The Moment Everything Changed (Lucy's Life #1) Read online

  “Where’s she’s going?” Max questions.

  I’m so nervous my hands are shaking causing me to mess up my laces. Fuck. Deep breath, you’re out of here. Just another few minutes and you’ll be far away from this place.

  “She’s going to her friends for the weekend.” My mom says.

  I’ve got my laces tied so I jump up and grab my bag. “All weekend?” I hear him ask.

  Yes, all weekend. “Okay. I’m off.” I call out pulling the door handle on the screen door.

  “Wait.” Max snaps and I freeze. I hate how even his loud voice terrifies me.

  “What?” I question looking back.

  “Should she really be going somewhere with that cast?” He questions.

  He’s trying to ruin my plans. I look towards my mom who’s thinking.

  “I’m fine. Bye.” I try again, moving back towards the door.

  “Hold on.” Max snaps again.

  Oh, come on I silently plea.

  “I don’t see anything wrong with it.” My mom returns.

  That’s enough of a response for me so I bolt out the front door before she has a chance to let Max change her mind. There was no stopping me now. I’m gone.

  I make it down our walkway and glance back to see Max come to the front door. Don’t like it, do you? I’m free this weekend. My heart’s racing in my chest. What’s he going to do? Caught up in my thoughts I practically bump into Octavia.

  “Whoa.” She says catching me.

  “Sorry I didn’t see you.” I apologize.

  “Everything okay?” She questions looking back at my front door.

  I turn back for a split second too. I see Max eying the two of us and I can only imagine the thoughts he’s thinking. “Let’s just get out of here.” I reply.

  “Now we’re talking.” Octavia smiles taking my bag so I can focus on walking. “My mom is parked on this side. Less for you to walk.” She smiles looking over her shoulder.

  “You have no idea how much this means to me Octavia.” I say maybe a little too emotionally.

  “Of course. I’ve got a whole weekend planned for us.” She’s still smiling. It’s then that I realize I’ve calmed down and I’m feeling happy for a change.

  “I can’t wait.” I smile back.

  We walk to her mom’s van and she gets out. “Happy birthday Lucy.” She calls.

  I look towards Octavia. “Oh yeah I kind of told her it was your birthday.” Octavia returns.

  “Thank you…?” I realize I don’t even know Octavia’s last name.

  “Call me Brenda please.” Octavia’s mom says.

  “Okay Brenda.” I smile and it’s not forced. I already feel like this is going to be a good weekend.

  Chapter Five

  Arriving at Octavia’s it’s just like she’s described, the garage lines up with the side door. I make it inside and sit on the second step of the five.

  “Do you think you can manage?” Octavia questions.

  “Have you seen the stairs at my place?” I joke. “There’s like fourteen going straight up, this should be cake.” I remark.

  “Octavia did you tell her about the cake?” Her mom calls from the kitchen. I look towards her in shock.

  “There’s cake?” I question.

  “It’s your slumber party of course there’s cake.” Octavia offers smiling over her shoulder.

  “You really didn’t have too.” I say a little embarrassed. But on the other hand, it makes me feel so wanted.

  “It’s nothing.” Brenda says joining us at the top of the steps.

  “Thank you so much.” I smile up at her.

  “It’s nothing.” She says waving it off.

  We get to Octavia’s room a few minutes later. Octavia walks in ahead of me quickly picking thing’s off the floor.

  “Sorry, it’s a little messy. I was kind of in a rush this morning.” She smiles.

  Entering her room, I immediately surprised. Her walls are two different colors. Where her bed rest’s the walls are white but around her desk the walls are like an aqua color. She’s got an entire desk with shelves full of colorful books. By her bed she has a bunch of shelves filled with CD’s.

  No wonder we clicked. We like most of the same thing’s, only my family is kind of poor so we can’t afford things like books and music. Hence the reason I record my music straight from the radio.

  “I can tell you like it.” She smiles looking back at me. I hadn’t realized I was staring.

