Falling For a Thug: BOOK 1

Chapter 1

"And the next time you step foot into my house at this time, you'll be getting more than a punch in the face." My mother uttered impulsively after punching me in my face the minute I step foot through the door.

I quickly ran to what I call a room and wiped the blood from my nose. This is not the first time she's put hands on me, and it won't be the last. My name is London and I'm 18 years old. I was born and raised right here in Virginia. Many people love it here in the small town of South Boston.

People say they've enjoyed the life that they have lived here, but not me. I plan on leaving as soon as I finish up my senior year. My Father died when I was just 10 years old. He was caught up into all the wrong things and got killed over owing money. The craziest part of it all, I witnessed him being shot right in front of my eyes. Yup, I stayed hidden in the closet, watching and listening to those 3 men torture my dad.

In the last 9 years I've learned to somewhat cope with his death. My father did his share of dirt, but overall, he was a good man. My mother on the other hand, she was...scratch that, she is a wreck. She takes any and everything out on me. I've gotten beat with cable wires, broom sticks, anything that was in her reaching distance.

I've been in and out of hospitals numerous numbers of time. Broken wrist, fracture this, bruised that. You name it. But somehow, I don't have a single hate in my blood for her. I want better for her. I want her to get some type of help. Go to therapy, something...anything. I laid back on my small mattress that's currently stationed on the floor in one corner of my very small room. When my father died my mom insisted we move out of our nice family home because she couldn't live there knowing that's where he took his last breaths.

I didn't have a say so in her decision. She's the parent and I'm the child, so I packed my belongings up, moving out along with her. South Boston isn't one of the wealthiest places here in Virginia, but at least I have a roof over my head, right? I'm 5 foot 3, light skin and petite. I am a mix of both my parents. My mother is African American, and my dad was Cuban.

I'm mixed with some Spanish heritage you can say, but I don't know nothing about the language or culture. I'm finishing up my senior year at South Boston High then I plan on attending college at UCLA, if I can get in. I don't have much friends at school, just Becky. The rest of the kids at South Boston High can keep their fake, phony friendships. Out of all the students there, I only clicked with Becky, and a few other girls, of course but no one I can trust as much as Becky.

She's a transfer student from Texas. She's cool, funny, smart and caring. That girl reminds me of myself in different ways. I think that's why we hit it

off that day we met in Bio, Chemistry.

We grew close and eventually formed a tight bond. We'll mostly hang out in school, or the school's library because of how strict my mother is. I don't have a cellphone, laptop nor a tv like most normal teens my age. None of that nice stuff.

My mom doesn't do much for me, and the one time I tried to get myself a little prepaid phone she broke it, then beat me so bad for trying to be "Grown". Sometimes I wish my dad can somehow come back and ease all my problems. Just somehow.