When I reached my driveway I stopped, and looked at the house. It looked so peaceful from the outside, but I knew that that was far from the truth. I walked up the short driveway and looked inside the window. I saw Jeff sitting on the coutch watching t.v and waiting for me. I figured that mom was still at work. I opened the door and walked inside. I close the door and took off my shoes.

Jeff stood up from the coutch and yelled, “Where have you been?”

“At a friend’s house…” I whispered as I started walking to my room staying as far away from his as possible. I knew it would probably make him mad but I was tired and I just wanted to go to bed.

“Where the hell are you going?” he yelled getting angerier.

“To my room…” I whispered continuing to slowly make my way to my room.

“Get back here! Don’t just walk away from me!” he yelled coming towards me. Suddenly all the anger I had bottled up for so long came out.

“Stop telling me what to do! You are NOT my father and guess what?! You will never be my father! I don’t have to do what you say!” I yelled angerily.

He put on his famous fake smile. “Your right sweetie! I will never be your father! In fact I don’t know how your real father could handle your insanity for 14 years, but guess what?! That was 3 years ago! Get over it! He was a horrible father anyway! I’m glad he’s dead and you should be too!” he said walking closer and closer to me. “Oh and guess what else?! Since I’m not I’m not your father I can do whatever I want to you!” He slyly looked me up and down as if undressing me with his eyes.

I instantly slapped him so hard across the face that it left a hand mark. “Don’t you EVER say that about my father again! He was a great father, and if you don’t stop looking at me like that I’m going to tell mom!” I yelled through my tears.

“You stupid bitch!” he muttered rubbing his cheek. He punched me in the stomche and pushed me to the floor. “Never slap me!” he yelled as he started to kick me in the stomache over and over. It hurt so bad, and I could barely breathe.

Luckily my mom got home from work and walked through the door seconds after this fight started. She dropped everything as she closed the door. “What do you think your doing?” she yelled as she ran over and pushed Jeff away from me. She helped me to my feet and was about to help me to my bed room, but Jeff grabbed her by her hair and pulled her close to him.

“If you knew what was best for you, you would go to the bedroom and go to sleep! This is between me and her!” he said angrily looking directly into her eyes.

“Jeff please don’t hurt her!” my mom begged as she started to cry out of fear for me.

“She slapped me Elizabeth! She has to learn to respect her elders! Now go to the bedroom and go to bed, unless you would like some punishment as well!” he said as he pushed her a few feet towards their bedroom. Without another word she slowly started to walk towards their bedroom. I didn’t blame her for leaving me there, alone with Jeff. His punishments were horrible. I wouldn’t stay either if I had the choice. I heard the bedroom door close and I tried to stop crying even though I knew that whatever was about to happen was going to hurt. Jeff started to take off his belt. “Take off your shirt!” he ordered. Instead of obeying like I should have, I ran to my bedroom. He chased after me. I got there first and tried to close the door on him but he was pushing against the door to open it from the other side. This battle lasted for a few minutes. I kept pushing on it trying to close it and he kept pushing on it trying to open it. Finally he stopped trying to open the door and pulled it close. He locked it from the outside and yelled, “Now your mother will get your punishment instead!”

I started banging on the door trying to get him to open it. “No! Jeff I’m sorry! I’ll take my punishment! Leave her alone! I’m sorry!” I yelled over and over. Within seconds I could hear my mom screaming and yelping in pain from their bedroom. I started to cry even harder.

After a while I gave up trying to get out. I walked over to my sterio and put in one of my CD’s. I blasted the music as loud as was necessary in order to cover up my mother’s screaming. I laid down on my bed and tried to remember my father. Jeff had burned everything in the house to remind my mother and me about him. Except for one thing. The teddy bear my dad gave me the week before he was murdered. Jeff said that when I graduated he would give it back to me. They never found my father’s murderer, but now that it has been three years they have stopped looking. They have more important cases that need to be handled. After a few hours of thinking and crying I finally fell asleep.