Finally Perfect - J.S Christopher (read people like a book TXT) 📗

your family but she was stressed, she was living an idyllic life for a while- childless and happy then my dad died and they fell off the face of the Earth. I was just about to live with some friend of my mothers in Tennessee until my social worker found my Aunt and Uncle in California. Then suddenly she had a whole new responsibility. I was so naïve, thinking I was about to have a family and leave my tragic childhood in the past, but I was mistaken. The abuse started immediately. To add to the fact that I was not going to be getting a loving mother figure in my Aunt, my Uncle was almost a vegetable, he had cancer I think. I rarely saw him; he just stayed in the room and he mostly just banged on the door or wall with his cane when he needed something since he was so ill he could not speak. The bills piled on and no matter how hard she worked she was always in over her head, and I took the brunt of the frustration. I secretly hoped either my Uncle or I would die so we could escape and life would be easier for one of us. I climbed into “bed” which was just an army cot with stacks of old quits on top of it. I brought my knees to my chest, and closed my eyes trying to forget the memories of the past, tears filled my eyes and I sniffed quietly, breathing in the scent of my father. I drifted off into sleep to the sound of my Uncle banging on the wall and the heavy creaks of my Aunt walking toward him. Chapter III

Like clockwork I woke up early to take the garbage out as my Aunt commanded last night but I don’t even remember falling back asleep but I must have because the next thing I realized was my alarm  ****BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**** I slowly opened my eyes and tried to rub the fogginess away. I looked at my phone *8:45 Wednesday November 26th* “Oh shit, no” I said as the door to my room crept open. My Aunt stood there in her faded purple slippers, gray sweats and over sized ripped shirt. Her fist clenched and close to her chest, “What are you still doing here?” she said through her teeth, I tried to get up off the bed quickly but my legs were shaky. “I’m sorry” I m stammered. I stumbled out of bed and collected myself. “I’ll go right now” I whispered, looking down to the floor, I tried to get into the bathroom but she blocked the door, “I’m confused, aren’t you suppose to be at school?, You’re so ungrateful” she spit and hit my left cheek hard with the back of her left hand, her rings dug into my cheek and her knuckles scrapped my jaw bone. I fell to the floor. “And why are you so damn lazy?! Didn’t I tell you to get up early to clean the windows?” Confusion rushed over me I started to think frantically my mind was racing. I thought ***what did she say? What did she tell me to do? Wait… She never said that? Did she? DAMMIT REMI why don’t you pay attention?!*** And before I got a chance to answer her I felt the punches coming from everywhere, hitting me in the face and head, she kicked me in the ribs and stomach and I gasped for air. “You...you... Never told me to…to...to” I said between pants. “You little bitch, you lazy, lying bitch, get up!” she shouted, she grabbed my sweatshirt. Was she drunk? She had that familiar scent, the scent of my father after a long day, the scent he had the day he died, the scent of Jack. I was sweating and shaking, my hair was sticking to my face. Blood fell from my eyebrow, my lip and cheek were throbbing and I continued to gasp for air as she pulled me to my feet and pushed me against the wall “Shut up... You’ll wake him up” she said grabbing my chin to face her, “I’m so sick of you, walking around here like you own everything, like you’re the fucking queen or something, you’re nothing! Do you hear me? ... NOTHING!” as her voice carried through the house I could hear my Uncle banging on the wall, I guess in his attempt to get her to stop. She looked at the wall then back at me, fear rose through my body and tears mixed with sweat rolled down my face. “Please... Please... I’ll be better” I whimmpered she smiled; it sent a shiver down my spine. “Oh I have something in store for you” she said dryly. She threw me to the side “Get dressed and get your ass to school” she said as she sped out of the room and down the hall. I hurried and took a shower; I pulled my hair into a messy bun, pulled a white long sleeve over my white sports bra and black skinny jeans over my blue boy shorts. I slipped into my dirty sneakers threw a black hoodie on and sped out of the house to get to school. My face was still red from the beating and I didn’t have time to put makeup on to cover it, it’s strange I never wore makeup unless it was to cover the marks she left. A bruise was visible on the bottom of my cheek and chin, I pulled the long sleeves over my arms as I