Chapter 23

"How was your date?" Mum asked me from the kitchen.

"It was brilliant," I breathed still smiling like a lunatic.

"I'm guessing he kissed you?"

I nodded.

"I'm glad to hear and I am glad that you are happy Cece."

"Thanks mum...How are you?"

Mum shrugged and pointed to her black eye. "I've been better, but thankfully Rick hasn't come home yet." 

"Why do you let him treat you like this?"

"Because-" She was cut off with the door slamming open. "Bed now!" She hissed at me, as a drunken Rick walked through the door.

I ran upstairs locking the door behind me.

That night I cried myself to sleep with the sounds of my mother's screams as she was being beaten up again.

When I woke up that morning I quickly packed clothes for Eve's that evening. I ran downstairs and peered into the kitchen to see if Rick was up. Only mum was awake though cooking breakfast.

"Mum!" I gasped as I took in her appearance.

Her arms were covered in bruises, her face all bruised as well. "I'm going to be okay." She whispered. "Just stay away over the weekend."

I nodded." Are you sure I must leave you alone?"

"Just go to your friends house, don't worry about me."

"Okay mum..."

"Have fun sweetie."

"I will try."

"Sorry, I'm early." I said to Eve when I knocked on her door and looking at her in her pajamas.

"It's okay, I'm sure you have a reason for it."

"I do..."

"come in." She said opening the door more for me.

I walked into her house, taking a glance around. It was a really large home and a bit messy. Toys were lying around everywhere, the kitchen was a mess and at the breakfast table sat a bunch of kids.

"Oh, am I intruding on breakfast?" I asked suddenly.

A woman rose from the table, who I assumed was Eve's mum. "No, not at all. Have you eaten?"

I shook my head. "No, not really."

"Well Eve, show her to your room so she can put her things down and then you can join us for breakfast."

"That would be lovely. I'm Cecelia by the way." 

Eve's mum smiled kindly. "I know, I have heard a lot about you. I am Wendy Eve's mum."

Eve showed me to her room. Her walls were covered in photo's, there was hardly any patches of her wall showing.

"I'm putting them on the roof next." She said as she noticed me staring at all of her pictures.

"Don't you feel like you are being watched sometimes?"

"Not really, it just reminds me of things I love."

"I guess that's a good way to look at it."

She smiled at me. "Come on, lets go get breakfast before my siblings turn into pigs and eat it all."

We sat at the table and Eve's mum indicted that we must start grabbing some food.

I looked around the table. Eve had six siblings. Five sisters and one brother.

"Oh right, I haven't introduced you yet." Eve said. "Everyone this is Cecilia. Cecelia this is Riley." She pointed at the baby, "She's one. This is Patricia, she's six. Then there is Tiffany, she is ten. There is Raven, she's fifteen and a rotten brat too. Then there is me at seventeen. Then my brother Alex who is nineteen. He and Oliver jam a lot. Alex plays the guitar too."

I nodded. "Awesome."

Alex smiled at me. "I have heard a bit about you." Alex had a nice smile. He had shaggy blonde hair, bright green eyes and dimples.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Oliver has mentioned you a lot."

"What has he said about me?"

He checked the clock, "Oh s**t, I better get out to the farm. Nice meeting you Cecelia."

He got up from the table and left.

"You done?" Eve asked me once she had cleared her plate.

I nodded.

"Well I am going to get changed and then we can get to work."

"Awesome. This will be fun."