"Come on baby girl, we're going to be late."

"Mooom. I'm 16, stop calling me 'baby girl'." I whine back at my mother.

"You'll always be my baby girl." she says as she climbs into my bed and wraps me up in her arms, making me sigh.

"I love you mom."

"I love you t—."

"WAKE UP, YOU USELESS SLUT!" My father screams at me, while hovering over my bed. I don't open my eyes fast enough for his liking, he slaps me across the face making me jump awake.

This is my routine, every single day. I dream of a nice loving family, mostly a mother that doesn't hate me. But then I'm violently woken from my dreams to find I'm still here, with my real parents. Stuffed away in a bedroom so tiny, it's practically a closet. The only furniture I 'own' is a creaky old bed, and a dingy dresser which holds my three different outfits.

"Get out of bed, you lazy piece of shit! You were supposed to be up an hour ago to make us breakfast, now move!" He finishes, grabbing my arm and yanking me out of bed, pulling me down the stairs until we get to the last few steps, where he pushes me, watching and laughing as I fall down.

"There you are. What took so long? Breakfast won't cook itself you little bitch!" My mother so lovingly greets me.

"She was asleep." my father grumbles as he enters the room, shoving me to the stove. "Hurry the fuck up will ya!"

I cook their food, prepare their coffee, hoping it's just how they like it - I'm not in the mood for another morning beating.

"Well, it's about Goddamn time. You're fucking useless." my mother grits out.

I leave the two to eat, while I walk to my bedroom, still limping from the beating I received yesterday for not washing out a coffee mug 'correctly'.

I take my shower, making sure to be quick before my dad needs the room to get ready for his job as a Structural Firefighter. He's been bitter ever since his Chief told him he'll have to take another training course to become a Wildfire Firefighter. I mean, it only makes sense, we do live in Idaho. My mother, being a stay at home mom does her best to do the very minimum, leaving the cooking, cleaning and laundry for me.

I exit to my small bedroom, choosing between my very limited clothing, being sure to grab my three year old cleats from under my bed. I've always loved soccer, dancing and basketball but my dad told me I was too short to play basketball, and that it's a 'mans game', before punching me in the stomach telling me to make his dinner. I haven't touched a basketball since.

I lift my longboard that I salvaged and fixed up with parts from the trash and walk downstairs, running out the front door as I realize I'll be late for school if I don't leave right now. I know I'll pay for it later. I drop my board and skate to school, I've asked for a car, but only once. I learned my lesson the hard way not to ask again.

I love school, for the most part. I love getting away from my parents, but I don't escape the violence. Joanna, the soccer team captain makes it her mission to beat me down to the ground any chance she gets. She's popular, meaning I don't stand a chance and while nobody else kicks me while I'm down, they don't help me either. Nobody does, except my one and only friend Jackie - I just call her Jack, though.

Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Cody Maxwell Dennings. I'm sure my parents wanted a boy and decided not to come up with a different name just to spite me. I'm just sixteen, athletic, sporty - you could call me a tomboy, and not to fall into a stereotype but I am gay. I have long light brown hair and sea blue eyes, with a slight rasp to my voice, people always think I'm sick.

"Hey Codes, same old, huh?" Jack asks, using her own nickname for me as she holds her hand out for me to take, and I do, letting her pull me up from the ground.

"Some things never change." I respond. I know she's talking about Joanna, because I've made sure not to tell anyone about how my parents treat me. I just have to wait a couple more years then I'll be 18 and I can leave this hellhole.

"Well, what if I told you I know for sure I can make you happy?"

I just eye her suspiciously. My treatment at home means I have some serious trust issues, even about little things. Not to mention, what she just said sounds slightly sexual, so I don't reply, I just raise an eyebrow questioningly.

"Calm down, I'm not makin' a pass at'cha," she laughs. "But I do have two tickets to a certain...event that I know you'll love to go to." She pulls out two tickets to the upcoming USWNT game in two days time.

"I don't know Jack, my parents probably won't let me go."

"Maaaaax!" She throws in another nickname. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, we can't afford to miss this! I'll even get my mom to call round and persuade them, you know nobody can say no to my mom!"

I pause, and think it through carefully, weighing up all my options. Stay home and get beat on, or go with my friend to have a great time to come home to get beat on.

"Okay, I'll go!" Jack squealed, jumping like a kangeroo before pulling me into a bonecrushing hug.