5 Roberta II

Having nothing left in her she began walking home continuing to cry and it started to pour down on her.

"Why?" She yelled demanding an answer she wasn't going to get as her father pulled up beside her.

"Roberta."

"Dad what are you doing, I thought you were at work?"

"I was and then I got a call saying you were in trouble at school for bullying kids, doesn't sound like you."

"That's way over exaggerated I just spoke the truth"

"Get in, you're grounded young lady" her father said in his strict tone voice. She got in ignoring the fact it was the first time she was grounded since she was five. She was just happy she didn't have to walk a mile in the rain, excluding her suspension and being grounded maybe things were starting to look up. On the way home she passed a boy who looked like he was having a worse day then her.

"Hey I know him he goes to my school, I think his names Kieran" she said.

"I wonder what happened to him" she thought, he wasn't as goody-two-shoes as her but it was weird to see him skipping. They got home and she was sent to her room which was fine with her, she just put on dry clothes then curled up in bed. Scarlet came to accompany her and if Roberta was being honest she needed it even it was from a cat. Scarlet rubbed herself against her and purred,

"Thanks for cheering me up Scar" Roberta said. Her dad barged in and began collecting her books -

"What are you doing?"

"You're grounded and taking your phone wouldn't show you the discipline as much as taking your books will."

"Dad that's no-"

"And no playing the piano for two weeks, I don't even want you to touch it" her dad said leaving with his arms full of books.

"No homework, no school, no reading, no piano, I don't know how I'll survive" Roberta thought. Then she had an idea of something she hadn't done for years, she went to her closet and started digging through boxes,

"Where is it?" she said. Pulling a chair over to step on she saw it on the top shelf it was her guitar from guitar hero, she pulled it down and blew the dust off. Instantly she began to feel a rush of nostalgia and she set everything up to her TV deciding to do every song on the highest level. It was about 2:00AM when her father got out of bed wondering what she was still doing up -

"Yeah!" she yelled from her room smashing buttons. Her father was about to burst in when he realized what she was doing, she was having fun. He then remembered her and her mother playing it when Roberta was younger, looking over at her dresser seeing a picture of his deceased wife. He smiled and tears came to his eyes,

"Goodnight baby" he whispered but was not heard over Roberta playing Guns N' Roses, "Sweet Child O' Mine." About half an hour later she was on the last song when the storm picked up from earlier and blew out the power, "Aw man!" she cried. Looking at the time she realized she should probably head to bed anyways and laid down going over the day. "Yelled at by a teacher, sent to the office, suspended, and grounded. Who would've thought?" she said to herself. Waking up surprisingly early she had an idea to make her fathers favourite, breakfast sausage and pancakes. Turning on the kitchen radio, "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra came on 🎶 That's life that's what all the people say, you're riding high in April, shot down in May 🎶 Roberta sang along as she fried sausages and flipped the pancakes feeling like her mother. Her father flew downstairs looking for his briefcase -

"It's on the bench by the door" Roberta informed,

"Thank you" he replied.

"I made your fav-"

"I gotta go hon', thanks though" her father said retrieving his briefcase and heading out the door. Roberta looked at the pancakes which had burnt and was stuck with the breakfast sausages which she didn't like.

"Great" she thought throwing out the burnt food and putting away the meat for her father. Frustrated she switched off the radio and went up to her room and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She got closer to her reflection and was tired of it, thinking of all the people who called her "nerd, dork, goody-two-shoes, Virgin Mary" and more.

"I need to go do something bad and fun, not illegal or that will hurt my rep too bad but something" she said. Scarlet wrapped in and out of her legs then stared at her in the mirror,

"What should I do Scar?" Roberta asked. Then she thought of the money stash she had saved up from Christmas' which was about nine-hundred dollars thanks to her grandma. She took six-hundred and called a taxi while she brainstormed an idea.  She got out of her pyjamas and was pulling on her shirt when she heard the taxi honk out front.

"I'll be back Scar, don't worry I'll be fine" Roberta said scratching Scarlet's chin. Now in the cab she looked back at her house feeling guilty, what would her father think. Ignoring his grounding and just running out of the house to do God knows what -

"Where to darlin?" the driver asked. Thinking for a second she thought again about how people seen her and anger overcame the guilt - "The mall" Roberta answered. At the mall walking around she really had no idea why she had come here,

"This is what everyone's always talking about at school?" she thought. She walked passed fifteen stores before she decided to enter a makeup store and just walk up and down the isles.

"Excuse me miss, I was wondering if you could help me pick out some stuff?" Roberta asked a woman

"I don't work here" the woman responded rudely. Embarrassed Roberta stood there quietly while the woman walked away -

"Hey I think I could help you out" a girl said walking up to her. She looked about Roberta's age, a bit extra looking, wearing short and very tight clothes. Her face was covered in makeup and she clearly had experience in it,

"Um yeah please, I don't know if you can tell but I've never been in a makeup store."

"I can tell, don't worry though I'll take care of you."

"You will?"

"Why not...just as long as you're paying."

"Of course" Roberta said flashing a few twenties, scared to show the rest of her money.

The girl introduced herself as Brianna and stood by her word helping Roberta choose out the right makeup, she even showed her how to apply it properly in a store mirror.

"Now we need to do something about your clothes."

"My clothes?"

"Yeah you look like a librarian butch, no offence."

"No none taken" Roberta said feeling very offended. Brianna led her two stores down - "Why are we in here?"

"We need to start with your panties, what are you wearing underneath that?"

