This life... by Emily Zimmerman. (online e reader TXT) 📕

I rolled my eyes “I have a license you know, I’m not dumb” I said. He glared at me “you drove mom’s car into a gas station” he reminded me. I snorted “yeah, when I was fourteen, get off my ass” I said, opening my car door. I saw him get angrier, “Kaila Evans Highlander, get out of the car now!” he shouted. I froze as I was halfway in “don’t you dare call me that, I hate my middle name and you know that!” I shouted, getting into the car. Why, You might ask? Because its my mothers middle name, she left without even a second glance at me. I turned the car on and revved the engine, getting in, I backed out carefully, I drove out of the parking lot with an angry brother hot on my tail. I noticed Kyle in the seat next to him, trying not to laugh. I drove home and parked in the driveway, getting out and stomping into the house, I literally threw the milk into the fridge “I got milk” I said, slamming the fridge and stomping up the stairs, running into my room and slamming the door as hard as I could, locking it. I hate it when he calls me by my middle name, it makes me think of my mother, she used to be kind and sweet, she used to love me like a mother should, but that changed when we started getting richer, she got… greedy I guess, her and dad both decided that we were only hurdles they needed to jump in order to be free and fully rich, so they moved to Hawaii, leaving us here to fend for ourselves, I was only fifteen at the time, I asked her why she was leaving… and you know what she said? “you’re the reason sweetie, your ruining my rich lifestyle” she said in a baby voice. All I could do that day was stare at the door they left through in shock and hurt, those were the feelings that I always feel, even now, as I sit here two years later, I sometimes find myself staring at the door, shock and hurt gone, anger taking its place, the day after they left, I became despondent, I went into depression for a while, because I knew it was my fault, and I knew they hated me, they were all there when she said it. they blame me, and that’s why the roomers started, when we got rich… it changed us all, my brothers used to be over protective, they used to not even let me near a guy they didn’t trust, but now, they couldn’t care less if I ran off with an ex-con, except for maybe Jared, he’s still pretty protective of me. But when my mom left, I never left my room, part in depression, and part in fear of the accusing stares I’d get. There was a knock on my door, I realized I was sitting, curled in the same corner I sat in the day after mom left “Kaila, I’m sorry, open the door, I didn’t mean to use that name, I know how much it upsets you” Jared said from behind the door. I didn’t move, nor speak. “Kaila, please, open the door so I can apologize to your face and not to a peace of wood” he said. I stared at the door, contemplating on whether to open it. I decided to be the stubborn girl I was and not open it “you can leave the piece of wood your apologizing to and go apologize to your own piece of wood, because I’m not opening the door” I said. I heard the jingle of the house keys “and if you open it by force, then I will be forced to kick your ass” I said. The jingle of keys suddenly stopped and the door swung open, revealing a smug Jared, “Jared, you are overstepping your boundaries here, don’t piss me off more than I already am” I warned, narrowing my eyes at him. He stepped into my room and that’s when I got up, walked up to him, ripped his keys out of his back pocket and shoved him out the door, closing it and locking it. I threw the keys on my bed and sat at my desk. “you cant stay mad forever, c’mon, I made a mistake-
“a very stupid one” I interjected.
“and I’m sorry, what will it take to get you to believe me?” he asked
“it takes you getting away from my door!” I shouted in frustration.
The begging stopped, it was quiet, I got up from my desk and walked over to my door, opening it cautiously, no one was there, I walked out slowly, afraid he would jump out and hug me or something. He was nowhere to be found, I sighed in relief and walked quietly down stairs, needing a walk, bad…or a skate. I grabbed my skateboard, and then went outside, I dropped it on the ground and put my foot on it, the next thing I know I’m speeding down a hill extremely fast, wind whipping in my face, my hair doing the same, I reached the end of the hill, that lead to the park and stopped, I picked up my skateboard and walked into the park, running my fingers through my wind-blown hair. I dropped my skateboard on the concrete path and put my foot out, kicking my leg out to gain momentum, I skated to a park, it had swings and slides, and even on the weekend, no one was here, I pat myself on the back for choosing this park. I sat on the swing and swung until I was as high as the swing would go, wimpy swing. I smiled at the memory of when my mom took me to this park, I used the think this swing was the best swing in the world, she used to swing me as high as I could go, that was when she cared about me, when she wasn’t greedy and heartless. “ready?” she would ask me. I’d nod excitedly, then she would push me, higher and higher, I remember one time I fell off the swing, she ran to me and cradled me against her chest, I wasn’t crying, I think she was just afraid that I was hurt, “I’m so sorry, I should have told you to hold on tight, you scared me, I’m sorry, I’m so very sorry” she kept saying. A tear escaped the corner of my eye thinking of how much she cared for me, what changed? I sighed and scraped my feet on the ground, stopping the momentum I’ve built. It was then that I realized, I was alone in this world, my brothers hate me, Jared as an exception, but I know he doesn’t want to deal with me. I’m all alone.

