UN/breakable

It was March 17th, 2006. The year of terrorising fashion and unknown murders. But no matter what happened there was always one house that never stopped beyond the clock. Terisha hadn’t had a good morning at all, her husband of 5 years, Michael, was still in bed and it was her sending the kids off to school yet again. She had to make sure 16 year old Dante was at the college for his interview at 7:45, 7year old twins Anina and Laila were at school for 8:30 and 3 year old Kai was at his child minders 40minutes before work so she didn’t have to rush around as much.

Having Dante at 15 had put a whole lot of strain on Terisha. It was hard to find somewhere for them both to stay as her family had given up on her because of her bad ways. Only one person stood by her and that was family friend Michael, although he was not the biological father of Dante he promised to stand by Terisha whatever choice she decided to make. Although it wasn’t made public, Michael was in love with Terisha and would do anything in his powers to have her for the rest of her living days. So when Terisha was in an agonising 23hours labour with Dante, Michael was by her side most of the way, up until he was hungry and bored and decided to go home. It was from that point, well through unreal pains and anxious screams, Terisha realised she really had nobody and was now the property of Michael. When Dante was checked over and released out Terisha moved into Michaels 3 bedroom house that he rented off a friend. Michael brought Dante everything he needed up until he was about 9 years of age. That’s where the real story begins. It was almost Christmas and Dante was showing his mum what he wanted for Christmas in the catalogue, and Terisha was promising Dante all these presents although she knew deep down she couldn’t afford to even buy half the things he wanted, but he wanted to be like the rest of the boys on his estate. Michael asked her to emerge to the kitchen were for the first time in her life, Terisha was beaten by a man she loved. She had the occasional playground scrap at school, but nothing like this. The pain was unbearable for her, and she had kept secret she was 3months pregnant. The beatings carried on for more months until Terisha went into early labour at just 32weeks. Anina came first at 4lb 2oz, followed by her identical sister Laila who weighed in at 3lb 1oz. The doctors were preparing Terisha for the worst, and Michael was nowhere to be seen. Dante neither. He was taught at a young age to look after himself. The midwife who delivered Dante also delivered the twins so she knew something wasn’t right when Dante nor Michael was there, as she knew Michael never took much to Dante’s birth. She asked Terisha if everything was fine at home and realised the knife like slash upon her neck. Taken this into consideration she called social services. Terisha begged and pleaded with the midwife to just give her a second chance of the job she loved the most, being a mother.

Countless beatings and 6 court cases later Michael was sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison and a ban from visiting Terisha and the children. So now a single parent to 3 children Terisha was really at her lowest in life. Moving the children onto a better estate with a bigger house hoping they had a good upbringing like she did, although she had a father. Terisha was a hard-working mother now, teaching others about domestic violence and trying to learn the community about the damage, she had scars to prove. By now Dante was a strapping student, aged 15 and the twins were 7, and Terisha had a one-night stand with a work colleague and thats when little Kai came along hes 3. They all have there own personalities, Dante was very popular with the ladies and had a passion for rap music, the twins were mad about acting and went to acting school each week, funded by the community, and Kai was a real lover for football. Either way one of them would make it big.

29th September 2007, Michael returns home. Well to Terishas home. She begged and pleaded for him to leave because she didn't want the children to be confused about who this man was. But in the end she had no strength or willpower left and let him in, she knew by then he was always going to control her life. Dante had left school now and was doing music at college and had just produced his first song, he named it, "Fighting tough", it was a song dedicated to his mother, and the domestic violence she suffered. When Dante returned home from a friends house that night he was livid by the fact his mum even thought about letting Michael home, the thought of him being there made his blood boil. He packed his clothes and off her went, any bus/train trip he could think of he went. Dropping off in local clubs and pubs trying to pay his way with his singing abilities. Although he never really made enough for a 9-5 job, the people were to busy in getting drunk or getting laid.

Dante wanted to earn as much money as he could to pay for a one way ticket to New York were he could pursuit his dream more. So he started busking on the London undergrounds. He earned more than he could imagine, and that day was spotted by a music agent. He was video recorded and became a star overnight. All his friends from college and the estate knew that one day Dante was going to make it big, but they didn't realise this big. Dante was introduced to big music producers and some stars and even had a verse in a Timberland song. But one thing never left his mind, his family. He didn't no back home his mum was in endless agony over the beatings she still recieved. One day he decided to make a call, to his mum. She was so relieved to find out he was okay but still heartbroken by the fact he got up and left and ran away from his problems.

Dante was introduced to a up and coming artist named Mariah, although her stage name was Curious. He'd never felt for anyone as much as he did her. She was the ultimate with her strong american accent, mixed-raced skin and vocal ability of an angel he knew he was in luck. Although he was warned about her past behaviour of how she fell in with a notorious gang and was once accused of murdering a school boy. All charges were dropped when Mariah's best friend Shakila took the blame. 46 hard years in prison. This didn't bother him one bit, he thought his life in London was hard. He studied hard with his recordings and even had a number one hit in America with, "Angel Eyes", based upon his time with Mariah. Word got out and one person wasn't happy Oli, Mariahs first love. He was well known within the secrets of New Yorks backgrounds and he really wasn't a pleasent person, he believed if he couldn't have Mariah nobody could. So he tried to persuade Mariah to meet face-to-face with Dante, although she knew it would be wrong she did it anyway. Upon arranging this Dante was packing to go back home and celebrate is success in the U.S, ofcourse this never happened. As he was about to leave his house a sports style jeep pulled up and demanded Dante to get in the car. With his young,cocky style and london slang he thought he was on MTVs PUNK'D and was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to appear, although all that appeared was a samauri sword that was violently slatted into Dantes side,back,stomach and chest. He never really stood a chance. Although recalled his last words were, "Tell my momma i'm sorry, i love her and she inspires me forever".

Terisha was at home preparing for Dantes safe return. Until a phone call changed her life, following by piercing screams that filled the air of the neighbourhood. Anina and Laila were straight there, stunning teenagers they had become. They couldn't bare to stand the fact there big brother was gone. And neither could anybody else. His body was flown over and there was a funeral held at the local church with a private burial. 1000 people attended that day.

The moral of this story is, don't let anybody get in the way of your dreams, pursuit them as quickly as possible, make everyday a dream and one day you could be living the high life, the one Dante never got to wake up from.

By Amie West.