Artificial life [1, close your eyes and pretend everythings okay]

Sonny strummed the last chords on the guitar and song the final lines with emotion filled vocals, ending the song perfectly. This song was for his band which was called ‘Silk wrapped battle wounds’. 1

“That’s the new song…” Sonny muttered still clutching the guitar in his hands.2

“Wow. That was just beautiful; do you have a name for it?” I asked him smiling.3

“Yeah, it’s called ‘Sorrow’.” He answered staring blankly ahead with his silvery blue eyes. 4

My smile disappeared, Sonny got like this so much, it’s a pain to see someone like that. I could tell he was sad and I only wanted to help him.5

“Is it about your… family?” I asked him sadly.6

Sonny was pretty depressed about his family. I would be too if my brothers sold drugs, my father hated me, and my mother was killed by my uncle. Sadly, all that happened to Sonny.7

“Yeah…” He whispered in a tight voice.8

He reached his skinny hand up to his face and swiped his bangs back into place with his wrist. His black hair shined a bit even in the dim light of my room.9

Suddenly the guitar fell from his hands, I was about to grab it so the noise wouldn’t wake my mom but I stopped. Sonny had tears rolling down his cheeks and he was trembling uncontrollably. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his skinny frame, letting the guitar collide with the floor causing a loud thump probably waking my mom… but I didn’t care about that right now.10

Sonny’s head lay on my shoulder and I could feel his tears fall down on my white tee. I hugged him a little tighter, he was still trembling… I guess what I really liked about Sonny was that he wasn’t afraid to show emotion like other guys, plus he was a lot like me.11

“A-A-Audrey…” Sonny cried my name between sobs.12

I pulled away a little bit to look him in the eyes.13

“Shh…” I hushed him, pushing my finger to his lush lips.14

Sonny cried for a couple more minutes, I knew it was best to let him cry it out… I had my arm around his shoulder and was rubbing his back slowly, what you would do for a crying child. I felt so bad for him, and I was just glad I got to see him happy at times.15

“Audrey, I think I should be going…” Sonny muttered staring at the clock in my room.16

It was nine pm; Sonny was already late for his curfew which was nine… His house was thirty minutes away from mine; his father was going to yell at him… That is if he even noticed he was gone.17

“Okay bye,” I muttered dropping my arms limply from him.18

He wiped his face with the back of his hand; bent over and kissed my cheek. I secretly wished his lips would have stayed longer then they did.19

“Audrey, you’re a life save,” Sonny whispered slipping out threw my window.20

I threw myself on my bed and groaned. Sonny would probably be drinking as soon as he got home. If he stopped drinking then maybe things would go good for him, he was an amazing person when he was sober… I wish people would see that.21

He was smart and beautiful, he was also very talented. He wanted his band to be famous; I wanted it to be famous also. His band was amazing plus it was full of some pretty good people, they had brilliant songs and they were all just amazingly talented. Sonny also wanted me to a model so I could be happy; I’ll admit I don’t think I’m model material. I have long blonde hair that I tease, and I put hair extensions in that I place on my shoulders. I also have light icy blue eyes. I’m about 5’3 and very thin, except I kind of have big boobs, heh; does that sound model material to you?22

Anyway, Sonny and I are best friends, but I happen to love him. Which is like any another teenage love story or whatever…23

I got up and slipped into a blank tank top and shorts. I jumped on my bed and pulled the covers over myself, I closed my eyes trying not to think about Sonny. I tried to sleep but Sonny’s crying face kept popping up in my head. I opened my eyes and reached over to my nightstand opening the draw. 24

I grabbed the pill bottle and took one; I have trouble sleeping so my doctor put me on sleeping pills. I swallowed them and closed my eyes slowly drifting…25

****26

Ring… Ring… Ring! Huh, who the hell could that be?27

I rubbed my eyes and rolled over to grab my cell phone, happening to notice the time was six am. Who calls at six in the morning…?28

