Am I Falling Apart?, Hayley Smith [top 100 novels of all time .txt] 📗

Lana

You leave the kitchen for five seconds and suddenly, your Aunt decides to blow up the oven!

I thought angrily as I jogged from where I was outside, paying for a paper quickly so I could find out about the burned down building, I tossed a quick thanks to the young boy who had sold me it.

"No prob, Lana, just don't forget me tip!" The little boy called after me as I turned, hurrying inside, dropping the paper on a small table and running into the kitchen.

"Oh my god! Auntie, these were perfect before I left!" I said, frustrated that I had barely been gone, I grabbed a mitt to cover my hand from the hot pan and yanked it out of the fire, placing it above and waving a towel furiously to clear the smoke as my Aunt stood there, a goofy grin on her face.

"Sorry, Lana," Aunt Claire said, yup, my aunt, who couldn't cook to save her life, that's why she had me, her cooking slave.

"Whatever," I muttered, separating the burned ones and the ones that were just more crispy and gave her the crispy one after placing them neatly on beside the tea "This is enough, now go," she grabbed the tea and cookies and walked out to her tea party.
I sighed, swishing my medium length, slightly wavy brown hair, it ended below my shoulders a couple inches and curved everywhere at the bottom. My chocolate brown eyes flashed wearily at the door to the dining room to make sure my aunt was gone and I slipped off the tight shoes she made me wear and rubbed my feet, scowling at the red lines on my slim feet. Everything about me was slim, my arms, legs, my entire body, but not my head, it was a ovalish shape. I had my father's height, if only he could see me now... and my mother, oh she would love to see my silky, shiny hair that I have from her. I am 5'9", seven inches taller than my aunt who took after my grandma.
I tossed my shoes in a corner and wrapped the burnt cookies in a couple of napkins, I wished my sundress had a pocket, but it didn't, even though I thought it was somewhat cute, I hated girly things. The dress had a halter top, and it ended just below her knees. It was a light blue, her favorite color, with a large yellow circle around her small waist.
I opened the back door and turned, closing it quietly. Running down the cobblestone street with my hair billowing like a flag behind me and the sun shining down on everyone, which felt spectacular on my pale skin. My feet flew over the street, I jumped to the side occasionally so I wouldn't hit anyone, and I neared the dock. I dove under the dock, landing on my stomach and looked up at the little boy to the side who was holding a small clock in his small hand.

"One minute early!" Jeremy 'Hypes' Land exclaimed, plucking a stick out of my hair "I finished sellin me papes only five minutes ago, yous are really practicin," I nodded and smiled at him as he smiled back, a goofy smile like always, he was such a sweet little boy.
Jeremy had shaggy dirty blond hair and he wore raggy shorts and the new shirt I had bought him the other day to replace the ripped, dirty shreds that had served as a shirt before. He had the clearest blue eyes that lightened anyone's spirit with just one glance.

"Yuppers," I said, tussling his hair and held out my hand that held the burnt cookies delicately "Aunt Clair still can't cook,"

"Thanks Lana, I should get goin, the guys wonder why I take so long every day," Jeremy said, his grinning getting bigger.

"No prob, now scram, Hypes, I don't want you in trouble with them boys, and be careful, the Crawford brothers and there gang are back in town," I said, pushing him towards the opening from under dock. He rolled his eyes brilliant bluer eyes and hopped out from under, leaving the clock nestled in leaves, I checked it and waited five minutes before hiding it carefully and slipping out from under the dock, just as I heard yelling. I brushed off the dirt, looking towards the yelling and seeing the Crawford brothers and here gand throwing rocks at the high side of the tallest fence and saw Jeremy scaling it.

"Get yo lil ass down here you turd!" One of the guys yelled, chucking a rock at Jeremy and it hit him in the leg making him yelp. Before I could register what was happening, I was across the street and my fist connected with his face, then my foot where the sun doesn't shine and he fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Looks like he's not the one going down," Someone chuckled and I spun around, seeing Brad Crawford, the youngest of the three brothers. My hand swung out in a flash, but he caught my wrist it and said "Feisty," and I grinned.

"You have no idea," I said, flipping him onto his back before adding "Next time, no touchiing me," as I yanked my wrist from his grasp, smirking at him as he pushed himself to his feet.

