANAUrXs8tg8OQ
She came close to me, reached down and slapped me across the face. My head snapped to the side and I let out a small cry. My mom, no matter how drunk she was, had never hit me in my entire life. My eyes burned with tears as I turned my head to look at her.512Please respect copyright.PENANAF8mXoZ4qJE
512Please respect copyright.PENANACbUlil7xcg
"Don't lie to me, you little bitch," she hissed. "I know what you're doing when I'm not home. Do you enjoying fucking all the boys in the town? You know why they do it, don't you? They feel bad for you. You're not much to look at and you don't have a father, so they feel sorry for you."512Please respect copyright.PENANAlee1S0nPR3
512Please respect copyright.PENANAi7DNr46C7g
That was when Christian chose to intervene. He climbed over me, stood in my way, and stared at my mom. I watched her watching him and I thought she was going to smack him to, but she didn't. She just kept staring at him, then her lip curled nastily.512Please respect copyright.PENANAlGyBZsRW56
512Please respect copyright.PENANAwYaOakSiXx
"I want you out of here," she said, craning her neck to look at me. "I won't have you sleeping with every boy in my house. I want you gone by tonight."512Please respect copyright.PENANA2RNY1ivYp5
512Please respect copyright.PENANAU4niqAMx32
When she left, I closed my eyes, my hands trembling. Christian sat beside me, put his hands against my shoulders, and started to lift me. "Come on," he said softly. "Let's go."512Please respect copyright.PENANANGQU2NyPmI
512Please respect copyright.PENANAOsSKhdwgrF
"She didn't mean it," I said, knowing it wasn't true. When you drank, your deepest desires and truths came out. "She just had a bad day, that's all."512Please respect copyright.PENANAU68HbEpoYF
512Please respect copyright.PENANAPeoaMAO4ZL
When my knees gave out on me, I didn't want to get up again. One of Christian's arms went around my middle, the other underneath my legs, and he carried me into the kitchen. My mom was standing at the sink, drowning another glass of alcohol. She didn't even turn around.512Please respect copyright.PENANAKU2MtcSDnc
512Please respect copyright.PENANAxOrUl5BPWe
"You know," Christian began, "if you were a better mother, and not a monster, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. I've seen what drinking does to people and I don't like it. But I sure as hell wouldn't let you lay another finger on Kendall, so we're leaving. You're never going to see your daughter again, Mrs. Scott. I hope you're happy."512Please respect copyright.PENANAx8Ts487Qk8
512Please respect copyright.PENANAqrzlf67Q9e
As he walked out of the house with me in his arms, the glass my mom held could be heard shattering on the floor.
512Please respect copyright.PENANAcxK0FuOPqu