After school I decided to go into town with some friends to collect my dress for prom. It was the perfect one for me. I adored it. I wanted classy but sexy. It was royal blue with a cut right up the leg. Things have been going great with Tony. His 'mood swings' have stopped which I'm glad about.

I did ask if him if he was cheating on me, my own insecurities took over. I had to know. I believed him when he said he wasn't. He wouldn't cheat. At least I don't think he would. "So Fuentes, plans for tomorrow?" beamed my friend Natalie.

"Leave school at 1pm, go home, get ready & get picked up at 6 for prom." I returned the heartly smile. There was 4 of us going together. Me, Tony, Mike & Natalie. They had a thing for each other, I was always almost positive they were seeing each other but they always denied it.

***

"I'm homeeee!!" I called through the house. Vic came running out the kitchen, paper & pen in hand. He soon dropped them & grabbed my dress. "Vic don't! It's a surprise."

"Hey, I'm not having you going to prom looking slutty. I have to check these things." he smiled. Oh damn you Victor. Why did I have to be the only girl? Everyone was like this in my family. Oh speaking of which, the family visit not so long ago ended badly. It resulted in a punching match between my cousin, Mike & Tony. How classy of them right?

"Slutty? Nice choice of words." I laughed as he studied my dress. He nodded in approval & flashed a smile. Wait until he see's how far up my leg the cut goes. He won't be nodding then. I didn't care, prom was going to be the best night of my life so far. I sat down on the sofa & flicked through the channels. Nothing was ever good on there. I didn't know why I bothered.

he's cheating.

That stupid little voice creeped it's way back. I was doing just fine without it. "No he's not.." I said out loud. "He's not, he wouldn't, he couldn't." my voice was getting louder. That was until Vic rushed in. A look of sadness in his expression.

"Sorry." I smiled a little.

"You know, you could always just go round? I'm sure he'll like that."

"I'd rather not." I sighed. Wait, what was I doing? Was I really going to let the voice win? I changed my mind & collected a few things. Vic drove me over there, I liked this time I had with him. We put on a CD & started singing loudly. I couldn't sing very well but I didn't care.

Vic on the other hand could, he was an amazing singer. He writes a lot of music himself. Trust me to be the talentless one in the family.

1 New Message: Tone
Can you come round? I'm bored & need you, love Tone :)

I smiled & replied back telling him I was half way there already. I still never understood why he always said who it was. I had it number saved, obviously so I clearly knew who it was. Maybe he did it to all the girls he texted? don't you mean all the girls he's sleeping with. . I shook my head lightly. Do not ruin this for me.

***

I'd been at Tony's about an hour when my phone buzzed, it was Natalie. She was practically screaming at me through text. Her text didn't even make sense. It was just scrambled words. I laughed to myself, making him look at me. I showed him the text. "Looks like Mike finally popped the question."

"Oh no Tone, they don't like each other remember?" I replied sarcastically. I swear to god if he has & didn't tell me I would kill him. On the other hand, I'd be screaming & jumping up and down with my friend over this. Yes sounds weird because he's my brother but they were just so perfect for each other.

I yawned & stretched a little, revealing a little bit of my stomach area. I quickly remembered & pulled my shirt down quickly. I was praying he hadn't seen. He'd get so upset with me. He'd make me explain why I did it and with him being the reason I couldn't face telling him why. "Hold up, pull it up again."

I shook my head. "Baby, is that what I think it was?"

I shook my head again. "Claire?"

"Tony?" I copied him. He gave me a 'tell me the truth' look. I refused to give in. Tell him a lie. That'd keep him happy. "Fell out the tree house. You know me." I knew he wouldn't believe me. Before I had chance, he grabbed the bottom of my shirt, lifting it up & sitting on me. His fingers lightly tracing the newish cuts. Tears brimmed in his eyes. He leant down & kissed my forehead.

"You're beautiful, don't hurt yourself." he whispered. "I don't want you to hurt yourself." There were thoughts rushing through his mind, I could tell. He was chewing the inside of his lip & that was a big give away. "I love you." he said before placing 3 soft kisses on my belly.

"Love you too." I smiled, pushing my shirt back down. Well that was certainly different, he'd usually tell me off or try to make me see what it was doing to me. But this time he was more of get to the point sort of thing. He sat back down beside me, tapping his lap indicating for me to lie down.

"Sleep well beautiful..." he whispered as he lightly played with my hair. Oh this was blissful.

I wandered into the house, I could hear Tony & another voice. A girls voice. Why was there another girl in my boyfriend's house on date night? I continued looking through the house, every room.

I opened his bedroom door to find him sat on another girl, both practically naked. Practically suffocating each other. The tears came & I couldn't stop them. "I hate you." I managed to shout out at him. Both of their heads turned to me.

"Claire, wait..." he scrambled off the bed & followed me. I couldn't believe it.

"No Tony, I believed your bullshit lies."

"It wasn't a lie." he spat.

"Lies, lies, lies. I'm too fat for you, too ugly for you now. It's over!"

I stormed out, the tears never stopping as I ran out of the house & into the road.

Blackness is all I saw

I shot up, wide awake. Tears in my eyes. I was shaking a little. The dreams were starting again. They always ended the same. Me being dead. I looked up to see Tony sleeping. I carefully climbed off up & headed upstairs. Rummaging through his things, I was looking for a sharp object. Something, anything.

Typical for him to not have anything of the sort in his room. The bathroom was clear as well. I was just about to head back downstairs when he mom peered out the bedroom. "Claire, honey. You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry for disturbing you." I blinked hard & fast. Forcing the tears back inside, but it was too late. She came out of her room & hugged me. "He's cheating on me." I let the tears fall. I couldn't hold in it any longer.

"Shh, honey. Have you talked to him?" her voice was soothing as she sat me on the floor, doing so with herself. I shook my head. "Talk to him, you might be surprised."

"He'd only deny it. Why is he with me? I'm a fat, stupid ugly mess." I put my head in my hands & cried harder. I didn't want him to leave me. It was surely going to happen though.

"You are non of them things." his voice. Oh crap. He knelt down in front of me. Cupping my face with his hands. "Claire Felicia-Regina Fuentes you are a beautiful young girl, who is perfect in every way. I love you & it pains me to see you talk about yourself like this."

"Then why are you sleeping with other girls?" the words tumbled from my mouth before I could stop them. I put my hand over my mouth. I watched him carefully, anger seemed to fill his eyes. His mom soon got up & left us. We walked downstairs, his grip on my hand a little tighter than it should be.

He was mad at me, I knew it. We were stood either side of the island thing in the middle of the kitchen. I couldn't look at him. I didn't want to. I felt so ashamed of myself. "Look at me." his voice seemed dark. I refused to look up. I couldn't.

you are a stupid girl, this was a secret I told you. now he knows you know. Yes I know that. I'm sorry for being a fuck up. you are pathetic . Them words cut through me. "I said look at me." he fingers lifting my face up to meet his. "Now why would you think I'm cheating baby girl?" in no more of a whisper.

"I-I don't k-know." I stammered. I couldn't tell him about the little voice in my head. don't tell him Claire, he'll think you're crazy. lock you up, send you away. I bit my lip, fighting back the tears. Why is it always me that gets into this mess?

It wasn't long till the tears fell on their own accord as the back of Tony's hand collided with my face.

Tony Perry just slapped me.

He just hit me.