Unbreakable

“You snuck out to throw a party?” Gram fumes.

My back presses against the hard kitchen chair as I do my best to remain calm. “I didn’t break any laws Gram.”

“You’ve poisoned our family name!” she exclaims. “It’s bad enough that you ran away with that group of misfits, and you’re marrying that heathen. But now you’re partying like some low class high schooler? I thought I raised you better than that!” Gram folds her arms across her chest, and glares at me like I’m the biggest disappointment in the world, and in her eyes, I am.

My eyelids flutter closed, and I take in a relaxing breath. Stay calm lace. Yelling will only get her more worked up. “I haven’t tainted our family name,” I say in a calm voice. “I wasn’t drinking or doing anything illegal. I was only playing music.”

“Your music is the reason you’re a disgrace to this family,” she snaps. “If you would have just stuck with classical, and if you would have just stayed here we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“You’re right. We wouldn’t be in this mess because I’d be dead,” I retort. Take it easy lace. Don’t lose control. The last thing you want is to make her angrier.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I can almost see the daggers shooting out of her eyes.

“Nothing,” I grumble. I don’t want to fight with her more than I have to.

“Don’t nothing me young lady! Tell me what you meant or you’re in for a world of hurt.”

“I’ve already been through that world of hurt!” I cry. “Between you and that abusive bastard you love so much, it’s a miracle I haven’t killed myself yet! You want to know why I moved to America? I moved so I would be safe from him putting me in the hospital, and you making me wish I was dead!”

The look on her face gives me great satisfaction, but it’s short lived. She’s on me in less than a second, the back of her hand hitting my face so hard that tears well up in my eyes. “Look at me,” she snarls. My eyes stay trained on the floor so she can’t see me cry. She grabs my face, and forces me to look at her, he nails dig into my skin. “I said look at me you belligerent little girl,” her nails feel like pins gouging themselves into my skin. “You will never, ever, speak to me like that again. Do you understand?” I look into her eyes with as much hate as I can. She squeezes harder on my face, and moves my jaw to the right. I can feel the joint slowly dislocating. “Do you understand?” She asks, her voice low and lethal. I relent, giving her the slightest nod. “Good,” she releases her hold, and walks toward the door. “I expect you to be on your best behavior from now on,” she says while buttoning her jacket. “Have a good night Annalyse,” she exits my house, and leaves me numb in the foyer. My name, tainted by her voice, rings in the air long after she’s gone.

Notes

Sorry it's short guys. I didn't want to tack it onto the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading! <3