The days and nights seemed to fly within our world, tangling into one another with the clear fear of our parents control over us lingering like a bad taste you just couldn't be rid of. My mother was drunk most of the time on whatever it is she could possibly get her hands on. While my father devoted his time to his usual masquerades. Torturing me. Spying on me. I wanted to run. But I knew I couldn't. The feeling of having Erik in my life, knowing he would always be there, is what kept me going. Kept me alive. We'd grown so close so quickly and yet, I loved it more than anything I'd ever experienced before. And that, is why my father hated it so much.

"Is everyone gone.....?" Erik and I practically tip toed into my eerily silent house, not a soul to be seen in sight. It was an odd feeling really, not knowing where everyone was. Usually this time of day, my dad is at the front lines wanting to know how my schooling went. But he was simply..... gone. A liquor bottle was smashed to pieces on the floor in front of us, not knowing whether I should be worried, or used to it.

"I hope so. Because I definitely don't want to deal with my dad today. I deal with the devil enough....." I softly smiled at him while taking his hand within mine, leading him up the stairs and to my room to lock ourselves away from the world for a while before it all came crashing down once more. Upon entering, I noticed my bed was a jumbled up mess, clothes littered all over the room. And my mom passed out under the covers.

"Mom....? What happened?" Erik and I looked to one another in clear confusion, not understanding what on earth possessed her to come into my room. But it couldn't have been good.

"Your father is furious. As per usual..... he knows all about your sneaking around with that boy right there. We had a fight. He hit me..... and left." My eyes widened in pure fear from her words, my heart racing more and more with each passing second. He wasn't supposed to find out. I don't understand.... we've been so good at hiding. How...?

"We can't take this anymore mom! We shouldn't have to answer to him constantly. And if he has a problem with Erik and I, he can tell me. Not HIT you over it!!" My erupted scream caused her to flinch once sitting up, eyeing her black eye and bruised arms from clearly his fingers pressing far too hard into her skin.

"And where will we go?! Huh?! Your father will NEVER...... let us go. He'd rather see us dead than to leave. At least that way he would still win....." I threw my book bag across the room with all my might, feeling Erik's arms wrapping around me to comfort me the best he could. He slowly led me out of my room, leaning me against the wall and placing his hands firmly on my cheeks with his own tears cascading down his handsome face.

"I told Lyle.... about everything. Our parents. They can't keep getting away with this abuse. Physically and mentally." I slowly met Erik's gaze, seeing the pure brokenness within his features. I hated what Jose has done to him.

"But my dad has never sexually abused me. Erik..... you don't deserve that. You know that right? You deserve a better life. You and Lyle both. Ava and I." Our foreheads connected with one another, our breaths mingling together with our tears seeming to cease the longer we stayed like this together. When Erik decided to tell me everything that has happened to him and Lyle since they were children, it utterly shattered my soul and heart from the mere thought of it all. Innocent beings having to endure the worst kind of punishment from the people who are supposed to love you the most in this world. It makes me sick just thinking of it.

"I know..... I want it to stop Ana. More than anything. It has to. After we graduate, we have to stick to our plan. Leave. Go to schools away from here. Don't come home as much. We have to." I softly kissed him with as much love as I could muster, thinking of Ava and how I could ever explain something like that to her. Maybe I'm meant to take her and run, figure everything out without my parents looming over us ever again. I would do anything to keep her safe. Even if it meant drastic means.

"Wherever we end up, Ava is coming with us. You know I can't leave her here." We finally broke apart, holding hands all the way down the stairs and hoping the entire time that my dad wouldn't show. We walked to the kitchen with relief washing over me that no one was in it.

"It's all four of us against the world." A little smile broke out onto my face, leaning against the counter to calm my racing heart with Erik standing in front of me. His handsome face was all I ever needed to see to feel calm again. To feel whole.

"Always."