Escaping you |EDITING|

Chapter 4-both Povs

"WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?" My father yells. They aren't asleep. I hold Athena in my arms, her waking up.

"Go back to sleep baby." I say to her. She rubs her eyes and I put her down.

"Go to your room Athena." I say to her.

"but bubba-"   

"Go Athena."

I say sternly. She huffs at me but she does what I say. I hate having to do that. But I can tell this isn't gonna go well and I don't want her to see it. "I was at a friends dad. I told you this."

"Why did you take Athena?" He's still yelling.

"You said I could. I'm sorry. I didn't think you would want to watch her."

He raises his fist and punches me. It hurts a little. But it's okay. I'm used to it. I could fight back.

But if I do that he'll hurt my sister. He already has before. I told myself when she was born I'd always protect her. And that's what I'm gonna do. If it means I get hit than so be it I guess. I can smell the alcohol on my father. He hits me again. Slapping me this time. That's gonna bruise.

"You're a disappointment of a son. You know that? You and your sister."

I tense up when he says that. I know they hate me. It's obvious. But why would they hate Athena. She's just a child. She's their child.

I just walk up the staircase. I see my mom standing at the top of the stairs. Just watching.

She always just fucking watches. I scoff at her and go in Athenas room seeing her crying.

"Oh baby come here."

I say to her. She crawls into my arms. "Why are you crying?" I ask her softly.

"Daddy was yelling." She says sniffling. That motherfucker.

"I know baby." I hold her in my arms for a few minutes as she lays with me.  I lick my lips and I taste blood. Shit. I lay Athena down on her bed and walk to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and see that my lip is busted and my cheek is bruised. I wet a washcloth and wipe the blood from my lip, flinching when I run my fingers over my cheek. I wish I could just hurt him.

I know that I'm physically capable of it. But god knows what he'd do if I did. I just can't risk it. I can't risk her safety. I'll never get it out of my head when he hit her the first time.

He slapped her on the cheek. Not hard, but how hard does it have to be to hurt a two year old.

It was my fault. I got hit and I hit him back so he hit Athena. I haven't hit him again since then.

I go back in Athenas room and lie with her. She's fast asleep at this point. I guess I'm sleeping in here tonight.

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Atlas

"Why do we have to go to this fucking Hellhole?"

I ask Leah.

"I don't know."  She responds.
I punch my locker. I'm not in a good mood today. at all. I have slight anger issues. It's what you get living with 3 siblings for 16 years.