Roxy's Pov
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The night was quiet, but my thoughts were loud, spiraling like a storm I couldn’t outrun. I sat cross-legged on my bed, the dim glow of the streetlights outside seeping through the blinds. My journal lay open in front of me, pages filled with raw, messy emotions from years of trying to understand why my life was the way it was.
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The house felt emptier than usual, though that was probably because Evie and Axel weren’t home. My parents—if you could even call them that—weren’t exactly the nurturing type. At thirty-two, they still acted like teenagers who had no idea what to do with a kid, let alone one like me.
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A kid they didn’t ask for. A kid they didn’t want.
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The court hearing tomorrow loomed over me like a dark cloud. Everyone said it was a chance for something better, but all I could feel was dread. What if it didn’t work out? What if Sam and Colby couldn’t save me? The thought of going back to this chaotic excuse for a home made my stomach churn.
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I flipped to an older journal entry, the words blurring as I tried to focus.
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"Why don’t they love me the way they’re supposed to?"
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That line hit like a gut punch every time. I didn’t write it for dramatic effect; it was just the truth. Evie cared more about her social life than she ever cared about me. Axel spent more time drinking and ranting about how unfair life was than being a father.
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I slammed the journal shut, the frustration bubbling to the surface. My hands were shaking again—whether from hunger, exhaustion, or anxiety, I couldn’t tell. It didn’t matter. The feeling was too familiar.
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The sound of the front door slamming made me flinch. Axel’s heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by his slurred muttering. I froze, my heart pounding. The man didn’t even have to say a word, and I was already bracing for the worst.
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“Roxy!” His voice cut through the quiet like a blade.
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I didn’t answer.
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The door to my room flew open, and there he stood, reeking of alcohol and bad decisions.
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“What’s this I hear about court tomorrow?” he sneered, his bloodshot eyes narrowing.
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I sat up straighter, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands. “It’s about you and Evie being unfit parents. You know, the truth.”
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His laugh was bitter. “You think those YouTuber idiots can take you away from me? You’re mine, Roxy. Always will be.”
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I met his gaze, my green eyes sharp with defiance. “You’ve never treated me like I was yours. Why should I stay?”
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For a moment, he didn’t respond, just stared at me like he was trying to figure out if I was worth the effort. Then he scoffed and slammed the door behind him, leaving me in the heavy silence.
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I leaned back against my pillows, letting out a shaky breath. My fingers brushed against the cool metal of my eyebrow piercing, then trailed to the helix piercing on my left ear. The small studs in my lobes glinted faintly in the dim light. Those tiny pieces of jewelry felt like little acts of rebellion, reminders that I was carving out an identity in spite of everything.
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Tomorrow could be the start of something better. If Sam and Colby really wanted to save me, I had to trust that they could.
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But for tonight, all I could do was close my eyes and hope that when I woke up, this nightmare would finally be over.
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