Today was my first day of 3rd grade. Harry's mum wanted to drive us to school. I waited out on the front porch right outside the door. Harry and I had discovered that we would again be in the same class. I was very excited. That is until i heard my father screaming. He was screaming at my mother. She hadn't gotten any more booze. I had begged her at the store to not. Maybe he would act better if he didn't have them. He continued to scream at her. I started to cry realizing that it was my fault. I ran inside. He had his hand raised to her.

"No!!" I yelled.

He looked at me with pure hatred.

"What?" He said spitting out the words.

"Mommy wanted to get them! I begged her not to! I thought maybe you wouldn't be so angry if she didn't." I looked at my mother who had a look of pure fear. I could tell that it was not for her.

"You did what? What? Do you not like me when I have a few drinks in me? Is that a problem to you Arabella? Is daddy not appealing to you when he is tipsy? " He got closer and closer to me with every word. I wanted to run. I knew what was coming. My mind told me to run. My feet were to afraid. My heart told me to stay put. That if I put up a fight it would be worse. I closed my eyes. I waited for the blow.

It never came. I peeked through my eyes and I saw my mum had grabbed his hand.

"Don't you dare touch her. You can hit and punch and do whatever the bloody hell you want to me. But You. Do. Not. Touch. Her." The look in her eyes had scared me. I had never seen her act this way. She had fire in her eyes, that even had my father stepping away from her. I could tell though, that was not enough to keep him from her. My mother came up to me.

"Love, I want you to wait on the porch for Mrs.Anne. She should be here soon. I want you to go to school. I want you to have a good day." She kissed my forhead. "I love you. Forever and always." She hugged me and then looked at me. She had tears rolling down her face. She was scared. I was scared. I didn't know what was gonna happen after I left. She then turned me around and pushed me towards the door.

I ran out the door. I was afraid that would be the last time I would see my mother. I sat on the steps and began to cry. I finally looked up and dried my eyes. Just then Harry's car pulled around the corner. I ran to the side of the road and waited. Harry had a smile shinning brighter than anything. I couldn't help but to give him a little smile back. I jumped into the front seat.

"Hello." I said waving as Harry looked back at me. He gave me a look telling me that he would have a word with me about the puffiness of my eyes. I was trying to think of a good enough excuse. Mrs.Anne then looked back at me with a smile. I tried smiling back and then her smile faded and she had an odd expression on her face. We drove in silence.

When we got to the school, she gave Harry a kiss on his forhead. Right as we were about to get out Mrs.Anne then looked at me.

"Ara... Could you stay for a moment. I would like a little chat with you." She said with a smile. She pointed to the school for Harry and he pouted. I watch him as he walked up the steps and then waited on the front benches.

"Yes ma'am?" I asked politley

"Why have you been crying dear?" The second those words came out I began to cry again.

"I'm so afraid of what he is going to do. I don't know what to do. I can't do anything and it's all my fault! I did it! It will be my fault!" I practicly yelled at her.

"What are you talking about?" She asked giving me a confused look.

"Daddy... We went to the market yesterday while Daddy was at work for the night. She was about to put a pint in the trolley when I begger her not to. This morning he was yelling at her. She was crying then he tried hitting me. But mummy wouldn't let him." I said as the tears poured out of me. She sat in silence as I let it all out. When I finally stopped and was hiccupping she rolled down the passenger side window and yelled for Harry.

"Harry!" He looked around the corner. He ran down the steps and to the side of the car.

"Yes, Mummy?" He asked.

"I want you to go to class. When you get there tell Mrs.Hoggins that Ara will not be in class today. Do you understand?" She said with a sturn expression.

"Yes Mummmy. But why?" He said looking back at me and seeing that i had cried even more. His face full of worry.

"Nothing you need to worry about love. She is going to be okay." She said smiling at him. She then shooed him away from the car. I watched him walked away from the walk a bit. As we drove away he watched the car. I turned around and hid my face until the car came to a stop.

"Wait here." Mrs.Anne said. I nodded as she went inside my house.

I heard some yelling and then Mrs.Anne came running out of the house and then to our neighbors home. She knocked and when he finally answered I could tell she was speaking in a hurry. She then ran back to the house. Soon I heard sirens. A policeman pulled up. He opened the door and walked in. I waited. I wasn't sure what was happening. I waited. Then the policeman then walked out again but had my father in hand cuffs. My mum and Mrs.Anne then walked out behind them. My mum was cryingas she watched them take him away. She then crashed her head onto Mrs.Anne's shoulder and held on. I sat there watching this for a while. It seemed like forever until Mrs.Anne came and got me.

"Ara, love. It's all okay now. He can't hurt your mummy anymore. I promise. He won't be back anytime soon." She held her hand out to me. I took it andshe pulled me from the car. My mum then ran up to me and hugged me. All she could do was cry and apologise and then thank me and say she loved me. We sat there for a good 30 minutes. I wound up crying too. Then she pulled away.

"Love, do you want to stay here with me for the rest of the day? Or do you want to go back to school.

I looked at her.

"I have to talk to Harry." My mother smiled and nodded her head. Mrs.Anne then drove me back to school. I walked into the class room. Mrs.Hoggins looked at me. I think she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. She told me to take a seat. I saw Kyra and Harry sitting across from each other. He had his bag in the seat next to him. Him and Kyra were in a deep disscusion when I walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He didn't even turn around. "This seat is saved, sorry." Kyra looked up at me and giggled.

"Oh... Well I can find somewhere else to sit." I said with a small playful pout. Harry turned around and grinned from ear to ear. He almost flew out of his chair and pulled me into a hug.

"ARA!" He said practicily screaming.

"Harry! You act as if you haven't seen me in weeks! It's only been hours!" I said giggling.

"But it all seemed so weird! It was as if something was happening that no one told me about!" He said pulling away. "You need to tell me what happened! What was wrong?" I sat down in the seat next to him and explained it all. Kyra and Harry both looked at me.

"So your father is no longer there?" Harry asked.

"Not for a while. That's what your mum told me anyway." I explained.

"That's good! My mum is always right!" he said with a huge grin.

"I hope so." I said with a grin on my face.

"Yeah... We are the weirdest lot. You both know that right?" Kyra said laughing.

Harry and I looked at her.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well considering we are smiling at the fact that Ara's dad got put in the bin? Plus we are the 3 smartest kids in any grade. Yet we want to stay in our right grades. Everyone says we talk like we are adults, but yet we are also the most immature out of anyone? Need I go on?" She asked.

"True." Harry and I said in unison. We all began to laugh. The rest of the day was of us all enjoying our time together. It was as if this morning was all a dream. But I knew that wouldn't last forever.

Notes

http://www.polyvore.com/fan_ficiton_first_day_3rd/set?id=66701470 Her outfit. Rate and Comment please???