• Angel

    "Kayla!"The voice of my english teacher broke me out of my day dreaming, "Could you please repeat what I just said?" She ordererd.
    I turned my gaze over to her, my dark brown eyes narrowing slightly as my straight red hair fell from behind my ear, "Sorry, wasn't listening."I said simply. My name is McKayla Brooks, Kayla for short, and I'm your average 15 year old girl. I live in Marin County California with my alchohalic father Paul and my 17 year old sister Kenna. When I was eight I remember my mother being taken away for drug addiction and since then, Paul (he doesn't deserve the term father) has never been the same. Ever since then, he has been drinking and usually comes home drunk and angry. He usually takes his anger out on Kenna and myself by abusing us.
    "Hey Kayla? HELLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"My friend Amy called out to me, messing with her lip ring slightly as she leaned over the lunch table. Time had passed and it was alreadly lunch. I sat with my usual friends in the back which consisted of punks/emos/goths mainly cause they don't bother asking about the black eyes or bruises I come to school with. I normally kept an act of being a quiet, rude, punk all the time. Yet when I'm with my sister or alone, I usually fall apart or am very kind and gentle. And at night when I'm in my own little world, I cry myself to sleep, yet lately is hasn't been helping me.
    "Hm? Oh sorry Amy, I was spacing. So yeah?"I asked shifting my weight in my chair as I leaned against my elbow.
    Amy merely sighed as she sat back down in her chair, "Nothing jsut trying to get your attention. Oh by the way, I heard that a new girl is joining us in home room after lunch."Amy said with a slight sigh as she twirled her fingers in her dyed black hair.
    "Interesting...."I replied in an uninterested tone as I slumped back in my chair. I was wearing a black sleeveless shirt with a hot pink tie, a black and hot pink plaid skirt with fishnet stockings and black sneakers.
    "Hey guys check it out, "I heard my friend Tyler said as he pointed across the room to a girl talking to a lunch lady, "Looks like the new girl is a little early."He said with a small chuckle. We all looked over at the from the corner of our eyes. She was extremely small, almost pixie like, and looked as if she were eight. She had short spikey black hair and deep green eyes which matched her quater sleeve green sweater and light blue denim jeans. She turned to us and walked, almost danced, towards us with a large grin upon her face.
    When she reached our table she leaned across it and introduced herself, "Hello. My name's May, I was told that all of you had the smae classes as me."She said taking a seat next to Amy and me.
    "I have to say, "I heard Tyler say, smirking as he spoke, "I'm quite impressed that you actually came up to us and introduced yourself to us. Your brave for a little shrimp."
    May blinked, her head tilted to the side slightly, then grinned, "I'm brave huh? Cool!"She exclaimed as she leaned forward in her chair. "So who are all of you?"May asked, curiousity crossed her expression.
    I saw Amy sit up in her chair slightly, "Well I'm Amy, that's Tyler, "She said motioning over to him. He may have dressed goth, yet he was completely the opposide always laughing and cracking jokes, his long brown hair reached his neck. He was more of a skater guy, and my crush since I first met him in second grade. "That's Mike and Haley,"Amy continued on. Mike and Haley were twin brother and sister. Even when Haley dyed her hair brown with pruple and pink streaks, she looks similar to her black haired brother. "And last is the one whose in the day dreaming pose Kayla."
    I blinked at the mention of my name and looked at Amy, but ws cut off when May was inches from my face staring at me with a large grin, "Hiya!!"She said in a high uplifting voice. I instantly stumbled back in my chair and fell to the ground. "Oh I'm so sorry!!"May exclaimed as she rushed over to me, helping me up.
    "Nah, it's fine. Really."I told her rubbing the back of my head as I sat up. It looked as if she were about to speak again, yet was cut off when the loud bell echoed through the halls and into our heads. We quickly dumped out untouched trays of food and headed off to class, May beside me the whole time.