I stayed at the park for the rest of the day, just remembering the few times I spent playing here with my mother, few people came to this park, so it was pretty much empty through the day, my phone rang hundreds of times… probably, I lost count at twenty, it was from all of my brothers, and an unknown that was probably Kyle, I didn’t answer, I didn’t want to. the sun was setting on the horizon when I left, I grabbed my board and walked home, walking up the hill I came down from, I huffed from the exertion and kept going, when I finally got up the hill I stopped, two guys were walking the opposite way toward me, I moved out of the way and put my hood up so they wouldn’t see who I am. I walked past them, only to be grabbed by the arm, “hey babe, where are you going?” the guy asked. I huffed again in frustration and turned around, staring the guy straight in the eye “if you know what’s good for you, you’d let go of my arm” I threatened. The creep smirked at his friend, creep number two, “oh really? And what are you going to do if I don’t?” he asked. I laughed, it seemed to surprise them how easy going I was with them, “you don’t want to know” I said shaking my head. He looked unafraid of me, probably thinking I was just another victim of his, trying to act tough. He smiled “you don’t scare me young lady” he said. My eyes grew dark “I don’t like to be referred as young lady” I said deathly calm. He laughed “you cant-” he was cut off by my fist in his face. The other guy acted quick, grabbing my arms and pinning them behind my back, I laughed “oh, I think I heard something break” I said in a sweet voice. I ripped my arms from the creeps grasp and elbowed him in the stomach, then ran, as fast as I could away, it wasn’t fast enough, they caught up and tackled me, I growled and rolled over, pushing bringing my fist down on creep number one’s face, knocking him out, I pushed him off me and scrambled up, grabbing the collar of the other guys shirt and punching him, knocking him out. I dropped him on the floor, I contemplated on what to do, I decided to drag them back to my house, and call the police while their still unconscious. I picked creep number one up by the back of his shirt, then creep number two the same way, my house wasn’t that far, but I still had my skateboard with me too. I rolled it along in front of me, while dragging two creeps to my house, I got to my front door and opened it, to be greeted by a worried looking Jared, Hail and even Jake. Jared pulled me into an awkward hug, awkward because I was still holding the two creeps by the back of there shirts, “why didn’t you answer your phone?” he asked, looking deranged. I shrugged “I didn’t want to” I said. “now move, two creeps coming through” I said, dragging the unconscious creeps with me. I dragged them to the kitchen chairs and dropped them on the floor, I set up the chairs and sat them one by one in the chairs, “call the police, tell them I have been attacked and have the attackers in custody” I said, not looking up from my watch on the creeps. “you were attacked?” he shouted. I sighed “just call the stupid police before I do it myself” I sighed. Jared didn’t answer, but I heard the home phone dialing. “hi, I’m calling because my little sister was attacked, we have the attacker’s in custody and need them to come right away” he said. I heard mumbling on the other end, he told her our address “thank you, bye” he said. I heard more mumbling, then the line disconnected. I didn’t move my eyes from the creeps, and I noticed ones eyes started tightening, I sighed, “open your damn eyes, creep” I muttered the last part. The creep opened his eyes and saw me, and looked as if he was about to crap his pants, I waved “hello Mr. creeper” I said brightly. He looked confused “where am I.. how did I get here?” he asked. I rolled my eyes “your in a hostage situation, the police have surrounded the building and I am holding you hostage for ransom” I said dryly. He just stared at me “where do you think you are? Stupid, your at my house and were waiting for the police to arrive to take you away” I said as if I was speaking to a child. He glared at me, I heard a groan from creep number two, I looked at him, he was rubbing his eyes, “hello creeper number two!” I