Bette cowered in the corner as Melvin approached her menacingly. His jaw was set in anger and his veins were popping out of his head. "What did I tell you about going to that damn Kung Fu place?" He said in a dangerously low tone.

Bette dropped her head and said, "but all my friends were going."

"Your GUY friends! You’re not allowed to have guy friends," Melvin shouted, "that James character is the one responsible for this."

"James has nothing to do with this!" Bette cried.

"James is a bad influence and I want you away from him," Melvin snapped.

"Daddy he’s my boyfriend!" Bette said, "he loves Kung Fu and so do I!"

"Shut up!" Melvin screamed, "women don’t like that vulgarity! Women are born to marry wealthy, real men, obey their every order, cook for them, keep their house clean, bear their children, and raise them!"

"Well I don’t want that!" Bette snapped.

"You don’t choose what you want, I do!" Melvin said, "you leave that pesky little street boy. He’s a bad influence and he’s too old for you."

"He’s 11 and I’m 10!" Bette cried.

"He pressures you for sex doesn’t he?" Melvin said.

Bette’s forehead scrunched up and said, "what’s that?"

"He never mentioned it?"

"No, what is that?"

"Never mind," Melvin said shaking his head, "just break up with that boy tomorrow morning or I’ll put you in home schooling."

Bette’s small body began to shake with anger as she screamed out, "NO!"

Melvin’s face turned so red Bette thought he would pop. "What did you say?" He growled.

Bette backed away from him meekly.

"I said, what did you say?" Melvin repeated stepping forward menacingly.

"Daddy, please…"

"Take off your shirt and turn around," Melvin said.

"Please daddy, don’t…"

"Shut up and do it or you’ll get the basement!"

Bette squeaked in fear and pulled up her white uniform polo shirt as she turned around.

Melvin smirked and said, "you don’t wanna be tied upside down all night I see. Good girl."

Bette’s body began trembling from the cold as well as from sheer fear. She the buckle of his belt jingling as he removed it. She felt the first hit of the whip right on her side where she had just gotten stitches because of last time’s punishment–She hadn’t cleaned her room. She cried out and fell to her knees. Suddenly all the closed wounds that had become scars on her back started hurting at the same time and each additional hit was just a sting adding to her personal collection.