approached the school, and I kept my head down and went to class. I was already late when I slowly walked into class, pushing my hair over my shoulder to hide the bruise on my face. The stares and snickers from walking late in were one thing but I definitely did not want everyone whispering about where this bruise came from. I sulked into my chair and my phone buzzed with a text from my Aunt **Bring your ass home as soon as that bell rings, time to say goodbye** a lump swelled up in my throat, it’s not like anyone would miss me, but what was she talking about? Where was I going? Was I coming back? Did my Uncle know? School was a blur again and my mind was in a haze trying to think what would happen when I stepped inside that dreary house. That day was awkward, it seemed like everyone including the teachers were whispering about me, when the bell rang after my final class I did just as my Aunt demanded and sped home. The weeds were gone from the walk way which was different and I noticed the blinds were draw back actually letting in some sunlight. My hand shook as I opened the door unsure of the horror that lay ahead, and to my amazement, the house was vibrate from the ancient chandelier that hung in the front room, it was free of dust and spider webs for once and was lit brightly. On top of the fireplace were candles that smelt like apples and cinnamon, that wondrous smell filled this once muggy and cold hearted house. For once my feet were not freezing when I walked in and stepped on the tile floor. The house was spotless; it looked like a team of maids spent the day clearing away all the dust and dirt that this house was covered in. My eyes widened with amazement, as I walked into the kitchen my Aunt was busy cooking away, “What is all this?” I said with a huge smile and still looking around with amazement. My Aunt was stirring something in a pot when she turned to me, I almost didn’t recognize her. Her face was caked with makeup, her red lips shone in the candle light, her hair was curled and was for once fully blonde. She reminded me of the mothers from the 50’s with her Polk-a-dot black and white dress with shiny black strappy heels. She wiped her hands on her apron and a smile spread across her face. She grabbed my shoulders I flinched a little, she said “Tonight is an important night, I wanted to do something special, go upstairs and get ready, dinner is at 7:30” she leaned in and kissed my cheek,  I could smell her perfume, it was amazing, I took a deep breath, enjoying this brief moment of serenity, normality, possibility even love? She grabbed my chin with her hands; this time gently “Oh Remi” she looked at my bruise with shock, like she didn't remember who put it there. I shrugged, “it’s… it’s nothing really, I must have bumped it on a desk at school…” I laughed nervously and looked down. She turned back to the kitchen, “Here” she said handing me a pack of peas, “put this on your chin and be more careful”. I walked up the stairs, peas pressed against my chin and glanced back down, she was humming, I was still confused on what her text meant earlier but she was in a great mood for once and I didn’t want to ruin it. I walked into my room and was surprised how clean it was, the few things that I did have were neatly placed somewhere other than the floor. On my bed lay an aqua blue dress, with nude heels laid next to it. I opened up a small box and a silver watch with matching silver and diamond earrings laid there, they shined brightly. Also on the bed was a small bag, I removed the tissue paper to reveal a pink rectangular box, when I opened it I smiled wide; it was a makeup kit, with different types of foundation, blush and eyes shadows. I sat on my bed looking at the gifts and was amazed. My 16th birthday had just passed on Saturday and I received nothing but my hair pulled for forgetting to put my dishes in the sink from the night before. **Maybe she feels bad for earlier, maybe Uncle is better or we won the lottery** I thought, but oh what the hell it didn’t matter I was going to enjoy this small moment of heaven. I jumped in the shower, and then started getting ready; I opened my makeup kit, the foundation was light on my face and gave me a flawless look, I then followed the instructions extra careful on how to do a Smokey eye. When I finished, I looked at myself in awe, my hazel eyes looked seductively back at me, if only the kids at school could see me now. I straightened my long sandy brown hair and pinned my bangs back into a bump, my hair feel over my shoulders and down my back. I didn’t realize how long my hair was until it was all straight. I stood in the mirror and looked at myself; I put on a nude bra and nude boy shorts, and slipped the blue dress on, it was a little tight and pushed my breast up under the v cut. I slipped on the watch and my heels, and