“Kirsten….if you think your running away again you have another thing coming”

“what are you saying”

“you know what i’m saying”

….Kirsten turned toward Angleica who was cowering on the other side of the room on the couch. “Angleica….here is some change, take the bus home ok?” The tone Kirsten used
alone was enough to make Angelica leap from her couch and take the change. She wasn’t so sure about Dina anymore, such hostility scared her…which was ironic. But Angelica
was also scared of Bette. But no time was left for thinking because Kirsten gave her a look that said “LEAVE”…so she left, leaving the two sisters alone. Angelica went to the bus
and got on, it came just as she got to the bus stop thank god. The bus driver was a plump east indian with a large black turban, he looked away whenAngelica came on, others looked
a little closely. Then Angie realized why, her ear was bleeding again, from where Bette almost ripped the earring off. The reminder made Angelica feel sick. She had to come home, had
to come home…but could she do it? Could she be strong enough if mommy was still so angry? Be a good girl, she had promised herself to be a good girl….vowing to herself to
not sleep with Shad again not with anyone till she was at least 80 years old, stay safe. she was so stupid to have let him ***** her. she decided she was safe from any STDS pregnancy or any of that *****, it was only her second time.  Little did Angie know.

 The house was quiet when Angelica came in. Her ear was throbbing but her stomach and heart was throbbing more. where was mommy? Was she still mad….what
about what she herself was feeling? angelica felt a little sore, between her legs….and her ear hurt, and she was scared…so many ***** emotions that she radiated a mix of
scents, of fear and past *****. Bette was at the kitchen table…Bette had just come from the hospital and for that Angelica was extremely lucky. Staying by
the comatose boy’s side calmed her, she had looked at him, looked at his closed eyelids…she held his hand. She felt guilt and sorrow for what she had done…and she felt so
lucky to  have angelica. It was a miracle that she managed to feel this way. If Bette hadn’t gone to the hospital to be by her victim’s side she might have hurt angelica again. She felt
so angry towards her fool of a daughter, for what she did for what she made Bette do. But seeing that boy Bette was glad her daughter was still alive. There were so many timems
when Angelica might have died, might have ended up dead. The time Angelica ran away and ended up in a crackhouse…Bette might have had to fly to New York and identify
Angie’s body. It might have been Angie that died instead of Tina. If Angie died it would have been worse. Her and Tina would have disintergrated, broken up….shriveled up. So
when Angelica came in the house shaking because she was so scared Bette felt her heartstrings being pulled pulled and pulled. Bette walked up to Angelica and put her hands on
her daughter’s shoulders….Angie flinched violently, then stood still…

“are you ok?”

“yeah…”

“where’s Kirsten?”

“with her sister”

“….we have a lot to talk about….but i want to get one thing straight…………..did you sleep with Shad again?”

 At that Angelica screamed inside….she can’t tell he rmommy, she can’t. If she did Bette would this time rip her ear right off, both ears. She would cook her alive and feed
her to the dogs.

“…………………………..no”.