March 19th, 1994. 8:04 P.M.

Dally postponed the plan until tomorrow, I didn't mind, it wasn't for me to benefit from anyways. Everyone saw me as his little side kick, which was mainly true, I would do anything for him. I loved him more than anyone.

I reach the front door of my house awhile after dinner. My oldest sister, Amy was sitting at the dining table with her fiance, Steve.  While they looked over final details of flower arrangements or bridesmaid dresses for their big day, I passed them without paying any attention.

Typically, when I walked through the front door, I would be met with my younger sister, Lori, except this week she was on a school camping trip. I missed her already, she left yesterday. My mother followed my every footstep, hollering the usual, "Where were you? You missed dinner and didn't ring!"

I shot her a short, "Out." Not wanting to discuss anything with her. I opened the refrigerator, taking out a soda. She watched me with a hand of her hip and the other on the counter.

"With that boy, no doubt." She sneered that boy, only because I'd much rather be around him than her any day of the week. I spent all day with him, every day, besides when I must go to school but even then, he's waiting outside the school gates for me.

I tried to block her out, but when she said, "...If you come home and tell me you're pregnant." I completely lost it. I snapped around fast, slamming the bottle onto the kitchen counter, causing her frail body to jilt up, "I'm not having sex with him, mother!" I spat back, "We're friends!"

The sound must've alerted her boyfriend, Mark who happened to hate me. All I wanted was to play the role of middle child well and be forgotten. I could tell he had been drinking from the way he stood, puffing his chest out, "Better show your mother come respect, little girl."

"How about, this. You're not my father. You never will be, so, I suggest you take your ghetto a*s and leave me the hell alone." I hissed, he puffed at my words. "Stop, don't speak to him like that." My mother said wearily.

Not wanting to be involved, Amy and Steve slip outside to the cars. She probably apologised over and over while say goodbye to him, not that he hasn't seen it before, all of us around here grew up this way. It was nothing new.

As soon as I look at him, he swings his arm back and strikes me once. I staggered back, my ears ringing harshly from the impact on my cheek. I cover my face, he comes closer, I can smell the liquor on his breath, "Go to your damn room before you get another one." He says.

My mother stands above the sink, looking out at the rose bushes, not even paying attention to her boyfriend's abuse. I rush off my feet and storm up the staircase to my room, slamming the door behind me so hard, I could hear the gasp coming from her mouth.

I manage to calm myself down, even though I was still feeling sick to my stomach and my hands were shaking violently and I wanted to start bawling.

I swallow down the feeling of pain in my throat, burying this incident deep down inside of me. "You have to stay strong around here, or you can't make it." I reminded myself every time something bad happens, only because it's the truth. There isn't any room for weakness