  “Your room is amazing.” I say still taking it in. “I love the lights and that sheer curtain you have hung over the bed.” I remark.

  “That’s one of my favourite details.” She beams.

  “I can see why. I’d love to have something like that in my room.” I say pointing at the headphones hung above her bed. Her shelves of music lined the left wall while her desk sat on the wall across from her bed.”

  “Oh yeah. Do you listen to a lot of music?” Octavia questions helping me into the room.

  “I try. I mostly listen to the radio and record whatever I like.” I admit.

  “Your more than welcome to sort through whatever I’ve got and borrow it.”

  “Really?” I ask looking up at her collection. So much to choose from.

  “Better yet this weekend we could record whatever you like.” Octavia gets off her bed and walks over to her shelves. “What are you into?”

  “A little of everything really. What do you have?”

  “I’ve got Courtney Love or Hole, she does air quotes, Nirvana, I nod, Green Day, I just smile, Off Spring, I nod again, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, I nod. What else?”

  “I think we have a pretty good start.” I return eyeing the collection of CD’s she has stacked beside the bed.

  “We like a lot of the same music.” Octavia says carrying the CD’s over.

  “And books too.” I say pointing out her desk and the bookshelf across the room.

  “Oh yeah. I love to read.” She waves it off.

  So, did I once upon a time. Now my thoughts take over too much and I just can’t focus like I use to…Music is more my thing right now. “What authors are you into?” Octavia asks.

  “Honestly I haven’t picked up anything for some time. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’m more into music now though.” I respond.

  “Well anytime you want to borrow something just let me know. I don’t mind sharing.”

  “You know you’re not at all what I expected.” I offer looking over at her.

  “How do you mean?” She asks looking back at me.

  “I don’t know.” I look down at my hands nervously. “Don’t take it the wrong way but you seemed a little bubbly, but in a good way.”

  “I get that a lot. It’s because I’m blonde and beautiful.” She says with air quotes.

  “But you are though.” I say reassuringly.

  “Thank you but there’s so much more to me then my looks.”

  “I can see that.”

  Around seven we sit down to dinner. I’m surprised when Octavia’s mom brings us out this big home cooked meal.

  “You didn’t have to go out of your way to make something special for me.”

  “I didn’t go out of my way dear.” Octavia’s mom says.

  “You don’t eat big meals at home?” Octavia’s little brother asks.

  “Jonathon don’t be rude.” Octavia’s mom snaps.

  “There’s five kids in my family so yeah we eat but not always this much in one meal.”

  I realize I just made it look like we were poor. Suddenly I’m feeling a little embarrassed. The meal sitting in front of me was meatloaf, potatoes vegetables and salad. At home, we’d maybe have meatloaf once in a blue moon, we’d eat veggies and sometimes potatoes but hardly ever salad and not that much food on our plates but it wasn’t like we were starving.

  “Wow, your mom has five kids.” Octavia’s mom says in shock.

  “Yep. My sister and I are the oldest, then there’s Ray wh
o’s three years younger than me and then there’s Matt and Jayden. They’re my mom’s and her boyfriend’s kids.”

  “Are they the youngest?” Octavia’s mom asks.

  “Yeah Matt’s in grade one this year and Jayden just started school, so kindergarten or JK I’m not too sure.” I offer.

  “Sounds like a handful.” She says smiling.

  “Yes, especially Jayden. He likes to wander off.” I offer between bites.

  “Oh no.”

  “Yeah he’s wandered off once or twice but he’s never been too far away, yet.” I offer between bites.

  “Thankfully. Those train tracks are awfully close. I’d be afraid of him getting that far.” Octavia’s mom continues.

  “You and me both.” I snicker.

