Safer Outside (A Mature YA Romance) (The Outside Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

out on her own but at least she would be out of their way. The yelling in the front room started as soon I found her pacifier and strategically positioned it near her head.
    Mom was crying and cussing. Jesse was banging around and calling her a w hore. At least the kids were asleep and didn’t have to witness this. Just as I closed the bedroom door, I heard a thump and a loud cry. Then the house was silent.
    I despe rately wanted to go check on my mom but that would only make things worse. I learned a long time ago that he was worse with an audience and just a passing glance was enough to get him going again. I crawled up to my bed and cried silently until I heard the shower turn on. Once I was sure he would be locked in the bathroom for a while, I crept out of my room and went looking for Mom.
    I found a fern in a pile of dirt on the ground and a broken ceramic pot. The pot was covered in dark red blood that trailed out the front door. Apparently, Mom also felt getting out of the house was her only sanctuary. I stuck my head outside and quietly called for her but she didn’t answer. Hearing the water turn off, I ran back to the room on my tiptoes and climbed up into bed.
    I lay in bed for hours before I heard a rustling outside my window. Lifting the corner of the curtain, I saw Mom pull the screen off.  Without a word, she climbed through the window and walked straight to my closet. The side of her head was matted with caked blood and her shirt was covered in crusty brown splotches. Her heavy breathing coming from the crack she left in the closet door was the only sound in the room.
    When her breathing evened out, I had to speak. “Mom,” I whispered.
    “What?” she asked, annoyed that I was putting her hiding place in jeopardy.
    “Don’t die.”

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
    What’s Your Name ?
    The next morning was relatively quiet. Mom fed the kids while I made Billy’s lunch and gathered everything into his backpack. I was anxious to be on our way. I walked him to his bus stop at the corner and left him with some buddies. As soon as my bus arrived, I could feel the tension start to ebb from my body. I let my mind wander to Logan. Would he still talk to me or was he already over it?
    Kim was walking up the front steps right as I arrived. ”Okay, I got the four-one-one on Logan. He works at the smoothie place in the mall so we have to go there tonight. You can stay over, right?”
    “Yeah, I’m not going home for a while. I have to work until about six but we can go after that.” I left some cash in the jar on my dresser for Mom so she’d be fine for a few days. Well, fine for gas and cigarettes. That’s all I could do for her. It seemed like the ‘bad days’ were more frequent when I was home so I hoped that by giving them some space, she would get a reprieve. Of course, that meant the kids were on their own too but Mom was pretty good at taking the brunt of her husband’s fury...especially if she knew I wouldn’t be around to intervene.
    Before I left, I also packed a bag of clothes so I could stay away for a while. If necessary, I’d borrow some of Kim’s ‘baggy’ clothes. She didn’t have many but there were a few things I could squeeze my hips into.
    I was at my locker, dropping off books, when a hand passed my face and pressed against the locker next to mine. I could feel his breath on my neck before I heard him speak.
    “So, tell me the truth. What’s your real name?”
    Huh? I turned under his arm and was staring at Logan’s chest. I peeked up at him under my lashes. He was so close, he could have kissed me. The smirk on his face told me he knew what I was thinking.
    “Uh, Liz.”
    “Amanda said your name is Beth. So, which is it?”
    He was wearing a hunter green t-shirt that was the exact shade of his eyes. I wanted to stare into them for hours but he was waiting for my response. “Well, my full name is Elizabeth. I used to go by Beth but now it’s Liz.” I peeked under his