“Hello?” I moaned groggily into the phone.29

“Uh… uh, oh hi,” Sonny’s voice muttered; he sounded weird.30

“Sonny… What’s up with your voice?” I asked sighing.31

“Err, nothings wrong with it…” He mumbled drifting.32

I was silent…33

“Uh, why’d you call me at six in the morning?” I finally asked.34

“*bunny*! It’s that time already? Anyway… I wanted to know if you wanted to come to a party with me and the boys, it wouldn’t be one with out you.” 35

The boys meant the band; I really liked hanging out with them.36

“Yeah, when is it?” I asked smiling.37

“Tonight at nine…” He muttered drifting again.38

“Okay… but that’s your curfew…”39

“Don’t worry about it…” 40

“Okay… well bye luff,” I said hanging up.41

It was odd that Sonny would call and invite me to a party, fifth teen freakin’ hours before it started…but then again, Sonny was weird like that.42

I rolled over and shut my eyes; I was very tired from the pill. I hope no one calls me again, I’m so tired, I thought to myself yawning. I drifted yet again, hoping not to be interrupted this time…43

****44

Ring, Ring… Ring!45

I’m dreaming, the phone is not ringing. Dream, dream, dream… Ring! Oh my god!46

I flipped over to grab my phone to see the time was now six thirty. I had gotten thirty minutes of sleep, probably even less.47

“Hello…” I moaned in a weak voice.48

Don’t you need seven hours of sleep if you’re on sleeping pills? I suddenly thought to myself, though I didn’t really care.49

“Hey Audrey…!” Sonny yelled.50

“Not so loud… Why are you calling me again…?” I huffed.51

“I got bored babe,”52

Maybe you should be sleeping, I thought to myself.53

“Sonny… do you happen to be drunk?” I asked in a high pitched worried voice.54

“Umm… I think…”55

I bit my tongue, I knew he would go and drink. It was like a punch to the gut still.56

“Sonny go to sleep, and I’ll come over at eight… when you have a hang over or something, okay?” I pleaded.57

“You mean eight in the morning?” 58

Ugh.59

“Yes… now go to sleep…”60

“Bye,”61

Click.62

I rolled over and held my head in my hands. What the hell, why’d he have to get drunk? I started to cry, this wasn’t the first time he had gotten drunk and then called me. Every time he got drunk it was a shot to the heart, I just couldn’t understand why he did it… At least he didn’t hurt himself or something…63

I pulled the blankets over my head and wiped the tears away. I closed my eyes and let my worries slip away from my mind…64

****65

Beep. Beep. Beep! My alarm clock screamed at me.66

I flipped out of my bed and then slowly walked to the bathroom, then jumped in the shower. After quickly washing my hair I got out and quickly dried off. I blow dried my hair and just straightened it this time. I walked back to my room still wrapped in the towel; I walked over to the closet and put on a pink and white long sleeved tee and tight black jeans. I ran down the stairs grabbing an apple on my way to the door and almost made it out the door.67

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” My mom asked me.68

“Friends house, it’s important!” I said in a fast voice.69

I throw the apple over my shoulder and into the trash can, I wasn’t hungry.70

“Okay be carefully… You’re going to Amy’s house, right?” She asked.71

Amy was my mom’s best friends’ daughter, she was the most stuck up cheerleader I’d ever meant. Sadly, Amy liked me so I was forced to hang out with her. When I say hang out with her, I mean forced to sit through hours of her babbling on and on about nothing, and sometimes if I’m lucky I was dragged to her cheerleading practices. How fun!72

“Yes hers!” I answered to quickly without giving it much thought.73

I ran out the door not letting her say anything else; I had to get to Sonny’s. I jumped in to my mom’s black hummer, and pulled out of the drive way quickly. I drove a little faster then the speed limit, but I got there.74

I pulled into the gravel drive way and saw the door was wide open, swinging in the winter breeze. There were no other cars so I guessed Sonny’s father wasn’t there. Good. I jumped out of the hummer and slammed the car door shut.75