"Um, my Tuesday underwear."

"It's Thursday."

"I know but I had to do laun-"

"It doesn't matter, how about these?" Brianna said holding up a red lace g-string.

"Are you kidding, and let that ride up my butt?"

"Oh my...these?" Brianna said now holding up a pink lace thong.

"I-I don't know Brianna."

"C'mon it's what all the girls are wearing, you'll be able to lead on any guy with these" Brianna pressured. Roberta caved and agreed to it and now they were looking at bras, tank tops, crop tops and mini skirts. When they left the store Roberta looked like a totally different person. She was wearing a white fluffy sweater crop top, a tight black mini skirt with matching black knee socks, and a face of makeup.

"Is that you Roberta?"

"Quintin, what are you doing out of school?"

"It's lunch time, you look...incredible."

"Really? Thanks, I'm sorry about what I said in class."

"Ah don't worry about it, I laughed. Anyways I should get going and maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah for sure" Roberta said trying to pretend she was cool but still coming off awkward. "Who was that?" Brianna asked biting her bottom lip,

"Just a guy from school" Roberta answered still watching him walk away.

"Have you had sex with him?"

"No!"

"Why not? He's definitely into you."

"You think? I just don't-"

"Wait, are you a virgin?"

"W-what? No I've been with a lot of dudes."

"I got more work to do then I thought, come with me" Brianna said dragging Roberta. Brianna led her on a walk that felt like a hike,

"Where are we going?"

"We're almost there c'mon" Brianna replied. They eventually arrived at a house,

"Is this your home?"

"Uh...yeah."

"It looks pretty sketchy no offence" Roberta said as they walked in looking around for a clean spot to sit. Roberta looked over to see two men in the bathroom smoking something before one of them made eye contact and slammed the door.

"Don't worry about that it's just uh my dad and one of his friends, it's all good" Brianna said taking off her jacket. Windows were broken and boarded up, there was hardly any furniture and the furniture there was had cigarette burns, stains or holes. Brianna lit up a smoke and stood there as if she was awaiting something,

"You shouldn't smoke, it's bad for you" Roberta said. Brianna laughed and said

"There's a lot of things that aren't good for me but it is what it is."

"what do you mean?" Roberta questioned as someone walked in.

"Yo Brianna, are you ready for our Thursday night?"

"I got someone else here I want you to meet, she's a virgin"

"A virgin? Oh, well...isn't she just adorable" the man said. He looked late twenties or early thirties with scabs on his face. He walked over to Roberta and started rubbing her face and pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Why don't you come with me upstairs princess" the man said, no one called Roberta princess since her dad when she was four. Roberta felt like screaming no but she was just the type who couldn't speak up for herself.

"It's okay Roberta you'll be fine, it'll just give you experience for Quintin" Brianna convinced. Roberta agreed and headed upstairs with the guy and he started forcing himself on her while trying to undress her. After the second bite on her lip from the guy she kneed him in the balls and he yelled at her as she left the room.

"Brianna why would you hook me up with that dumb slut?" the man said practically crawling down the stairs behind Roberta and out of the house.

"What happened?"

"He forced himself on me."

"That's just how these guys are, it's normal."

"No it's not Brianna."

"Okay I'm sorry I just wanted to hook you up" Brianna said putting her arms out for a hug. Roberta stared at her not knowing what to think when all of a sudden the door swung back open, it was a tall, lanky man.

"Limp what are you doing back?" Brianna said startled -

"What the hell just happened? One of my usual customers just ran past me holding his balls" Limp said. Brianna started to giggle -

"You think this is funny?" Limp said walking up to Brianna and back handing her. Roberta screamed and the man looked to her asking

"Who are you, who is this?" Brianna stood in front of her.

"Leave her alone Limp, she's my friend" Brianna said. He was called Limp because he got shot up pretty bad in a Mexican gang fight, his gang survived but he never walked the same again.

"Well your friend is very beautiful maybe she can take your place."

"Let her go I shouldn't of brought her here I wasn't thinking" Brianna said as Roberta just sat frozen. Brianna hand gestured for Roberta to leave and Roberta tried but Limp pulled out a 9mm handgun.

"Get back here now bitch" Limp demanded and Roberta screamed hurrying back to where she was.

"Limp please, I'll do anything. I'll work twice as much and I won't leave the house anymore just let her go."

"You're damn right you'll do all that, but she's staying. She's too cute to let run off" Limp said grabbing onto Roberta's leg feeling her up and instead finding the rest of her money. "Look she even has my first payment" Limp laughed pocketing the bills -

"Don't touch me!" Roberta yelled shoving him back. Brianna grabbed a thick glass ashtray and smashed it over his head and knocked him unconscious.

"Go, Go now Roberta, get out of here" Brianna yelled, Roberta ran to the door and turned back,

"Come with me."

"I can't."

"Why not? I can call the cops"

"No don't! He'll kill me" Brianna told Roberta walking towards her before the two men opened the bathroom door.

"I'll be fine just get out of here. I can survive but you won't, I enjoyed having you as a friend while I could Roberta" Brianna said before hugging her then throwing her out the door. "Brianna!" Roberta hollered banging on the door, turning the knob but it was locked. She didn't know what to do and then a man by the street started yelling

"Hey get away from there!" running towards her. She turned and ran until she seen stars and dropped gasping for air, she was out of that neighbourhood finally but now lost. She was broke and didn't know which way was home, suddenly her cellphone began to ring...it was her father.