Kristie

“X!”

She heard the short, sharp bark that sounded so like a command. Her heart thudded in her chest and she felt the tremor in her toes. Her vision went out of focus for a brief moment. Curling her hands into a fist, she walked towards the living room. He was standing near the television, with a look on his face that turned the blood in her veins to ice.

“Did you touch my phone? I’ve told you before never to touch anything that belongs to me!”

She cringed inwardly, her heart hammering. “I didn’t touch anything.”

“How many times have I told you? All you do is sit around watching TV and get pathetic grades in school. I’ve provided everything for this family!” This was the beginning of the routine; she was very familiar with it.

I don’t watch TV, you asshole, because you get angry if the channel or the volume has been changed, and my grades are perfectly fine. I will not feel bad. I will not. I will not cry.

“Y! Look at your daughter. Standing here like a shameless *****, while you go around cavorting with your friends!”

X felt sympathy for her mother, but at the moment her head was pounding with the force of many unshed tears and she fought to keep control. He always managed to do it; separate her mother from her. It became a three-way battle, with both her and her mother being dragged along, but separately.

“I’m sorry.” It was meant to sound defiant, and she tried to glare at him. Before she knew it, her cheek was on fire and the force of the slap squeezed out a few tears.

Her mother gasped, and he backed away. He always did, before situation became too dire. No, one could not accuse him of domestic abuse. A few slaps here and there, when absolutely needed, of course.

The door thundered shut behind him, and she sat down on the sofa. Her mother gave her an apologetic glance and went into the room, or the kitchen. It was not safe for the two of them to sit together for long after such an episode.

She swallowed, got up and went into her room.

So, my roommate is awesome, and we bond a lot and I love her. But she doesn't wash her hands after pooping and frankly, they stink. And whatever she touches stinks! She has a tendency to touch me a lot after she poops and I really can't stand and I end up being inadvertently rude to her.

How do I tell her nicely that she should wash her hands?

This is going to sound very complicated. So my mom and dad don't really get along and they never have. They have a lot of fights and they shout and say extremely mean things to one another. So one day, they had a fight, and my dad hit my mom on the back. It hurt her.

Then my dad cheated on my mom and I found a text on his phone that he still does. I showed her.

The thing is, I know that it is really easy to hate him, but he is perfectly nice to me. I mean, I do abhor the things he does to my mom and I can completely sympathize with her, but even she doesn't hate him as much as she should. I don't know, my feelings are extremely complicated. I know he loves me, but I don't know what to do!

I don't think I've put it down as well as I should. It disturbs me mentally

Okay, so they project her as this really nice person, and in the end it seems as if all the other characters just accept whatever she's done and are okay with it.

Really weird isn't it?

I saw Glenn Beck's video on YouTube, he's just ranting about "Ganges" and "India" when he doesn't even know WHAT India really is! Here's the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7NUQZiWl6w&feature...

Indians are about 10 times smarter than an average American. Most US universities are filled with Indian students. And Indians DO have flushing toilets, it's absurd to even imagine otherwise. The Indian economy was not affected by the 2008 crash and is one of the growing economies of the world.

The thing that bugs me is that India has this impoverished image in the global media, as if we are made entirely of villages. I completely agree that India has a lot improve, in terms of infrastructure and development, but stereotyping it is just wrong.

If you're non-Indian, what do you really think about India?

Okay, so I know it is cliche and probably a little childish, but it's my first time and I really tried to let my feelings guide me rather than rhyming words. I would love to get some feedback.

A weight crushes my chest

The feeling when I'm lonely

My mind is clouded

With thoughts that will never be.

Restless shards pierce my mind

Milling about; roaming around

A face that cannot reflect my being

Nobody knows how tightly I'm wound.

In a crowded room with thriving noise

It is with people that I'm most alone

So many voices surround me

But none to call my own.

Some people revel in this feeling

Solitude is theirs to take

I'm not solitary, but lonely

Sinking into this heartache.

What's your general opinion, or the things that pop into your mind when you think of India?

No Slumdog Millionaire, please!

I have a rudimentary knowledge of French, but not so little that I have to read picture books. So no children's stories, please!

I firmly believe that the best way to learn a language is by reading its literature!

I really love reading history, mostly European history. I'm looking for something along the lines of Stacy Shchiff's Cleopatra/Vera or Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

Fiction will also do, but it has to be really accurate.

I know its really short, I'm planning to write more, but I just wanted an opinion as to my writing ability.

The water-jug arced through the air, almost in slow-motion. She traced it as it slowly neared the cold, gravel path, her heart beating faster every moment. Finally, it hit the bottom, not making as much noise as she would have expected. There was no relief; because the crystal jug was no more, instead, glittering specks of rainbow-colored light dotted the garden path.

I need a list of soft acoustic tracks. Ideally only guitar and vocals but others are fine as long as they sound soft.

Ones which really make you get up and dance...i have a party cuming up...and plus I don't want the really obvious ones...thanks

Like limewire....

I have a big debate coming up tomorrrow and I need to know the positive effects of the entertainment industry. Basically, the topic is " Does new age enatertainment thrive on voyeurism?" I think it does, what with the reality shows but I couldn't find good points on the positive side. So please help!!!

I want the answer from a purely legal point of view. I think it is but I can't be sure. And also could you tell me its link to the Uniform Civil Code..??

I'm getting mine tomorrow.

I need to write a detailed report on a topic, it can be any topic.The topic has to be international. .

I need a topic to write my report on...I don't want banal topics like environment and all.

I want a serious issue which may or may not be current.

And I need this desperately fast !!

My friend and I tried out for the High School soccer team..just for the heck of it. We play soccer with some friends but that's it.

Now, suddenly I'm on the soccer team and I don't even have shoes!

Plus, Im the goalkeeper (or midfielder..depends) and I know neither head nor tail..

I can't abandon the team but I need to know some exercises or something that will improve my skills...especially relating to goalkeeping.

Thanks!

I want the names of good thrillers. They can be adventure or spy novels, sci-fi, anything but thrillers.

I've read all Alistair MacLean, Tom Clancy, Ken Follett, Jeffery Archer, John Grisham, Sidney Sheldon, Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum, Matthew Reilly, Steve Berry , Raymond Khoury and Sam Bourne.

I do not like Dean Koontz, Lames Hadley Chase Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel.

Basically, I've read the popular writers, I wanted to know a few other good ones.You know, the ones where you are up all night turning page after page....

I want the rapid, fast ones...

Thanks a lot...!

I want to watch the heroes finale " An Invisible Thread " online...can anybody name some sites where I can watch it for free?? I live in India so NBC.com doesn't work !

Plzzz..!!