Sonny’s house looked like it always had; run down. It was big, old, and wooden; some of the windows were boarded up with wood. Honestly, it was hard to believe someone lived there. I walked into the house and found myself in the living room, which looked like it always did also.76

There were chairs pushed over and beer bottles on floor. The wooden floor boards were scratched up and some pieces had been pulled out. I frowned and walked carefully over the beer bottle to the stairs. I grabbed the railing and climbed up the old creaking stairs. When I reached the top of them my foot hit something and I heard it roll smoothly across the chipped wood flooring.77

I looked down to see it was a needle, I closed my eyes and walked passed it. When I reopened my eyes I was standing in front of a door with smoking come out from under it. I wasn’t sure whose room this was, but I was curious… it could be Sonny’s after all. I had never been up stairs in Sonny’s house before.78

I bit my lip and opened the door. I saw three boys sitting on the floor smoking weed; I think I saw some crack on the floor too. I gasped and they looked up at. These were Sonny’s brothers…and this was my first time seeing them.79

“Hey, Sweet stuff,” They called looking at me.80

I slammed the door shut without saying anything then oddly walked to the next door. It was cracked open a little bit and I saw someone sleeping on the bed, I opened the door to see it was Sonny curled up on the bed under a small worn blanket. I suddenly wondered how he slept in the winter with such a thing. His bed was made of wood and looked split in the middle. His mattress had pins sticking out of it and his pillow was very flat. And even though he was sleeping I could see him twitch as he shivered.81

Some sunlight was shinning through from the window and hit his pale cheek, he looked beautiful. I sighed and walked over to the side of his bed. I had to smile to myself at how peaceful he looked, as if nothing was wrong even though everything in his life seemed to be wrong…82

“Hey Sonny…” I whispered softly in his ear.83

“Audrey!” Sonny yelled opening his eyes.84

I laughed a little bit at his surprise.85

“Yeah… So how do you feel?” I asked smiling.86

“Terrible, my head is killing me!” He moaned.87

“That’s what you get for drinking… and underage…” I said half jokingly.88

Sonny gave a small chuckle and smiled at me, I smiled back at him.89

“I’m so glad you came,” He whispered.90

“Me too,” I said patting his velvety soft hair.91

“Ahhh… I have to throw up,” Sonny muttered jumping off the bed and running out of the room.92

I frowned hearing him throw up. I wish he knew how it felt for me to see him like this.93

Sonny walked back into the room holding his head against his right hand, he looked very pained.94

“Ugh… I think I’ll go to the store to get aspirin,” Sonny groaned.95

“I’ll get it for you,” I offered.96

“No, stay here though, okay?”97

“Okay Sonny,”98

Sonny smiled then walked out of the room. I listened to the stairs quietly creak as he walked down them. I didn’t hear a car start up or anything, so he must be walking to the store… I wonder if he even had a car in the first place.99

I sighed and sat upside down on his bed; I looked at the floor and saw six beer bottles. I looked away and opened the draw to the night stand and reached blindly in. I felt something hard and kind of cold, curious I pulled it out; it was a beer bottle. It was full and unopened though, I smiled to myself.100

I flipped myself off the bed and walked over to the window. I yanked it open and threw the beer bottle out the window, he wouldn’t be drinking that. 101

Suddenly I heard the door open. I was kind of surprised that Sonny had got home so fast. I slammed the window shut as I heard the feet shuffle a little bit… for some reason they sounded a lot heavier the Sonny’s usually soft ones. I turned around and gasped a little- it wasn’t Sonny. Standing there was one of his brothers.102

He was extremely tall and his pupils were small – probably from the drugs. He had black greasy hair that hung down to his chin and was cut sloppily. He was wearing an over sized white tee and sort of baggy jeans.103

“I can’t believe Sonny’s been keeping you locked up,” The man who was Sonny’s brother said.104

I back up a little, I was confused… Plus I didn’t feel safe near a druggie. My back hit the wall and I just stared at the man who looked nothing like Sonny.105

