Everything was absolutely silent that night in our house. Eerily quiet in fact. After the encounter with my father, things were incredibly tense between us all. My mother did everything she could to stay away from him. He would certainly be on the war path before long.

"Will daddy ever change?" My eyes widened from the sudden question that escaped Ava's lips, seeing the sadness within her eyes, reflecting back at me from the bathroom mirror. I softly ran her brush through your long hair with care to straighten it out for bed, not really knowing what to say. I could never lie to her. But I didn't want her life to be lived in fear, terrified to say the wrong thing or even step the wrong way and cause a bomb to set off. She deserved so much better.

"I don't know peanut..... I really don't know. I wish he would. For you. For mom. For me. But..... we can dream." I placed her hairbrush atop the bathroom sink, softly turning her towards me to bring her into a big hug.

"Daddy always hurts you..... I don't like it." I sighed in frustration towards the man himself, not the least bit surprised that she knew about it. She's a lot smarter than they seem to realize. She's always been. I do everything I can to guard her from the abuse. I would much rather take it than let it happen to her. Ava is my world. I couldn't let him destroy her.

"I know. But I'll be okay. Us Rosenfeld women are strong. And as long as I can protect you, I'll gladly take it. Don't you worry. Okay?" I pulled back with the best reassuring smile I could muster, seeing the uncertainty within her eyes, knowing it reflected how I felt every single day.

"But what happened in Florida..... he was so angry! He hurt you so badly." We tip toed to her room to get her ready for bed, not wanting to disturb our parents what so ever. We did not want their attention.

"Well it won't happen again. I won't let it. Certainly not to you. I made mistakes. I faced the consequences. But things are different. We have loving people in our lives for the first time in so long." She smiled from the thought of Erik and Lyle, just as smitten with them as I am.

"They're like princes! They'll save the day." I simply grinned once I got her into bed and tucked in, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead with so much love and warmth.

"That's right. They will...." Her night light illuminated her room in a hazy glow, seeming to soothe her into a peaceful nights sleep once I left the room to head back to mine, my mind littered with the thoughts that my father would never let me forget. Florida. I was lured into this group of girls for the simple fact that they oozed danger. High speeds down the coast, stealing from the other rich houses and letting it be known we had sex appeal. And it was that fateful night and horrible crash that set everything into motion. My car was totaled. My friend was killed that was driving my car. And my father was furious because I was tied into it. The headlines spanned everywhere and his name was plastered on all kinds of papers. I didn't think in a million years that this would happen. But it did. And well, here we are. In Beverly Hills with our new, perfect life.

"Ana? Is everything okay?" I took a deep breath to calm my beating heart, once I realized the person calling my name in a whisper was Helen. Helen has been apart of the family for so long. At least since I was a little girl. She's like another mother to me. And actually looks out for Ava and I's best interest. She's constantly going to battle for me with my dad, not afraid what so ever of the consequences that could follow as a result. She's tough as nails and completely strong willed. She's amazing.

"I was just putting Ava to bed. I can't exactly sleep. So I think I'm going to go outside to the pool. Just....." She stopped me mid sentence with a wave of her hand and a gentle smile, knowing she would never let my father know. Lord he'd drop dead if he knew I was outside, late at night, on a school night. But all of the many thoughts littering my mind, wouldn't seem to go away. So many memories of what happened and the result of them.

"You have fun sweetie." She softly hugged me, before heading off to bed for the night, leaving me to my own devices. I quietly snuck back to my room and grabbed my bikini I felt like wearing on this beautiful, warm night, quickly putting it on. The darkness of the house, seemed to aide me in my journey to the pool, becoming quite sneaky in my late night endeavors. Once I managed to close the back doors behind me, my eyes wandered over to the Menendez house, seeing absolutely no lights on. But knowing Erik would most likely still be awake. I snuck over through the hedges with a little smile to accompany me along the way, not believing that I was sneaking over to a boys house, in the middle of the night. Now this is something I've never done.

"Ana...?" I practically jumped a mile in the air from the sudden voice of Lyle walking past the driveway. My sneak level just went down a peg.

"Lyle! Oh thank god it's just you. You scared me." He chuckled a little once reaching me, seeing that he was nicely dressed, as usual. And here I am, practically naked in his yard. I'm not making myself look good what so ever.

"Do I want to know what's going on?" He seemed to venture up and down my body with his humored gaze upon reaching me, that little smile of his on his boyishly handsome face. All I could do, was blush like mad.

"I uh, couldn't sleep. I wanted Erik to keep me entertained." He grinned a little from my clear nervousness to the situation, not surprised at all that he's used to things like this. I mean, Lyle is a major catch. He's bound to have women after him all the time.

"You know, he really likes you. I do too. You're sweet. Kind. Funny. Something we aren't used to." Before I could even react, Lyle kissed my cheek in the most gentle manner possible, before leaving me a confused mess once he made his way further in the yard and into the pool house for the night. I finally managed to make my way towards where Erik's bedroom window was and threw our usual pebble at it, waiting with baited breath for him to respond. A few minutes later, he was walking out the back doors and towards me in surprise upon seeing how I was dressed. His gaze alone sent flutters through my stomach.

"Hey handsome. Are you up for a late night swim?" I softly took his hand in my mine with a little smile, bringing my lips to his with the most intense feelings coursing throughout my body. Like fireworks were going off within my body over and over.

"How could I say no after a kiss like that?" I softly chuckled once we made our way through the hedges and towards my pool, watching him strip to his boxers with a little blush once again rising on my cheeks. How can someone make me feel so many things all at once?

"I usually don't do things like this. But what the hell. We're young! We should be having some of our own fun." I instantly grabbed his hands and drug him into the pool by surprise, dunking under the water with our screams muffled by the waves of the water. Once we resurfaced, his curly hair was waved back and his eyes were glowing with happiness, seeing the handsome smile on his face that I loved so much. Everything was so peaceful around us, setting the mood for this magical moment. A moment I didn't want to end.

"My life has been such a whirlwind since I met you Erik Menendez. But I'm so addicted to the sensations I feel when I'm around you..... I feel alive for once." We seemed to float towards once another, like this magnetic pull until I was wrapped within his firm, comforting embrace. Everything seemed to disappear, leaving only us in the world together.

"You read my mind Ana. I can't stay away from you. I know it's dangerous. We both know it's dangerous to be together. But it's impossible not to be." I simply smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, not being able to get close enough what so ever. And we just shared so many kisses and had the most amazing midnight swim in the light of the moon, without fear.