I keep my mouth shut and don’t utter a single sound as he drives fast.
Getting out of the car, he slams the door hard and barks at me to get out.
I force myself to stay calm as I slip out.
My eyes catch a glimpse of Nadina’s house and I see her looking at me through the window. Before I can pass her a smile, Dad grabs my wrist and starts pulling me towards the house.
Once inside he shoves me hard and I hit the wall.
“I brought her home,” he shouts.
“What?” Mom comes out of the kitchen and pales when she sees me.
Her eyes fill with sadness and fear but she schools in her emotions. “Hope, what are you doing here?”
I only stare at her.
It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her.
The last time I did, she kicked me out and told me to not come home.
It was late at night, and the silence outside was suffocating, so deadly quiet.
I’d never felt fear and uncertainty like I did that night. It wrapped around me, thick and heavy, and I couldn't escape it. I was scared. So scared.
As we stare at each other, it all comes back and a fire lights up in my heart.
I don’t reply to her and avert my gaze from her.
“I found her in a mansion. That boy she has been whoring aorund with is a rich kid,” Dad snaps at me. “Tell me, how long have you been fucking him?”
“Stop it!” Mom intervenes.
Dad frowns and looks at her. “What did you just say to me?”
Mom steps away from him.
“That’s what I thought.” He smiles, then turns his attention to me. “Now, you are going to answer some of my questions.”
I shake my head.
He takes a swig from his bottle and starts walking towards me.
In a panic, I start backing up, then break into a full sprint up the stairs, desperate to get away from him. I know I’m as good as dead tonight. He’s not going to let me live after finding out I stayed at a boy’s house for weeks.
His loud thumps weaken the floorboards of the stairs and they creak.
The horrid sound send chills down my spine.
Before I can open my bedroom door, he catches me and slams me against the wall.
“Alex, let go of her!” Mom hurries towards us.
“Stay back! Bitch.” He throws his bottle at her, but it misses, shattering into sharp shards at her feet.
“Don’t hurt her,” she begs, eyes filled with tears.
Dad smiles. “Hurt her? I’m going to kill her.” He fixates his eyes on me and they look so dark. “I will punish her for leaving us and staying at a boy’s house. I told her to stay away from him. I told her what would happen if she wouldn’t.”
