Prologue
Harlow
Age 13
“You’re a skank.”
“More like a fat bitch.”
“She’ll get on her knees for any guy.”
“She probably does for those members of that club.”
“Like I said a skank.”
Tears fill my eyes as the girls screaming these hateful words at me kick and taunt me.
What have I ever done to them? I’m a loner. I don’t talk to anyone for this very reason. I just want to be left alone so that I can get through the school day.
“Hey, give me those scissors.” I begin to panic as the ringleader Laura speaks. She’s a mean witch who constantly spits at me or trips me when I’m walking past. “Thanks, now stand on fat bitch Harlow’s back.
What?
No.
I would move but my body hurts, and my eyes are swollen shut.
“This is for what your daddy did to my momma,” Laura sneers as one of her minions does as she commands and places their feet on my back.
“My daddy?” What did he do to her momma? He died when I was five and my mommy couldn’t handle taking care of Lynch and I so she gave us to my uncle Fury and left.
“Yeah, you stupid, retarded slut,” Laura snaps. Her voice a lot closer now. I feel someone, most likely Laura, wrap my hair in her hands. “She was in love with him and he left her.”
Snip. Snip.
The sound of scissors cutting resound in my head as Laura tugs on my hair while slicing through it.
“Now nobody will want your nasty ass,” Laura spits and throws my hair in my face as her minions move back and I roll to my back.
“Wait, I have a better idea to make sure no one wants her Laura.” This comes from Jenny, Laura’s cousin. “Hand me the scissors.”
Oh no.
What is she going to do?
“Here you go, Jen,” Laura giggles.
Doing my best to open my eyes, I see Jenny coming closer as she kneels on one leg next to me.
My heart races in my chest as I watch her grinning maliciously at me. “You think you’re something because of who you associate with. Well guess what. You ain’t shit and I’m going to make sure nobody will want your fuckin’ ass again,” she snarls, lip curling at the side as she brings the scissors close.
I shake my head the best I can to keep her from doing it but unfortunately, I’m unsuccessful and scream in pain when the sharpness of the scissors slices into my face.
“Remember your place bitch or better yet go drown yourself in the bayou and let the gators eat your flesh,” Jenny states as the girls around us cackle like a bunch of hyenas.
With one last kick to the head, they leave me laying on the ground right at the tree line leading to one of the many trails you can take from the school to neighborhoods and such.
My last conscious thought is where is everyone?
Standing by the dock, my arms wrapped around my midsection staring out at the murky water of the bayou.
“Sweetheart, you doing okay?” my aunt Ela asks as she approaches me. She might be my aunt but she’s more like my mom. When her and my uncle Fury took on Lynch and I they became our parents.
“Yeah,” I whisper, knowing she knows I’m lying. You cannot lie to my aunt. She has a gift and will always know the truth.
“What happened to you isn’t something you overcome easily, baby,” my aunt murmurs, coming to stand next to me.
I knew she was talking about the bruises I was sporting along with the bandage on my face. I also knew she meant my hair as well. No longer did I have long beautiful jet-black hair.
Two days ago, Laura and Jenny with their posse of minions from hell beat me, took my hair, cut my face, leaving me bleeding in the park. It took well into the early morning hours for my uncle Fury and his brothers to find me.
If it weren’t for Pitch Black, my cousin, who’s more of a big brother, I don’t know how long I’d have laid there. I couldn’t move due to the pain radiating throughout my entire body.
Now I have three broken ribs, an arm in a cast, and a slice in my face that is going to leave a horrifying scar. One I’ll never be able to hide.
“Aunt Ela,” I start but she held a hand up stopping me from going any further.
“Harlow, sweetheart, I know. I saw it and I wish to God I could have prevented