Tangled Love

Whenever Trevor leaves for work early, my morning starts amazing. I wake up without feeling like I need to watch over my shoulder. I don't have to walk on tip-toes or silently wish he doesn't hurt me right before college. This morning I take my time getting ready with a faint smile on my lips.

I often wonder when I'm smiling whether I'm allowed to with the thoughts swirling round in my head. How can I appear happy when in reality I'm miserable? I've always prided myself in my smile being the only thing Trevor cannot take away from me and despite the hell inside my mind, that won't change.

This particular morning, my smile doesn't last long. I glance around the kitchen, letting out a small sigh. The stench in here is almost unbearable and I try to ignore the rubbish littering the floors.

"This whole place is a damn mess," I mutter, clearing a section of the table so I can sit down with my cereal. The rest of the house besides from my room mirrored each other, filthy and cluttered. It wasn't always like this . . . Dad and Mum were so house proud until he died and everything went downhill.

I am mid-way through crunching down on my golden balls cereal when Mum enters the kitchen. I glance at her from the corner of my eye, my shoulders automatically tensing in her presence. She takes a seat beside me, oblivious to the rubbish surrounding her. Trevor must have definitely burned eighty percent of her brain cells . . .

"What do you want?" I ask her abruptly, my tone hostile. Mum lets out a sigh and I feel her burning stare seep it's way into my face.

"Emily, don't speak to me like that."

not like it? Yeah neither do I when Trevor's laying into me." I mutter sarcastically, my

a chance to speak to me, I've given her too many. There comes a point in your life when you forgive multiple times because you

anger and resentment towards her. I breathe calmly through

want to eat my breakfast in peace." I tell

her wedding. It's on Saturday and we're going whether you like

cereal everywhere. The place is a mess

back of my hand. I notice a new expensive looking watch perched onto her wrist — courtesy

ten years since my fathers funeral. From what I remember, she's a big woman with dark crazy hair who has a tendency to scream instead of talk. As far as I know, Mum hasn't spoken

Mandy goes through men like running tap

her wedding. Trevor is more than happy to go so I don't see what the problem

glows when she speaks about Trevor.

Why is she

the bruise under my eyes or my red scalp? Or hear my cries for

families with you and Trevor." I spit out furiously, shaking my