"You'll pay for that," Brad growled and I sighed, hating his guts and everything about him, crossing my arms as he glared at me, looking me u and down.-

"Ha, yeah right, you wish," I said, rolling my eyes before yelling to Jeremy "RUN NOW!" and I tripped the two people running for Jeremy who was already streaking down the fence and into the streets, towards his gangs warehouse. I kicked Dan Crawford i the jaw, wishing I wasn't wearing a dress and whirled around as someone grabbed at my dress, smashing my fist in the guy's face.

"Fuck!" The guy yelled, falling back and clutching his nose "That bitch broke my nose!" I smirked, seeing the blood trickle past his dirty hands.

"Your welcome, it's a definite improvement," I said before running through the streets, the Brother's running after me since they were the only ones I had not made fall to the ground. My feet flew over the street, nearing my favorite tree when my foot got stuck on a rock and I fell, head over heels on the ground, hitting my head on a rock.

"Crap..." I mumbled, looking through my blurry vision and seeing the brother's run up at me, but I blacked out, hoping they left my body alone.

 
My eyelids fluttered open and I gained feeling in my body, slowly though, I looked around and my neck ached but it wasn't broken thank god, nothing was apparently but I was sore all over. A pain was worse in my had where I hit the rock, but it would heal soon enough.
I noticed a presence in the room and saw Dan Crawford sitting in the wooden chair beside the table I was on in the room. I slowly stretched my limbs and stood, my dress and undergarments were on so my worries faded, I knew I was in there warehouse though.

I hope I don't end up dead here,

I thought as I stood up. I patted my sundress down and opened the door slowly so it wouldn't creak and braced myself. I flung it open and ran out, running swiftly for the door but someone wrapped there arms around me as I neared the open door. I screamed and struggled to get free but they held tight, putting a hand over my mouth and I bit it.

"Wha the fuck!" Brad Crawford yelled in my ear making me yelp as his grip tightened and it began to hurt a lot.

"Your hurting me," I whimpered in barely a whisper, my voice squeaky and he instantly loosened.

"Sorry Goily, you shouldn't gos bitten mes though," Brad said, his accent thick in my ear as he hugged me from behind.

"Release me now and I won't." I snarled at him, finding my anger and voice as I struggled against his hold. He let go of me and I darted out the door, running hard towards my house and stumbled, when I saw a trail of ashes and smoke. "No..." I mumbled, running faster and I saw a pile of rubble and ashes.
I saw to crates and pushed myself on top of the largest one, tears dribbling out of my eyes as I looked at my burned down house, all of my things were gone, nothing survived it.
I jumped as I felt something touch my shoulder and turned my head to see the third Crawford brother, and the oldest, Todd. If I had to choose a favorite of the brothers he would be it, he wasn't a jerk to me and helped me sometimes when Brad and Dan were picking on me or attacking me.

"Hey, yous okay there goil?" Todd asked, rubbing my back soothingly.

"No..." I mumbled then asked "What happened? How long was I gone?"

"Yous hit yous head pretty bad, three days," Todd said softly "Yous Aunt ran off with tons o money and headed someswhere in Ohio," he shrugged before continuing "Wes saved yous stuff right in here, yous gonna stays with us fors a whiles," he patted the crates, big and small, then sat on the small one, still rubbing my back. "The boys will pick this stuff up, yous got the bestest room wes got, so lets go back now," I nodded and stood, instantly flinching as I realized the ache in my leg. Todd smiled at me and put his arm around me and under my arms, supporting my weight once he had stood up and we made our way back to the warehouse.

Once we neared it we saw Nate Chris and Greg. "Ya sweet cheeks!" Greg yelled out and I scowled at him, making him smirk at me.

"You call me that one more fuckin' time and I'll murder you," I snarled at him, my fist swinging out at his face but Chris caught my hand quickly.

"His slut dumped him for another guy, he has a temper at the moment, be careful," Chris whispered quickly in my ear, making it look like he kissed my cheek, then walked off towards my old home.

I grinned wickedly at Greg and said "I hope you had fun with your slut, because apparently you can't even keep that slut longer than a week, I hope you run into her and her new guy," venom dripping in my voice as I brushed past Brad and walked inside before Greg could react. Todd followed me