"Alessandra, আপনি have two মিনিট to get down here!" Dad shouted from downstairs. I quickly pulled on my ratty old converse, not bothering to tie them. I ran downstairs, probably just making it to the two মিনিট mark. Dad folded his arms, probably upset that I'd made it in time.

"You're going to be late," he said. "You'd better get your গাধা out of here." I grabbed my bag off the chair, and grabbed a ক্যান্ডি চকোলেট bar from the pantry. Just as I got out the door, he grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking it back. I yelped as my head jerked backwards, and I fell back into the house.

"Go say goodbye to your mother," he ব্যক্ত hostilely. He unclenched his hand from my long dark hair, and I ran upstairs. The door was closed, but I let myself in anyways. Mom was laying in bed, with the covers wrapped around her head like a hood. She doesn't like it when Dad yells. I bent down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm leaving now Mom, ok?" I told her. She nodded her head slowly. I patted the comforter assuringly then left.

***

I cursed under my breath when I got to school. Bryant, my exboyfriend was there with his new girlfriend, and my now exbest friend, Aubrey. That may seem kind of harsh; and maybe I wouldn't be so তিক্ত about it if Bryant hadn't cheated on me with her. And now that they both ditched me, today was bound to be another lonely day.

I pulled my ঘোমটা over my head and stood near the trees, out of sight from Bryant and Aubrey. I don't mind being alone, it's just when people call আপনি "a loner" does it bother me. Soon, but not soon enough, did the ঘণ্টা ring and everyone was let inside.

The morning and most of the afternoon went দ্বারা slowly and painfully. In English class, I was stuck doing a project দ্বারা myself, because my only other option was Bryant. Because of my stubborness, he got to work in a group of three.

Even though I was starving, I dreaded lunch coming. Once again, I was left all alone, sitting at an empty lunch table. I heard the laughs and giggles, and even saw a few pointing fingers. Like this morning, I pulled my ঘোমটা over my head and focused intensely on my lunch. Soon later I হারিয়ে গেছে my appetite and poked the green beans with my spork.

About a half ঘন্টা later, I felt the bench underneath me সরানো a little, like someone was there. I looked up to my side, and saw a guy sitting there. He looked at me, and he looked a little mad, অথবা maybe confused. He was a little large, but not fat. He just seemed very tall and had a broad build. He had brown wavy hair, that almost covered his eyes. He wore a purple and চুন green hoodie, with baggy blue jeans. He had on a black beanie.

"Hi," he smiled. I furrowed my eyebrows and didn't return the smile. His smile faded and his expression became confused. "Why're আপনি sittin' here দ্বারা yourself?"

"'Cause..." I said, guarded. He laughed and held out his hand.

"I'm Micah." I stared at his hand and slowly reached out and shook it. "And আপনি are...?" he prompted.

"Uhh... I'm Alessandra... but my বন্ধু call me Alessa." He smirked.

"Well, am I your friend?" he asked. I frowned. I knew it; he was just another jerk that went around trying to befriend the "emo" kid. This happened a lot, but it hadn't in a while. Kids would always go up to me and ask me if I needed a friend, অথবা if I was sad অথবা something. I wanted to মুষ্ট্যাঘাত them in the face. The lunch ঘণ্টা rang and I stood up to leave. Micah stood up in front of me. He raised his hand to his head and scratched it. However, I didn't know that was what he was doing, and I flinched back.

"Well, do আপনি mind if I যোগদান আপনি tomorrow for lunch?" he asked. I walked around him.

"Be my guest," I muttered.

***

I got home, and was greeted দ্বারা my always-joyful father. He started screaming at me, because this morning I hadn't had time to do the dishes.

"...you lazy, ungrateful little bitch!..." he continued on. I stood there, unemotional and took it. I saw Mom in the kitchen, looking at me worriedly. "...You're just like your mother!" he shouted. My attention snapped back to him, and my blank face grew pissed. I clenched my teeth and fists. He continued on saying how we were both selfish, useless, incompetant, worthless, and anything else he could come up with.

Then I did something I never thought I'd do.

Unthinkinngly, my right fist pulled back, and then snapped foreward, hitting Dad in the jaw. I had to reach up a little, because I actually am like my mom in the height department. Still, it was enough to make him stumble back a little. Even though it was probably just because he was off guard.

"Don't talk about Mom like that!" I shouted.

I regretted it as soon as I did it though.

He punched me back, hitting me in the mouth. My lip sliced open from being shoved into my teeth, and the blood flowed easily. He shoved me back against the wall, and my headed collided with the wall. Black spots started clouding my vision, and I laid there on the floor trying to make my head stop spinning.

"You watch your mouth, girl!" Dad shouted at me. I squeezed my eyes shut as he turned on Mom and yelled at her for teaching me to back talk. After fifteen মিনিট of ranting, he stormed out to the গ্যারেজ for a cigarette. Mom came over, and bent down পরবর্তি to me.

"Alessa, are আপনি ok?" she asked. I stood up and headed upstairs, almost running into the দেওয়াল on my way up.

"I'm fine," I told her. I went to my room, and closed the door behind me. I stood there in my room, and clenched and unclenched my fist, which was actually a little sore. I heard the গ্যারেজ door slam, and Dad's heavy shoes stomping back into the house. I ran back to my door and locked the door. Then I bolted the lock I had installed myself. And the other one. And the other one between those ones.

I heard his steps come to the সেকেন্ড floor, and he jiggled the door handle. I ran to my বিছানা and curled up with my pillow.

"Alessa! আপনি open the door right now!" he shouted. He banged on the door again and again, the door frame trembling against his blows. I cried myself to sleep that night as his blows grew আরো tired.

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