I always felt like I didn’t belong. Not even in my own family. I was shamed by everyone for everything I did. My mom would always beat me for the smallest things. Like one time, I spilled some water, and my mom saw, and got out a belt, and beat me until their were welts where she hit, my dad would insult me because of my appearance, and would pull me by the hair if I didn’t do what he wanted, my sister Rebecca would mock me, lie about me, especially around her friends so much they would hate me, she insulted me too.

Worst of all, kids at school. They hated me. They all insulted me for everything. They made up the cruelest rumors. I never did anything, but my sister ruined school for me, and the kids already thought I was weird for my looks, and it was worse when I got my first boyfriend in sixth grade.

I thought he loved me, and truly understood me. But he didn’t. He was like all the rest. At first he was sweet, but eventually he became like the rest of them. One time during someone trying to fight me, I was on the ground, bleeding, I thought he would help me, yet he laughed as they kicked me while I was down.

I felt the adrenaline rush to my veins, and I was ready to snap. I thought of all the terrible things I could do to terrorize them, and suddenly I didn’t feel like myself anymore. I felt something evil take my mind over, until a teacher came rushing to my rescue, yelling at the kids to scram, helping me up, and I felt like myself again. What was that feeling? It’s like I have become someone else for a second.

Probably just the anger taking over. I got up, and started to cry as the teacher walked me to the principal’s office to explain what happened. Yet I couldn’t, It hurt to speak, it hurt to move, it hurt to cry even. I just sat there trying to talk, but I couldn’t, so I wrote it down.

That was years ago, but now I’m 21. I moved out of the house, got an apartment, a job at the Cafe Le Cream, and best of all I’m not abused anymore. Fact is, I love my life now. I have never once seen my sister or her mean friends yet. Which is good, but every time I am upset or having a bad day at work, I think of those years ago back when I was bullied and beaten, and I cry when I got home. My father had Cancer and passed away when I graduated, and as for my mother; well let's just say she didn’t work well with fathers death. So that leads us to here, me in the cafe, working my butt off to get good pay. I am a waitress.

Work was exhausting. However I got tips and i t was slow, so it was good. I was walking down the street, and it was dark. I glanced back behind me and saw a stranger getting closer and closer. I was creeped out then I broke into a run. I ran as fast as I could until I was slammed into the wall of an alleyway. The guy had me pinned, and I couldn’t move. I glanced around and saw a trash can. I focused on it and it moved to the guy, knocking him out cold.

I looked around to see if anyone was around and to my luck the guy I spilled coffee on yesterday was there, stared in shock and amazement. I went to him as fast as I could and pulled him into the alley.

“ Please don’t say anything to the police.” I said as he looked me up and down. Then he had a smirk on his face.

“ Okay, I won’t as long as you go to the Bar at 37th street tomorrow, 7:00 P.M. sharp. Then we have a deal.” he said as he walked down then did a small fist bump in the air.  He took that vary well, better than I expected.

I walked into my Complex Apartment, I walked towards the door and it opened, when I looked inside it was a mess. Papers everywhere, broken glass on the floor. I then realized I was robbed. Most people would have called the 911 but not me I found dirty footprints and a glove that might have fingerprints on them so then I called the Police.

Once the police arrived they got everyone out so they could investigate, they put caution tape around all the apartments. Guess I wasn’t the only one. They asked questions about what happened, the usual stuff police does. I walked out of the crime scene, and went back to the Cafe Le Cream. What a day. When I got there it was raining. Again, what a day. Looks like my manager is still here. “Nancy, what are you still doing here?” I asked. “Got robbed, nowhere else to go.” “You’re not the only one. “ I said. Really? It wasn’t just my apartment building. How could someone do that in just one night? Only someone with superhuman abilities could rob two apartment buildings through the night without a single person catching them.

“I have some pumpkin spice lattes in the fridge if you like them cold.” Nancy said, taking some out, and putting them in the microwave.“It’s been a tough day, I’ll take what I can get.” I said.  “Let’s go up to my loft. Luckily I have this baby or else I’d be sleeping on a hard wooden floor right now.” Nancy said patting the kitchen counter as she said “this baby”. I shuddered. “Never do that again.” “I regret doing that.” She said calmly.

She got the pumpkin spice lattes out, and we headed up the spiral stairs to her other apartment. “Any clothes I could borrow, these ones are getting a little musty.” “Sure, take what you like.” I took a baggy t-shirt with some plain sporty shorts.

I hopped in the shower, happy to feel the hot water against my skin. I wonder why someone would want to rob me. If I ever see that guy again I’ll show him who he messed with! Oh, you don’t even know my name, do you? It’s Roxanne. A sad name. Since my sister should be Roxanne, and I should be Raven. They messed that up.

I left feeling the cold air makes me shiver. I dried myself off, and put one the clothes she let me borrow. I started wringing my hair out and I heard the news on. “What are you watching?” I asked simply. “Their was 5 apartment buildings robbed. They think it was a very planned group of people who are extremely startled. It’s even worse since every building was suspected to have extremely rich people living in it. So I guess that’s why they did it. Wealthy people. But how could they not get caught?” Nancy said something like a journalist herself.

 Then something shocked Nancy, and I even more. “Five people were brutally murdered by the burglars. Desdemona Thompson, age 22, pregnant with twins, and married three months ago, and her little sister Desiree, age 16. Their other sister, Diamond Thompson, age 4 witnessed this event, but has not spoken since due to traumatic shock so no evidence has been revealed. The two sisters were what seems to be killed with their own treasured diamonds. Ryan Wellington, age 35,  was killed brutally with his million dollar Rolex that seems to be sharpened with welding equipment, Daniel Diaz, age 42, a Mexican father of four who immigrated one year ago for a better life, and Lilac Delores, age 25, with a son. Lilac's death was the most disturbing because her teeth, finger, and toenails were missing. Her hair was lit on fire, her face was cut out, and put on a ceiling, and her chest was carved out, and her body seemed to be…”

 I turned the television off in disgust.

“That could have been me.” Nancy said, only thinking of herself.  I sighed, thinking of everyone that was gone. Lilac's apartment was only two doors down from mine.  I guess everyone’s apartments were cleaned out of all of their jewels, and unnecessary expensive items, but I didn’t really care.  Daniel’s was a floor below mine.

“I knew The Thompson's, and I knew Ryan. I didn’t like them very much, but they still lived on the floor above me.” We both remained silent, hugging each other.

I grew up without any money, and can survive without money again. “It okay if I crash here? I don’t want to go back to my building.” I said, a little scared. “Sure.”

 Delores was a bombshell. Everyone loved her. Who would want to harm her. Then again, I didn’t know her very well. Who knows what goes on behind closed curtains. She must been pretty horrible if someone did that, or else, someone was just obsessed with her. Probably the second one.

Lilac wasn’t mean to me at all when we met for the apartment block party on the roof.

I felt helpless, and thought of everything all last night. I felt myself move around as many objects with my mind as I could until I blinked and it was daytime. Nancy was still sound asleep. I wrote her a note and was on my way.

I crepped out into my building through the fire escape, and snuck into Delores’ home. The police aren’t telling us something. I carefully went inside. I saw a puddle of dried blood, broken glass, fingernails, teeth, even some chopped off hair that smelled a bit burnt, what I don’t get: If they planned it so well, then why did they break the windows? How actually? They would've gotten some fingerprints wouldn’t have they? I looked around some more, but heard someone coming, so I hid in the fire escape.