    =A few weeks later=
    Ever since May had arrived at our school, she never left us alone, not even for a moment, and strangely it wasn't annoying. May had an uplifting aura around her which made us feel more comfy. I had even seen Amy ACTUALLY smile!!! I swear May must be an angle or something to be able to make Amy smile. Mike and Haley had taken a slow liking to the girl, and as for Tyler and I, we had instantly become great friends. During math May had thrown my a note and strangely the teacher didn't notice even when it flew right passed him. It said, 'Hey Kayla, do you mind if I spend the night at your house tonight so we can study for the math test monday?'She wrote. I sighed and made up another excuse. May had always tried to come over and every time she asked, it was when Paul was at his worst temper.
    'Sorry May, but we're cleaning the house inside and out. But maybe I can ask Kenna if I can spend the night at your house instead.' I quickly passed the note to her. I saw a pout cross her face as she read, then quickly scribbled in it.
    'Aww....but okay. SCORE!!! Kenna let's you do almost anything!! You'll have to call me when she says yes ok.' I looked at her and nodded, then jogged down the math lecture for the day.
    I had taken quite a liking to May and thought she was the best thing ever to happen to me. I had stopped crying to make me sleep, I felt happy and smiled more often, yet I almost hated her when we were walking in the halls to our next class.
    "I know about your father Kayla..."May whispered quietly in a cold dead tone, "And how you got that black eye...."Her voice trailed off as she looked forward.
    I stood gaping at her, not caring I had just dropped my books all over the hallway floor.
    Before, May didn't bother to look at me, then she did and it seemed she was looking straight through me, "Please Kayla, why do you let yourself suffer so?"She asked shaking her head in disaprovel.
    "H-How did you...?"I managad to stutter out slightly.
    "After gathering all the information from the last few weeks and seeing you come to school with that black eye pretty much proves it."May said, a serious look across her face. She was not the same grinning girl I was used to anymore, "Kayla you have to tell someone...and if you don't then I wi-"But she was cut off by my sudden out burst.
    "No! Don't you dare!"I screamed whiched caused many students to look our way. "May, can we talk later at your house please?"I asked whiping the sudden tears with my sleeve.
    "Yes of course."May said then walked away to her next class, leaving me standing there confused and surprised.
    =Later=
    "Hey Kenna!? Can I spend the night at May's house tonight!?"I called out to Kenna over the sound of the vaccum she had going. Kenna's dark brown curly hair fell over her shoulders as she turned the vaccum off. I remember when she had red hair like me, yet dyed it because of her disgust of Paul's red hair and hated the resemblence between the two.
    "Tonight, Paul should be drinking a lot...Definately, and as for me...I'm staying with Josh tonight."Kenna replied and smiled at the name of her 3 year boyfriend.
    I smiled slightly as I packed my things, then dialed down May's number.
    "Hello Kayla."Thomas, May's brother, answered the phone. I had learned that May had lost her parents in a car crash when she was four and lived with her 26 year old brother Thomas ever since. He was very kind and sweet, I enved her, wishing Paul was more like Thomas. "Alright, we'll see you in a few then."He said in his caring tone, then hung up.
    Strangely, May and Thomas lived down the street from me. I quickly ran to her house in the cold windy weather. When I arrived, I saw that her house was very small, wedged inbetween two large shops. I had seen her house before, but I vaguely remember it being broken down and uninhabitable. But when Thomas opened the door and greeted me, I saw it had a kitchen, two bed rooms, one bath, and a living room. The warmth of the burning fire place filled the home along with the sweet scent of chicken. Thomas told me that May had been cooking dinner, but I could swear that I saw take out boxes in the garbage. May and I quickly took our plates and ate on May's bed, watching T.V. when she broke the silence.
    "Kayla why...? Why do you let yourself suffer for so long?"SHe said looking deeply into my eyes, and almost choked out the last words.
    I was expecting this so I sighed and set my plate aside. "May, please listen. There is nothing to worry about. Kenna's gonna be 18 in a month and then we're moving in with our Aunt in New York. And nothing's gonna happen before that, I swear." I told her confidently.
