Sold To The Mafia For A Million Dollars

Ashley POV~

My alarm woke me up just in time for my morning chores. Even though sleep is still very much in my eyes, I have to sober up and get my chores done before my parents wake up or I won’t like the consequences that will follow after.

I walk into the bathroom and splash water on my face to clear the sleep off my eyes and then go downstairs to start my daily chores. I did my chores silently in order not to wake my parents up. I remember the one time that I accidentally woke them up because of the noise I was making while cleaning the house. My parents were beyond furious. My dad hit me with the vacuum cleaner so hard that I couldn’t eat for a week because my ribs were swollen.

Ever since our family business went bankrupt five years ago, out of frustration my parents developed anger issues and became very aggressive towards me. At first, they would emotionally abuse me but as time went on, they started abusing me physically. The drugs they are taking aren't helping matters either. Many at times, I am tempted to report them to the social welfare and child abuse commission but I could not because I am afraid. What if they don’t believe me? What if they take me away and give me foster parents that are just like my parents? And so many other “what if” prevented me from reporting them.

Even my friends in school do not know what is going on in my house. I usually use makeup to cover up the bruises. The ones that are not able to cover up, I lied that I fell down the stairs or the bed or hit a table or the wall. My friends brought my life up and nicknamed me “the clumsy girl”. Since I lost too much balance. If only they know the real cause of the bruises. If only they know.

Luckily enough for me, I was able to finish all my chores and make breakfast without my parents waking up. They must have had a long night yesterday. They came back home around one in the morning. Although I was awake, I did not even bother myself to go downstairs because if I dare do that by mistake, I will surely wake up in the hospital, that is if I even wake up at all.

I rushed into my bedroom and quickly took my bath, dressed up and rushed out of the house. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

I made my way to the bus stop just in time the school bus arrived.

“Good morning Mr Joe”. I greeted the bus driver as I got into the bus and looked for a seat by the window and sat down. I took out my eyepiece and connected it to my phone as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the rest of the ride to school.

“Thank you for the ride Mr Joe”. I waved at the driver who waved back at me. Although it’s not compulsory to greet the driver or thank him because technically he is just doing his job. I believe in appreciating people for what they do even if you are paying them to do that work. It’s not going to cost you anything if you do that but as for the person, he or she will feel loved and important.

I made it to my locker and I frowned as I reached there. Usually my friends and I gather ourselves here, gist and gossip a little bit before heading to class together. But right now, none of them were present. I checked the time on my phone and frowned deeper. Usually by this time Sophia and Lisa are supposed to be here already.

I waited for another five minutes but none of them came. Maybe they planned on not coming to school today. I concluded. But why will they plan to tell me? I questioned myself. My friends are one of the reasons why I still have my sanity. Whenever I am with them, I forget all the pains I am feeling.

I started making my way to class alone and that will be like the first in forever that it is happening.

“Hey Ashley, Good morning!”. Cole, a classmate of mine, greeted me.

“Morning to you too Cole.” I reciprocate his greetings.

“Why are you alone today? Where are your sisters?”. Cole asked. Everyone usually calls my friends and I “sisters”. They are actually not wrong though. We see and treat each other as if we are sisters.

I flex my shoulders up; “ I don’t know. I just arrived a few minutes ago”.

“Maybe they are already in class?”. Cole tried to think of possible places my friends could be.