"GRACEEEE GRACEEEE!" My mom called from the front door. "Oh shit!" I cursed as I scrambled to grab my things from off my bed to put away in my closet. I'm not supposed to be up, especially when she comes home from drinking all night. "GRACEEEE!! YOUR ASS BETTER BE SLEEP!" She shouted as I rushed and closed the closet. I ran over to my night stand and switched off my lamp before jumping into the bed and faking sleep.
As I laid there in bed with my eyes shut as I could possibly close them, I couldn't help but shake a little. My mom is really abusive when she's drunk and I'm running out of excuses at the school. I'm too old to be adopted and I have nowhere to go if I were to just leave. So all they'll probably do is try to put me into a foster home, if they can find one for me. I'd rather just wait it out. I have 1 more year before I can have my freedom. I'll make it. "GRACE YOU UP DUMBASS?!" She spat as I heard my room door slam against the wall. I stilled my shaking and started snoring lightly.
"Grace?" She drunkenly whispered coming closer to my bed. Even though my eyes were closed I felt her standing directly in front of me. Her booze tainted breath hitting my nose harshly as I tried to block out the horrific smell. I heard nothing for a little while longer until she sucked her teeth and slowly made her way out of my room, bumping into everything in her way.
"Why are you never awake when I get home?" She sniffed before my door was closed shut. "Because when I am you beat the shit outta me," I aggressively whispered under my breath before turning over and dozing off.
~
I was awakened by the sound of my alarm clock at 6:45 am, an hour before my bus normally arrives. It's the day before the last day of school and I'm so excited. All summer I plan on working at a local animal shelter for some extra cash. Mindy(my mom) blows her cash on booze every time she gets her check. I swear to you there's nothing but ice and a single sliced lemon in our fridge.
She hasn't been grocery shopping since I was a kid. Whenever we're low on food to eat she goes and gets herself take out and me ramen noodles from dollar general. Which I don't mind, being that I'm not picky and I know how to cook so they almost always turn out pretty great.
As I stand in front of my closet trying to decide on an outfit to wear I heard a heavy knock on the front door. I threw on an oversized hoodie that went down to my mid thigh and rushed downstairs to answer it. "Coming," I shouted when they kept knocking. I hate when people do that, just knock twice. You don't have to keep beating my door down, I'll get there when I get there.
I fixed my hoodie and opened the door. "Good morning, does a Grace Johnson live here?" A tall brown-skin, police office who's name tag said Peterson asked. "Yes sir I am Grace Johnson," I swallowed, suddenly feeling dizzy and over heated. "Is-is everything okay?" I stuttered seeing the saddened look on his face. "I'm going to need you to come with me sweetheart," he said with a frown.
"Why what's wrong?" I asked frantically. "Your mother, Mindy Johnson, has gotten into an horrible accident and is up at the hospital," he explained. "I thought she was upstairs sleeping. She came home, why would she leave again?" I whispered to myself in disbelief.
"We gave to go hun," the officer said as he reached out to grab my arm."Don't touch me!" I shouted with tears building up in my eyes while snatching my arm away from him. I hate people touching me! If I didn't give you consent then DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME! "I'm sorry, but I need you to come with me," he repeated.
"Let-let me grab..some pants," I sniffed, trying to straighten out my shaky voice but was proven to be unsuccessful. "I'll be right outside when your done," he said with a smile resembling pity before I closed the door.
Walking up the stairs to my room was hard. Every step I climbed felt like an added brick that was tied to my ankles. It got so heavy that I just collapsed onto the stairs and cried. "Please have my mama live God, please have my mama live," I prayed as I laid, curled up on the bottom step sobbing uncontrollably.