  I’ve been out by the train tracks a few times while a train was passing though. Sometimes at night after Max has vacated my room I’d hear the two am train go by and wonder what it’d been like to stand close to the tracks as it passes. Maybe even go as far as step on the tracks and end all this pain I’m feeling…but then I think what a waste. I can’t let him ruin me, there’s got to be a higher purpose for me. There’s got to be more for me then this. I just need to hold on long enough to find that higher purpose.

  We finish our dinner followed by the beautiful cake with my name on it. I couldn’t help but feel tears prickling my eyes. This one of the nicest things. It was nice being acknowledged.

  Once we’re finished Octavia and I do up the dishes even though her mom Brenda felt guilty letting me do the dishes with the cast.

  Hours later while we’re in Octavia’s room listening to music Octavia sees her Dad pull into the driveway. Immediately she turns down the music and joins me back on her bed.

  “What’s going on?” I ask feeling a little uneasy.

  “My dad’s home so I’ve got to keep my music down now that’s all.” She reassures me.

  “Oh okay.” I smile not thinking anything of it.

  Much later we hear Octavia’s dad stumbling around in the hallway. We can vaguely make out what he’s saying but we hear him curse about something. I look towards Octavia who seems nervous.

  “What’s wrong?” I question. Receiving an uneasy feeling.

  “Nothing.” She jumps up from her bed quickly moving across the room to lock her bedroom door.

  Is it normal to have a lock on your bedroom door?

  “I’m not sure mom has told Dad but we have company.” She yells through the door before walks back towards her bed.

  “Who’s over?” He questions and I can practically hear how drunk he is.

  I can’t help but wonder what I’ve gotten myself into. I can’t help but feel like maybe this is what Britney was warning me about.

  Her dad’s still outside the door yelling. We see the door handle shake and when he can’t get it open he starts banging on it. Immediately I begin to panic.

  What is he doing? Does her dad do what Max does? Is he going to do it to me too? Oh, God no…I thought I would be safe here.

  “It’s okay Lucy.” She comes to my side and that’s when I realize I’m shaking. I’ve literally curled myself up. “Dad I have company.” Octavia yells back at her door.

  “Let me in.” He yells back banging harder on the door.

  “Ugh.” She says but looking at her now I can sense she’s guarded too.

  She unlocks the door and it immediately flies open, her dad practically topples into the room with his hand raised.

  “Dad I have company.” She says cowering in front of him.

  Was he going to hit her? Is Octavia abused? That would explain the all the thing’s in her room. Max has tried to buy me off too but I don’t let him. He thinks if he buys me things I’d just let him do whatever without a fight but I’ve learned I’m a fighter and I can’t be bought.

  “Whose, this?” Octavia’s dad slurs eyeing me in a creepy way.

  “That’s my friend Lucy, she’s spending the weekend with us.” Octavia says trying to get her dad to leave. “Can you please leave now dad?” She pleas.

  “I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.” Her dad returns.

  The panic swells in my chest. Sounds too familiar. Unable to hold back the fear I start crying louder and both Octavia and her dad look towards me.

  “Dad you’re scaring her please leave.” She cries out.

  Once he’s past the door Octavia pushes it closed and immediately locks it. She comes back to her bed where I’m still curled up. “Lucy are you alright?” She asks softly approaching me.

  “I’m sorry.” I say between heaves. I’m shaking so bad I can’t manage much more.

  “Talk to me, what happened?” She sits down on the bed in front of me.

  “I can’t tell you I’m sorry.” I barely whisper. I don’t bother looking up at her.

  “I won’t breathe a word of what you tell me.” She says reassuring.

  “I can’t tell you.” I say hiding my face. “There’s too much at stake.”

  “I think I already know.” Octavia says softly.

  I look up at her. “Is that why my sister told me not to get involved with you? Because you know our secret?” I ask looking up at her, my tears streaming down my cheeks.

  “It doesn’t surprise me your sister would warn you away from me…” She continues.

  “It doesn’t?”

  “Your sister and I use to be friends...” She looks down at her hands. I’ve never seen this side of Octavia. “When she learned about my dad, as you witnessed. Britney kind of said something similar was going on at you’re place too.” She offers not meeting my eyes.

