Free Bird

After dinner we were all sitting in the family room around a game board. Couples against couples. People are accused of cheating, people are getting angry, but mostly there is laughter. I have never had this much fun since I was little. The game comes to an end and well... at least we had fun. I decided now was not the time to tell them of my past...
"Movie anyone?" Chris asks.
"Not Batman!" Everyone but myself yells at Andy
His face falls and I can't help but laugh. I look at Andy and wink as I say.
"I have a classic in my bag upstairs He Who Laughs"
"Oh what's that about?" Juliet wonders, completely oblivious.
"Oh, it's a horror film" I say nonchalant
They all agree as Andy tries to hold his smile and I run upstairs. I pull out this gorgeous DVD that I made and give it to Andy when I get back downstairs. We watch the whole movie before finally Chris catches on...
"Hey, that was a movie based on the Joker wasn't it?"
Andy and I start laughing so hard.
"Yes"
"Where did you get that?" Andy asks me
"Internet..."


-Two days later-
"Neva wake up sweetie it's Christmas" Ashley says from next to me
I rub my eyes and let him pull me from the warm bed out into the living room. Amy and Chris are already there with coffee in their hands, and presents under the tree. Andy and Juliet emerge from behind us and we all find a seat. I don't know what to do because I haven't had a real Christmas since I was five. I mean Jessica and I would get things for each other but that was as far as our holiday spirit went. There was no dinner, no presents from him, nothing. So when I went shopping this year for Ashley and everyone else it was weird. But soon enough presents are passed around. Andy received a lot of Batman things, including the Batman sunshade I got for his Mustang. When he opened it he jumped across the living room to tackle me in a hug. Juliet opened the jewelry I got her, I got Amy and Chris a gift card to a restaurant in town, and now the moment I was scared for... Ashley's gift. He told me not to spend any money on him, but I did spend some money. I got him a case of new picks for his bass, I gave him $50, personalized "coupons" for foot rubs and dinner dates, and I drew a personal photo. It was of the first night he took me out back when we first started dating. It is from when we watched the stars on the beach. ( http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2l39xuvF71qb5zfso1_500.png )

Next thing I knew it was my turn to open presents. Andy and Juliet got me a new art set, they forgot to take the tag off and I about had a heart attack when I saw the price... $150! I thank them and move on. Amy and Chris had gotten me a collectible Batman figurine. "So you can start your own collection" Then it was Ashley's gift. He just smiled at me and walked to the hall closet, and came back with a guitar that had a red ribbon tied around the neck. I gave him a look of shock.
"How much?" I ask
"Before I tell you, Jake, Jinxx, and I split 3 way on this for you. $150 each. I have another present for you though." he explains as he reaches under the tree and grabs a small box.
I open it and find a beautiful diamond A necklace. I cry, and hug him.
"It's beautiful, thank you so much!"

Later that day...
"It was great having you all here." Amy says as we sit down to watch one final Christmas movie together before we all leave in the morning.
"It was great to be here again." Juliet says from Andy's lap in the love seat.
"Are you headed to Florida to visit your family Juliet?" Chris asks from next to his wife.
"Yes, they are excited to finally be able to have everyone home at the same time, and my brother tells me Willow is super excited to see Andy"
"Cant wait to see my little munchkin either."
"What about you Ashley, Neveah? Headed to see family?" Amy asks
I guess now would be the time to tell them...
"Not exactly..." I take a breath, Andy looks at me, realizing what I am about to do, "you and Chris asked me what my life was like... would you like to know?"
She says nothing, so I take that as a go ahead.
"Andy, Juliet, Ashley, some of what I am going to say will be the first time you hear too. I'm holding nothing back..." I pause and look at both of them, and they nod, so I continue, "I grew up in Florida with my parents and my older sister. One day, when I was five, Jessica was eight, we woke up and our mom was gone. Our dad was sitting at the kitchen table with a note in his hand, but he wouldn't let us see what it said. He crumbled it up and threw it away, then left to go to the store. Jessica grabbed it from the trash and read it. That's when we knew our mom wasn't coming home, but our dad did, with his new friend, a six-pack. He started drinking. One bottle, three a night. It progressed to a pack a day, then two, then all day drinking. Once he hit that point, the abuse started. Mostly he would hit my sister because she was older, but he hit me a few times. That's when holidays stopped. No Christmas, no Easter, nothing. Just dusty walls and empty bottles. No matter how bad things were for us, we always knew we had each other, that was... until that night."
Ashley grabs my hand as tears form in my eyes...
"Jessica was going on a date with her new boyfriend. She was so excited, she woke me up at 10 am just to help her get ready. She got in the car, and drove off. Ten minutes later... we, well I, got a call. They had been hit by a truck," tears pour down my face as I recall that dreaded phone call, "my sister didn't make it, she was dead at the scene. I planned the funeral, I cried my self to sleep every night, I lost everything. Once she was gone, the bullying started. Hayley became my enemy. Told everyone I was a freak, an emo, a waste of space. Everyone joined in, in the hopes that by tormenting me, she would leave them alone, and she did. I had no friends, just bullies. My life was basically nothing after that. I got bullied at school, got beaten at home, and when I would visit Jessica, I would pray she would come take me with her. What was the point of living like this, living without my best friend. She never came for me, I kept being saved, brought to the hospital, only to be released back into my own personal hell. Senior year, Chris asked me out. I thought it was a joke, but he came to my house at 7, and took me to an abandoned playground where we talked, mostly about him, until he took me home. He was nice for a few weeks, then he started abusing me. If I didn't do what he said when he said, I would be beaten. The dates slowly stopped and we only met in private, behind the bleachers or in a broom closet. Mostly to kiss until it was time to go... I thought it was love. Then, that day happened. I ran late leaving my house, so I didn't avoid him, and he beat me, so I was late for school. Because I was late for school, I didn't get to meet up with Chris before first period, so he found me, pushed me into a broom closet, and beat me. Kicked me. Left me in there alone. That's when I went to the bathroom to see the damage. I could barely move, I had a bruise the size of a baseball on my stomach. I wiped my tears, ready to suck it up and go to class, when Hayley and her clones came in. They surrounded me, locked the door, and started beating me. I blacked out. I woke up days later in the hospital. I had severe internal bleeding, I had a concussion, and my left eye is blind, that's why it's white. My right eye lost 15% function, doctors give me til 40 when I will be completely blind. When I got out, I had to walk miles to get home. I stopped at Jessica, begging her again to take me, I blacked out from too much blood, and woke up late that night. I got home, ready to crawl into bed, but I heard him coming for me, so I hid. It was ten minutes before I came out, only for him to be waiting for me on my bed, enraged, and he beat me into blackness. The following two weeks were no different, but then I moved out to California. I met Andy my first night in town, and thank God I did because honestly Andy, you saved me that night. When I found out my mother works at the college I'm attending, I was thinking of killing myself that night. It was too much, I have no words for how much that woman is dead to me. I was scared of my past following me, and sure enough it did when Hayley became my roommate and destroyed my stuff. You know what happens after that. But now I'm happy. I have you guys, the rest of the band, Ella, Alice, Lauren, I met Amelia, my new room mate seems nice. Life is good."
Everyone sits there, tears in their eyes, even Andy. Ashley and Andy know I don't want pity, so their faces don't show it, but I can't look at Juliet or his parents because all it will do is make me mad, so instead I look at Ashley, the man I love and thank Jessica for everyday.
"You poor thing..." was all I heard Amy say before Ashley's lips were on mine.

Notes

Sorry that was so long...