Aurora

I used to be a daddy's girl when I was younger. When he was around... alive is more like it. I always chose him over my mom and I could never understand why. He would take me to get ice cream from Jacob, Joseph's dad. We would go get our nails and our toes done. Secretly, my dad would get color on his toes if I wanted him to but would only get his fingernails polished clear. I missed the Good ole Days. I wish I could go back to them but time doesn't work in my favor. All I can be happy about is that I got to experience thirteen years with my dad. I remember when I had my first school crush.

I've always wondered what life would be like after he died. I thought that the rest of my family would stay in contact but they didn't. Three weeks after the funeral, they stopped coming around. Moved to a different state as well. It hurt and was hard to understand. I lost my dad but they lose their brother, son, cousin, and friend. I would've thought they would at least stayed in contact but I guess not. I haven't talked to them since or even seen them. It used to hurt when I was younger but as I got older, I stopped caring.

Once I made it to James' house, his parents flooded me with worry. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! We almost sent out a search party for you." His mom, Joycelynn questioned as she rushed me into the home. I didn't answer because I just didn't know what to say. She looked at me with worry. All I could do was keep my eyesight on anything else but her as she examines me.

On the bat, she noticed the patches, bandages, and bruises. I walked slowly with a limp and I couldn't help but embrace her, as I weap in her arms. "Poor baby." Was all she said as she called for everyone to come downstairs. Dropping my bags, she closed the door as I watched my siblings come down the stairs. Once they see me, they started to run and I couldn't help but smile. Kane was the first one to embrace me tightly. I could feel Sydney and Drew embrace me next.

Tears started coming out that I tried to hide but I missed them so much. I couldn't even consider what would've happened if I didn't make it back to them. "What happened? Where we're you?" Sydney questioned. We removed our hands from one another and moved to sit down on the couch. I moved slowly as to not hurt myself any further. I could tell they were examining me as I could feel eyes on me. I didn't even want to look at anyone and focused my eyes on the floor.

"Say something. What happened to you?" I looked at the person talking who was James. Biting my lip, I slowly spoke up about what happened.

"I was walking home from work one night when a car pulled up on the side of me. Once I realized who it was, I ran as fast as I could. It was Jason... one of the men my poor excuse of a mother would bring over. I had umm... ran into a dead end and that was when he got out. He tried to rape me but some guy had beat him up out of the blue. The guy that saved me put me in his car. I woke up in a room and suddenly realized that I was in his house. He had some doctor nurse me back to health and dropped me off at that house. I got some stuff and came over here."

I was scared as hell but it had to be said. I could feel a hand rubbing my back and I still felt so nervous. I felt disgusting just thinking about what happened but I couldn't do anything about it. It would forever be there in my mind and won't go away. All I wanted to do was take a hot shower and scrub all the dirt away. No one said anything and I looked down at my clothes.

"Do you want to take a shower?" Joycelynn asked and I felt like she was a saint. I nodded my head as tears stained my face. Standing up, I followed behind Joycelynn as we walked upstairs. I took the bag with me as we stopped in front of an empty room... this room was Joyce's. The room of their deceased daughter who died when she was twenty three. His parents are now forty and haven't been able to get past the death of their daughter. I feel like James is their miracle child.

"You can sleep in here if you want. I'll bring you some towels." I embraced Joycelynn as she's always been a mother figure to me. Without her, I don't know where I would be.

"Thank you momma." I heard her gasp lowly as she embraced me tightly as well.