  “But she didn’t tell you what?” I ask wiping away the tears that were stinging my face.

  “Not in so many words no.” Octavia adds.

  Should I go out on a limb here and tell her what’s really going on? It’s not like I have anyone else and maybe we’ve met for a reason?

  “Can you promise me you won’t tell anyone at school what happened here?” She asks picking at a spot on her comforter.

  “If you won’t tell anyone how I reacted.”

  “I’d never…We’ve got to stick together.” She forces a smile.

  “Does he hit you?” I ask barely looking up at her.

  “Yeah.” She says hiding her face. I can tell she’s about to cry so I reach out to grab her hand.

  “It’s okay…Max doesn’t hit me though.” I start. “He does sexual thing’s.” I manage and I breakdown again hiding my face.

  “Oh Lucy.” She drops my hand and moves closer wrapping her arms around me.

  “Please don’t tell anyone. No one can know...People’s lives depend on it.” I say between heaves.

  “What are you talking about?” I hear Octavia say through mumbles.

  “If I tell he’s going to hurt The Bernstein’s.” I continue.

  “Who are the Bernstein’s? And how would he hurt them?” Octavia questions.

  “He showed me the gun he has and the Bernstein’s are the family I lived with before my mom brought me back home.” I manage.

  “You’ve kind of lost me Lucy.” She says.

  I calm myself a little better and tell her all about being born terminally ill and living in a home for terminally ill babies. When I didn’t die like the doctors predicted and my mom couldn’t handle all my medical issues on top of being a single mom caring for both Britney and Ray.So,I went to live with another family by the time I was almost three. I continued to tell Octavia that from the beginning I thought they were my real family because I was too young to know the difference and then suddenly my bio-mom popped back up and suddenly wanted me to come back home and live her and my siblings.

  “Awh Lucy.” She hugs me tighter. “I had no idea you were dealing with all that.”

  “I try not to let what’s going on show. I’ve got to be careful.” I take a deep breath trying to calm myself down.

  “Promise me you won’t keep all that in. You need to talk to someone.” She
rubs my head. “You can talk to me.”

  “I don’t trust people too easily.” I respond heaving.

  “I get that but you can trust me.” She returns.

  “You can trust me too.” I pull away. “I’m kind of good at hiding secrets.” I shrug, I think more as a way of comforting myself.

  “That reassures me on one hand but not on the other if you know what I mean.” I nod. “And what about this gun? Lucy that’s serious.”

  “I know that’s what I’m talking about. You can’t tell anyone. I don’t know where he has it now that he’s no longer living with us full time. I’m afraid what will happen.”

  “I still don’t like it Lucy. You should tell my mom.”

  “I can’t.” I stand up. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you.” I walk to the window and I’m crying again. “I can’t be sent away again Octavia, what if I’m not so lucky this time. Not every family will be like the Bernstein’s.”

  “Wouldn’t they take you back Lucy?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been trying to push them away.” I sniffle. “I figured that by pushing them away I was protecting them somehow.”

  “I get it…I’ll keep your secret but you’ve got to keep me in the loop. You’ve got to tell me if you see that gun again. And if you do see that gun please tell your sister or just call the cops…As for what Max is doing…You know it’s wrong right?” She questions.

  “Of course I know it’s wrong, it’s not like I ask for it…It’s just…”

  “Your scared.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’m not going to let this completely go but I understand. Whenever he’s staying at your house call me and you can crash here.” Octavia offers.

  “You’d do that?” I turn back to look at her.

  “Of course I would.” She smiles reassuring me.

  “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “What are friends for Lucy?” She says.

  The rest of the weekend we listen to music and talk. Octavia goes on and on about how in love she is with David or her nick name for him “Sunny D.” I question why she calls him Sunny D and she explains it’s because he’s like a ray of sunshine. I say I thought she was referring to the orange juice.