    May shook her head and gripped my shoulders, shaking me slightly, "You don't know that Kayla. Something could happen before then and you could end up like...."She was silent for a moment as tears streamed down her face, "You might up like my parents. I wouldn't be able to stand it if that happened again."May shook her head slightly as she looked away from me.
    I blinked and stared at her, "May..."I whispered, "Please, I don't want you to worry about that. The only reason Kenna and I haven't gone to the police is because...."I began to say but my voice trailed off. "Is Because we're afraid....Afraid about what would happen if Paul got to us before the police could get to him..."I said sighing heavily.
    Instantly May turned towards me, a piercing look in her eyes as she sat upright, "How could you say that!?!? The police wouldn't let anything happen to you and neither would I!?!?"She screamed, breathing heavily.
    I was beginning to get frustrated now as I stood up yelling, "May would you please get this through you thick skull!!! Nothing bad is going to happen and I'm not going to the police!! Would you please just let it go!?!?!?"I shouted, my hands clenching into fists.
    May shook her head, more tears falling from her eyes, "No Kayla! No!! I can't jsut stand by and watch you get beaten by your own father!!!" And at that moment, I feared that May had yelled that loud enough that Thomas might have heard her. I sighed in relief when I heard no sudden movements outside of May's room.
    I was about to speak when my cell phone began ringing. I instantly picked it up and ignored May, “Hello?”
    “I didn’t tell you that you could go to a friends Kayla.” A deep, angry voice said. I knew it was Paul, and in the background I could here whimpering. “I want you home now, “He said. But before I could speak I could hear my sister’s voice asking for help, then nothing. He had hung up hoping that I didn’t here Kenna scream, but I did.
    “Kayla, this is a perfect chance, go to the police.”May told me as I headed for the door.
    “No chance, Kenna’s already with him right now. Sorry May I have to go.”I said and walked out the door. The next thing surprised me though, May didn’t stay behind, and she was walking at my side.
    “I’m coming with you Kayla.”She said stubbornly. I knew it was no use trying to talk her out of it. In a few minutes of hurriedly walking to my house, we finally arrived. My eyes widened when I heard glass shattering and my sister scream. We rushed inside to find my sister barricading herself behind the couch, broken beer bottles spilled across the floor. I saw Paul standing by the couch, unbalanced, and red with anger.
    When he saw me, he grinned, then scowled when he saw May, “I thought you’d be smarter than to bring a friend home…”He mumbled, gripping a broken bottle in his hand. And in the blink of an eye, he had thrown the bottle in my direction, I was frozen with fear. And before I knew it, I heard glass shattering and blood splattered on the floor.
    My eyes widened when I saw May standing in front of me. She had thrown herself in the way of the bottle, protecting me. “Heh, ya know what Paul, you should have been more quiet. It seems your neighbors heard Kenna’s screams and called 911. The police are on their way.”May said with a smirk. I saw blood drip down her arms as her knees weakened. I let out a scream and everything went black.
    =One month later=
    “Come on Kayla, we’re going to miss our flight.” Kenna rushed me. We were on the way to May’s house. Exactly one month ago, Paul was put in jail and May in the hospital. May had already been released a few days ago. Yesterday, Kenna had turned 18 and now we were on our way to fly to New York to live with our aunt.
    “I know I know.”I groaned. I was smiling, and crying. I was leaving everything I knew behind and was starting over. I was happy, and sad. Happy that we were leaving our pasts, yet sad for leaving our friends.
    “Alright, we’re here, now say thanks and bye to May for me ok.”Kenna told me and gently pushed me out of the car. I nodded and turned towards May’s house, yet I stood there frozen. What I thought was May’s house before was now a run down building about to be torn down. It looked like the old building I thought it was before I had met May.
    I ran up to a construction worker and asked franticly, “Hey, what happened to the people who lived here!?” My breathing was heavy.
    The worker turned to me, scratched his head, and raised an eye brow, “In this house? I’m sorry miss; no one has lived here for over thirty years.” He said then turned away. I stood there, gaping at the building as it fell to the ground. Nothing could it explain it, except for one word: Angel.