The calmness of the waves soothed my troubled mind from endless thoughts of why my parents agreed to this trip in the first place. I'm absolutely thankful we got away from Beverly Hills for the weekend, don't get me wrong. But why does it feel like a trap? If I have real, actual fun, will I be punished? Saturday morning came after our drive here Friday night and it was honestly a peaceful morning. We all had breakfast together, talking and enjoying each other's company. Everyone seemed happy. At least for the moment.

"Wake up sleeping beauty!" I jumped a little from the sudden voice of Lyle from right next to me, seeing him sitting down with that grin of his on his face. He was ready for swimming and his muscles were out in full force. I never honestly noticed just how much he had until now. A girl can appreciate you know.

"Sorry.... I was lost in my own mind." He chuckled, throwing an arm around my shoulder while we watched Ava and Erik running about with my mom close behind, big smiles adorned on their faces. Ava was so happy. That's all that mattered to me.

"You know it'll be alright. Our dads are so occupied with each other that I don't think they are guarding us as much as we thought they would." I simply smiled, relaxing into his embrace with a content sigh escaping me. It was such a beautiful day. I was getting a perfect tan in my new bikini I was allowed to buy just for this trip. My father wanted to kill me for even buying something like this in the first place. He said, that's what whores wear. It attracts all the wrong attention, he says. But maybe that's what I want. Maybe I'm tired of being innocent for his happiness.

"You're right. I want to enjoy this weekend. I'm just nervous about the consequences." Lyle suddenly leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to my cheek, before rising off the ground and taking me with him to join Erik and Ava now running towards us from the waterfront. Erik looked absolutely amazing in his swimming trunks. I couldn't help but hug him. He was like a light I've been searching for in the darkness of my life.

"I don't know if I've said it enough. But thank you Erik. For all of this. You have been the best gift I could have possibly received." We slowly pulled back with my arms wrapped around his neck and his around my waist, lingering in the embrace. We just stared at one another with smiles as bright as the sun. But then it happened. It just happened. We kissed. Something I've been dreaming of for so long. And it was just as perfect as I imagined it would be. I never knew we were being watched.
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"You kissed Erik!!" My hand landed on Ava's big mouth whilst I was putting her to bed for the night, the days events tiring us all out. But it was the most fun I've ever had I think.

"Could you yell that a little louder? I don't think they quite heard you in outer space." Her giggles escaped from underneath my hand, just as I removed it to see her little smile.

"I'm sorry sissy! But.... what if daddy saw?" I sighed a little, tucking her in with an attempted smile. I'm thinking he did from his coldness towards me during dinner. He was silent as a mouse. Even Jose and Kitty seemed tense. My mom was her usual cheery self and Aunt Marta was having a great time. I simply ignored my father. But I knew I couldn't for long.

"It'll be okay munchkin. I'll handle it when that time comes. Besides, it was worth it." I winked at her, seeing her little eye wiggle come about from my words. She was honestly such a goofball.

"But all you need to worry about, is getting some sleep. We have to head home tomorrow." I softly placed a kissed to her forehead, grinning from the happy sight of her. She had the best time with Erik and Lyle. It's aloud her to see that not all men are as horrible as our father.

"Is someone going to dream land in here?" Lyle poked his head into Ava and I's room with a little smile on his face. Ava of course was all excited to see him. Even if she did just see him a mere five minutes ago.

"Can Lyle tell me a bedtime story? Please....?" I rolled my eyes with a sigh, before nodding my head, knowing I couldn't tell her no.

"Take it away Lyle the great." He chuckled from my nickname for him, before patting my back and getting on with story time. I slowly crept out of the room into the darkness of the hallway, not hearing a single sound coming from any part of this place. Almost as if everyone had vanished. Until I was passing my parents room that is.

"I strictly told her to stay away from those Menendez boys! Did I not?!" I jumped a little from the sudden sound of my father, yelling at my mom with so much anger laced within each word.

"She's becoming a woman Nick! Did you expect her to never grow up?" It suddenly went deadly silent within the confines of the dark hallway, before a loud slap was heard from behind the door, causing me to flinch with tears welling in my eyes from the pain my mom always has to endure at the hands of that monster I call my father. I was helpless, knowing it would do no good for me to interrupt. It would only make it worse.

"Don't you undermine me.... I'm the boss around here. I run the show while you stay home, getting drunk off your ass and tending to those ungrateful little brats that we never should have had! Yet another thing you disobeyed me about." My eyes widened from his harsh words, my tears freely falling at this point. They never wanted us....? Before I could hear anything else, I practically ran to Erik's room to find him coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his curly hair damp from the shower he clearly just took.

"Ana? What's wrong?" I didn't care if he was dressed or not, all I could do was run to him. I tightly hugged him with my sobs filling the room so loudly. My heart was broken. But then again, I don't know what I expected at this point from my father.

"I don't know what to do Erik! My father doesn't want us together. He knows.... I know he knows because I heard him. He was furious. Saying he wished he never had Ava and I...." We slowly pulled apart as he wiped the tears from my red and puffy eyes, sitting me down on his bed to start the slow calming process.

"My mom and dad say that to Lyle and I all the time. She's forever telling Lyle he's ruined her life. So much is happening in our houses. But yet, what can we do? If we leave they'll kill us. You know they will." I looked up at him with wide eyes, seeing the pain and so many secrets hidden behind his eyes. I knew there was so much more going on in the Menendez home.

"We have to do something. Before it's too late." I softly placed my head against his, feeling content with Erik by my side. I knew I was safe with him somehow. And then it just seemed to happen all over again. We kissed. With so much passion behind it, I was completely lost to his touch. I was so scared to be intimate with anyone, in fear that I would be hurt like usual. But deep down, I knew that this was right. This was what I wanted.