Growing up with someone you don’t get along with is not easy, at all. The fights, the tears, the tension, it all affects you later on. It’ll tear you apart, limb by limb. It will completely drain and eat you alive. Yes, I do know this feeling. It’s a terrifying nightmare you just can’t seem to wake up from.

My mother and father split before I was even two years old because my dad was sent away to prison. Don’t worry, my mom was alright. She found someone soon after while still living with my dad’s parents. His name was Joe. I don’t remember much of him from when I was younger. All I know is he raised me and I somehow started calling him dad.

That didn’t last very long though. I got to middle school, my preteens, and I began doing more outside of school like hanging out with friends. I also began doing chores. Chores I didn’t mind and I could understand why I needed to do them. They were okay at first but, more and more seemed to be added on every year. It seriously got to the point where I was their slave. Not exaggerating I had to do everything around the house, all by myself. No one else did anything at all or even helped. There were 3 other people in the house; I couldn’t get just a little bit of help?

I got even older, now a freshman in high school. I started fighting back and standing up for myself. Fights and arguments were constant. They never seemed to stop and I never seemed to stop crying. My step dad began drinking. It wasn’t an everyday thing but he used every excuse he could to get as wasted as possible. Let’s just say he wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around when intoxicated. He began to physically abuse my mother and emotionally abuse me. My mom never stood up for either one of us. She knew if she even tried she would “get into trouble.” It started to spiral out of control and another argument started, the day before family vacation. Things got physical. Keep in mind this is between my step dad and I. He’s screaming at me, “Why can’t you just respect me!?” I screamed back, “I will never respect or forgive you after what you’ve done to my mother and what you’ve done to this family.” That was the end.

My grandparents had to come get me before things got too bad. I thought I was only being kicked out for the summer, to let the heat die down, but apparently they had something else in mind. I called to see if I could just come down for the weekend. See my brother, my mom and my dogs. I’d slowly return. My step dad said no and of course my mom went with what he said. I said, “Alright, fine. I’ll see you in court!” My dad took them to court for custody of me and proved them unfit parents. He won and also now receives child support from my mom and step dad. Everything is so much better now that I’m out of that house. I was finally awakened from this nightmare.