“Oh, isn’t that funny? She’s scared.” He said licking his lips.106

I backed up even more squeezing myself against the wall… This guy was weird; I mean who was he talking to? He chuckled and took a step towards me.107

“Don’t!” I said in a squeaky voice.108

He laughed and took the last steps, closing the space between us. He reached out his hand and brushed my cheek with his index finger; I shivered in fear and turned my head. I tried to slip away from him but I failed miserably. He grabbed me by the waist and threw me over his shoulder fireman style.109

“Let me go!” I yelled at him in a high pitched voice.110

He didn’t answer; he just carried me out of Sonny’s room. He turned down the hall and walked over to the room where I saw smoke come from under the door. He opened the door and set me down, and then he quickly turned and shut the door.111

I slapped the man across the face, only to be slapped back in return. I stepped back away from him rubbing my now sore cheek. He jumped forward and slammed me onto the floor. I turned my head in pain to see my head had just missed a used needle on the floor. I heard him laugh loudly and noticed that the other two brothers weren’t here… They must be out getting more drugs. I was amazingly thankful; maybe I could take this one.112

The man was still laughing, so I took a chance and stood up quickly. He stopped laughing and grabbed my hips just as I tried to dash away from him. I shoved my hands down on his arms as hard as I could, trying to get out of his grip. He bent over and forcefully kissed me on the lips, I tugged away from him and he bit my lip.113

“Help,” I yelled, I knew it wasn’t going to work though.114

He flipped me to the floor again and this time got on top of me. My eyes went wide with fear and I tried to push him off, it wasn’t working… damn it.115

He pushed all of his weight on me; I bit my tongue trying not to cry. He bent down and kissed me again, this time I didn’t react I just went limp. He stabbed his tongue through my lips; I gave a hard shove on his chest.116

Why do I have to be so weak!?117

I heard the door open and started to thrash under him, afraid that the other brothers were here.118

“Get off her!” I heard a familiar voice sneer.119

Wait – was that Sonny? Yes it was Sonny!120

Suddenly I felt the weight being tugged off of me; Sonny was pulling his brother off me. I rolled over and jumped to my feet. Sonny had his brother on the floor; I ran over to him and grabbed his sleeve pulling him out of the room.121

I ran back to his room and shut the door after he was in.122

I walked over to his bed and fell against it, curling up holding my knees. I buried my head deep into his pillow.123

“Audrey, I’m sorry… I’m such a jackass,” Sonny muttered.124

“It’s okay…” I whispered.125

“No its not,” He disagreed with me, and then sat down on the bed.126

I didn’t answer; I just listened to his soft breathing. 127

“Sonny…”128

“Yes, Audrey?”129

“Never mind,” I whispered.130

I buried my head deeper in his pillow. I felt Sonny lay down next to me; his breathing was slow and soft… There was no noise in the house, it was dead quiet.131

All of a sudden I heard heavy foot steps coming up the stairs.132

It’s nothing, I thought to myself.133

Sonny didn’t seem to react like I did though, he shot up. I listened to the foot steps as they seemed to grow closer…134

“Audrey hide!” Sonny yelled making me snap my head up.135

“Huh? Why, what’s wrong Sonny?” I asked him surprised.136

“Just do it okay?” He yelled urgently.137

I rolled off the bed, I was going to hide under it, but the door opened so I just ducked behind it. Sonny looked down at me with a worried expression.138

“Sonny,” A loud voice boomed.139

I looked through the crack beneath the bed to see a dirty pair of men’s boots…it must be Sonny’s father!140

I tried my hardest not to make a noise.141

“Yeah…?” Sonny asked looking down at me then back at his father.142

“Ehh what’s over there that’s got your attention boy?” His father asked.143

“N-n-nothing,” Sonny stuttered.144

I looked back under the crack to see the boots move. Please don’t come over here I thought crossing my fingers. The foot steps grew closer and my heart beat grew faster.145

