The bell signifying the end of school rings throughout the building as I gloomily gather up my belongings and start the walk back to my house. You may be wondering why Roni isn't driving me home with Trenton like I thought she would be.

Well, so am I.

Apparently, Trenton had to leave early. At least, that's what Roni told me in the second to last class she and I had shared together. But what's strange is, in the middle of that class, Roni suddenly jumped up and sprinted out of the classroom without so much as a goodbye, let alone an explanation. The reason for her sudden departure must have been urgent because I haven't heard from them since.

So, here I am, making my way to the house I reside in all by myself. Sigh . . .

~

The walk to my house is uneventful and over way before I'd like it to be. I really tried hard to avoid reaching that house too soon, but all good things, or in this case neutral things, must come to an end at some point and as I stare up at the foreboding house I live in, I realize that this is where my neutral walk ends.

Taking a long, deep breath through my nose and out my mouth, I slowly creep my way up to the front door. From the looks of the driveway, Jessica and Rick are here, much to my dismay. It's rather odd for Rick to be back so soon, but it's not like I'm worried about him. I'm more worried about my own well-being than his.

Gulping down the bile of nerves rising in my throat, I turn the knob and slowly open the door, peeking my head in to scout out the house. Turning my head left to right, all I see is the empty living room that opens up to an equally empty kitchen. Taking my first step into the house, I keep my eyes and ears open in case either of the two "parents" decide to move around.

Not seeing or hearing anything that could hint at their consciousness, I continue creeping into the house, closing the door behind me. I can't stop myself from jumping a foot in the air at the loud bang from the door closing. Damnit . . . I hope they didn't hear that. I think to myself with a cringe as I begin my way up the stairs.

I'm only getting ready to set my foot onto the second stair when I hear loud, wobbly footsteps approaching. Snapping my head up so quickly I feel it pop, my eyes land on Rick's scowling face, his lips pulled back into a sneer as his sharp, glazed over glare focuses solely on me.

I can already tell before he starts talking that he's blackout drunk.

"Damnit, Malakai! Why did you slam that door when you know I told you not to?" Rick seethes, stalking down the stairs as if he were a predator who just spotted its next prey . . . me.

In a measly attempt, I try to evade the subject of slamming the door by saying, "Um, why are you back here so early?"

That was a mistake.

I realize that it was a mistake when a pounding pain on the left side of my face indicates Rick's fist colliding with my head. I stumble back, barely catching myself on the railing of the stairs right before I completely lose my footing.

"What did I say, huh? Why did you slam that door?" Rick starts as he enters my personal bubble yet again, "I've been working my ass off for you to stay here, and for what? For you to repay me with that shitty attitude of yours? Tsk! You should just be happy I let you stay in this house, Boy."

Rick turns around and starts heading back up the stairs, indicating the end of his little fit. I know he would've kept going up those stairs and probably gone back to sleep if it wasn't for what I was about to say. It's just, something shifted inside of me when Rick said those things. Sure, he's said stuff like that before, but for some reason my stupid brain decided that now would be a good time to "stand up for myself", as if I had actually done that before. Scoffing at myself, I begin to prepare for what I'm about to do.

"Don't play the victim. I, um . . . I know you only took me in for the money." I finally whisper out, scolding myself for the stutter I couldn't prevent from slipping past my lips.

I watch as Rick abruptly stops halfway up the stairs and slowly turns his head in my direction, his eyes filled with a burning rage . . . a burning rage toward me. Oh boy . . .

"What did you just say?" Rick asks, surprisingly calm, but the expression on his face gives his obvious anger away.

I turn my gaze to the floor and keep quiet.

"I asked you a question, Malakai!" Rick snaps at me, his voice no longer holding the calm tone it did mere seconds ago as he hurriedly turns himself around and stalks toward me once again.

Gulping down my nerves, and the bile rising in my throat, I begin taking quick steps back from Rick in hopes of escaping him. When my back hits the wall by the front door, I know I'm fucked.

"You answer me when I talk to you, Boy! Didn't your mother teach you these things? Oh wait, she's dead." Rick has the audacity to say, a smirk tugging his lips as my jaw slacks at the gall this man possesses.

The words themselves don't bother me all that much. I mean, both of my parents passed away in a car accident when I was only 2 and Kelly was 6, so I hold no recollection of them. I'm just shocked to my core that Rick would use that against me. Sure, he's a jerk, but he's surprisingly never said anything that insensitive before.

Just as Rick goes to swing another punch to my face, the front door bursts open. I don't have time to figure out which one of Rick's friends is responsible for opening the door so quickly, too busy closing my eyes and preparing for the impact of Rick's fist. When the impact I expected doesn't come, I slowly open my eyes to see Roni standing in between Rick and I, blocking Rick's fist before it could connect with my face.

"Roni?" I whisper, calming down slightly at the sight of the strong she-wolf.

I risk a glance over Roni's shoulder at Rick to see his face contorted into a mixture of confusion and anger at the unknown girl preventing him from harming me.

"Kai, get your ass in the Jeep." Roni commands without even looking at me, her eyes staying on Rick as her voice takes on a more authoritative tone, sending chills down my spine. Don't want to get on her bad side. I think to myself as I sprint to Roni's Jeep, wondering what I've gotten myself into.