Trigger
warning
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Triggered. Chapter One
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"Is that what I think it is?" My five
minuet boyfriend asked. I nodded as I started to cry silently,
wishing I could just leave now. He gently took his hand and
hesitantly touched-
Stop, wait. Before I tell you about what happened
with my five minuet boyfriend, I have to tell you the beginning
and how I got there.
My name is Annaleah Fox, but people call me Nine
only because when I was little I told everyone that if they
called me by my real name I would scream, and that’s
exactly what I did. I'm fifteen years of age and I live in
New York City with my mother and her husband John. I used to live
with my father Tony before the substance abuse started and the
social worker took me away when I was eleven. I haven’t
seen him since.
My best friend Amber Lee and I go to the same school and
live right next to each other. We’ve been best friends ever
since I moved in with my mother and John. Even though I
can’t tell her everything that goes on with me, she’s
still a great friend, and I love her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My alarm clock blared in my ear. Today was supposed
to be Halloween; an amazing holiday, but there’s school
today. I let out a loud groan as I rolled out of bed and onto my
soft carpet, nearly hitting my head on the night stand. I lay my
hands flat on the carpet and lifted myself up. Mom must have
moved my laundry to the hamper, ‘where it belongs’.
My mother is always cleaning the floor of my room when I’m
sleep or at school.
My mother, she’s nice when she wants to be.
Her skin is tan because she’s always outside gardening. Her
hair is strawberry blonde for always being under the sun. To my
surprise she doesn’t have cancer yet. My mother’s
eyes aren’t like mine there a soft light blue that her hair
complements perfectly.
Me on the other hand, I have natural straight auburn
hair that stops at my waist. I’ve got very pale skin with
light freckles painting it. My eyes are a light brown with specks
of green. I’m 5’4 and thin unlike my mother who is
5’9 and kind of thick, not a bad thick earthier.
I looked myself over in my bathroom mirror, and then
made funny faces at myself as I brushed out my hair. I looked as
if I’ve slept forever, you couldn’t even tell that I
had just woken up. I smiled at myself in the mirror and then my
smile faded. I could never get it to stay very long, unless
I’m in front of other people. I always fake smiles around
them, and there so dumb they believe it.
I pulled on my school uniform and brushed my teeth.
I took a look around my room for my school bag. It’s not in
here. I rush to the closet and open it up; still nowhere to be
found. I burst out of my room and down the stairs almost tripping
over my bag. “Mom?” I called out as I picked up my
book bag and looked through it seeing if I was missing anything.
Nothing was gone except my lunch money.
Just then mom walked out of the kitchen holding up a
fork with a grape sticking off the end of it. “What do you
need?” She said looking at my then to my bag.
“Mom, did John have my bag today?” I asked trying to
keep the anger from my voice. Mom looked away from me, she knows
I’m angry. “He did…” She trailed
off. I stomped me feet. My mom quickly turned and went back
into the kitchen.
“Mom, he can’t just go through my things
like that. You and I both know it.” I said as I slumped
into the chair next to my mother. She looked over at me and
nodded. I sighed a bit too loudly and got up. “I have to
go.” I told her and walked to the front door where I put on
my black flats and left.
As I walked down the front steps of my house the boy
across the street came walking out his front door. He glanced up
at me for a second before rummaging in his pockets for his car
keys, once retrieved he looked back up and walked to his car.
It took me about five minutes to walk to the bus
stop where Amber was waiting for me, cup of coffee in her hand.
As I walked up and stood next to her she offered me a drink of
her coffee. It smelled of sweet white chocolate mixed with
caramel. I shook my head and put in an ear phone which was
connected to my mp3 player. Flyleaf played loudly in my ear; I
left one ear phone out so I could hear Amber if she talked.
Waiting for the bus I let out a sigh and watched the
boy drive past in his black mustang GT. His window was rolled
down and his brown hair was blowing lightly in the wind as he
passed. His eyes glued to the road, not looking up at me once. I
watched in the direction he left in until the bus had gotten
there.
“Nine, save me a seat real quick okay?
I’m going to go sit and talk with Cory. He’s been
eyeing me all morning.” She said as she glanced over at
him. Cory was three people ahead of us, his curly blond hair
sticking up. I winked at her and smiled. She replied back with an
attractively wicked smile, and stalked off towards the bus. I
followed slowly behind giving her some space.
I watched her climb up the bus and pull down her
skirt a bit. She got her skirt one size to small just for the
boys. Amber really looked nice in her plaid skirt and white
button up shirt. She had all the right looks; curly, but not to
curly red hair with a lovely white face and dazzling green eyes.
Her legs were long and perfect, like of like an athlete but
slimmer and not as buff. Her boobs weren’t too big or two
small. They were a perfect fit in her button up. And I’m
not checking her out; it’s just that I envy her
perfectness, and her boobs that she can actually show off.
I always wore black slacks with a button up shirt and
flats; never skirts. I reached into my book bag to grab my bus
pass, but it was missing. I got on the bus about to explain why I
didn’t have my bus pass when the bus driver held his hand
up. He leaned forward and close to me, a smile played at his
lips.
“No need to explain.” He whispered.
I was dumbfounded. He never let me ride without a bus pass.
I looked back at Amber who was talking it up with Cory; both of
them laughing at their little jokes. The three other people were
earthier asleep or looking out the window waiting to leave. Then
the bus driver cleared his throat.
“Want to ride without a bus pass right?” He
didn’t wait for an answer. “Why not stay on the bus
after everyone gets off and I’ll ‘help’ you
find that bus pass of yours?” He said in a low husky
whisper that sent chills down my spine. The bus driver’s
grey old eyes looked me over and he touched my leg just behind my
knee cap.
I quickly jerked away from him, not saying a
word.
“Maybe I can see you without the pants for once?” He
said and tried to reach for me again.
I backed away almost falling down the steps off the bus.
“Amber!” I yelled. “Forgot my bus
pass, I’m walking.” I yelled as I got off that bus as
quickly as I could. The bus finally pulled away, and I started to
walk to school. No need to go home and tell mom, she’d just
tell John and he’d yell at me and say I’m
lying.