“Well, what do we have here?”146

I looked up and frowned deeply – I was caught.147

Sonny’s father stood over me. His hair was black with grey in it, he was tall and buff. He had small black eyes and was staring down angrily at me. I gulped.148

Sonny’s father bent down and grabbed my wrists, yanking me up off the floor. I winced at the unreasonable force he used.149

“D-Dad, don’t hurt her,” Sonny pleaded.150

“We’ll see about that!” His father yelled angrily.151

“Don’t hurt her…” Sonny repeated in a whisper.152

Sonny’s father tightened his grip on my wrists and dragged me out of the room. He yanked me down the stairs harshly and stopped in the living room.153

He picked an empty beer bottle of the ground and looked at me. I tried to yank my wrists free, but there was no way I could.154

Is he going to hit me with that?! My thoughts were racing in my head as I continued to try and yank my wrists free.155

He rolled the bottle in his palm, still looking at me. I stared back at him in fear. He raised the bottle and it looked about level with my head. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact.156

The seconds ticked by slowly and then I heard the beer bottle breaking…but I didn’t feel anything.157

I reopened my eyes to see that he had thrown the bottle against the wall; he had only done that to scare me, He grinned widely at my priceless expression.158

“Now get out of here!” He screamed shoving me roughly out the door.159

I fell to the ground landing on my back. Sonny’s father then slammed the door with such force I was amazed it didn’t break in half.160

I pulled myself off the ground and looked up at Sonny’s window. I could hear him sobbing; in between the sobs he said my name. I shook my head sadly and walked slowly to my car, jumping in.161

I was gladly taking his fathers advice.162

****163

I drove slower this time due to the fact I had to keep stopping and wipe the tears away so I could see. I probably added a couple more minutes to the additional thirty.164

I pulled into my drive way sighing. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about my mom; she thought I was at Amy’s. I smiled smugly to myself. I parked the car and yanked the keys out. I hopped out of the car and opened the kitchen door only to see my mother standing there.165

“Audrey! Where were you? Why are you eyes red from crying, and why is your cheek bruised?!” She asked tackling me with twenty questions.166

When Sonny’s brother slapped me it must have been hard enough to bruise my cheek.167

“I was at Amy’s, I was laughing so hard I cried, and I got hit with a ball.” I lied easily to her.168

“Why are you lying to me?” She asked sadly.169

“I’m not lying…” I muttered plopping down on the chair.170

“You’ve been acting weird lately, so I called Amy to check up on you,” My mom explained crossing her arms across her chest.171

I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. *bunny*, why dose she have to be so nosey!?172

“So where were you?” She asked me again.173

I tried to think of a quick, believable lie to tell her.174

“Fine, I was out in the woods and I fell,” I told her.175

“You were at the boy Sonny’s house; he slapped you and made you cry!” She accused.176

My eyes went wide just at the thought of Sonny ever hurting me.177

“Sonny doesn’t hurt me,” I hissed angrily at her.178

“I’m sorry Audrey; I just don’t believe you…” She muttered.179

I sat in the chair dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to say, no matter what I told her she’d still think Sonny abused me.180

“I’m going to go take a nap…” I muttered lamely getting up from the chair and started to walk to the stairs.181

“You’re this way because of Sonny,” My mom whispered angrily. 182

I stopped dead in my tracks completely shocked. I turned quickly on my heels and faced her, ready to give her a piece of my mind.183

“I’ve always been this way! You never spent any time with me, so you wouldn’t know! You’re not always right, you know that?!” I yelled at her.184

My mom looked at me completely crushed. I bit my lip feeling a little guilty about my sudden outrage on her.185

I turned back around and stormed up the stairs and to my room. When I reached my room I shoved the door open and then slammed it shut angrily.186

I looked at the clock to see it was two in the afternoon… and I was tried as hell. I set an alarm to go off at eight thirty.187

I plopped down on my bed and pulled the covers over my face. I closed my eyes and started to drift… 188