Danica POVSobs flowed evenly with the sound of the shower as tried to calm myself. Rick was extremely angry with me, but this was the first time he had held on for so long.My neck was red and sore. I cried even more at the sight of my neck in the mirror. Rick was no longer trying to hide his marks and I knew somehow, I would suffer for it more.The next morning, I stared in the mirror for almost thirty minutes before I reached into my cabinet and pulled out a bottle of foundation.I’d become a pro at covering the smaller and lighter bruises. I added the foundation to my neck and my face to cover my puffy eyes.‘Six more weeks.’ I said to myself while getting dressed. ‘I only have six more weeks until graduation.’I checked my phone while walking to school.Dmitry texted me last night. A simple, ‘How are you doing?’I didn’t bother to text back. I didn’t know what to say.I took my time getting to school. I knew Angel would have told everyone what happened Saturday.When I stepped in

Danica POV She uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you going to answer me? Or do I need to call the police?” Her eyes were focused on me. She took a second to take me in before demanding an answer again. And I did the same. This girl could have been a model. Her thin frame made her somehow look tall, but she was only a few inches taller than me. Her natural red stopped just beneath her shoulders. She had small perky breasts which didn’t need a bra, but I was happy she’d been wearing one at the moment. She stared back at me with sea green eyes waiting for my reply. “I’m Danica. Who are you?” I asked not moving an inch from the spot I stood. I tried to keep my composure, but my voice still came out in a tremble. “Ok. Danica.” She stretched out my name with a little hint of disgust behind each syllable. “Are you going to tell me what you are doing here? In this house?” She looked down at Dmitry’s balled-up shirt in my hand. I’d been clenching it since the moment

Danica POVMy mind was like a tipping scale or seesaw. I wanted to get in the car. But at the same time, I didn’t want to. My body kept pushing logic from one end of my mind to the next.I glared out the window when he closed the trunk and jumped in. I’m sure if the sun was shining right now, a blushing face would be staring back at me in the window.Looking past my reflection, I focused on his. I could see a good side profile of him in the window. He’d all but accused me of trying to kill myself, and still, all I could think about was his perfect face.When I began admiring more than his face, I turned to face the front of the car. This was I only had to focus on the road ahead of us.He was deathly silent for a few minutes. No doubt trying to calm down.I thought for sure he would remain this way the entire ride, but then his lips parted. “Tell me, Danica. What is your plan once you move out of your father’s house?”I didn’t have to think long and hard about what he was asking me. I

Danica POVI plopped down on his expensive barely used couch and turned on the television. I wasn’t really the type of person who watched tv anymore. Don’t get me wrong. I like movies and some shows, but I didn’t have money for movies and Rick was always watching the only TV in our home when he was there. I didn’t bother using it when he was there from avoiding his favorite spots. I also avoided when he wasn’t home to avoid being in his way when he did come home.The last time I decided to enjoy a little tv was almost three years ago. My grandfather recently passed away and I was home alone for the fourth weekend in a row. I had just turned fifteen so it wasn’t an issue of me being alone at my age. But no matter how mean my father became, I was still hoping one day we would grow closer and he would see we were all we had left in this world.I’d been flipping through channels trying to decide if I wanted to watch The Versailles or The Last Kingdom when the door burst open. My father wa

Dmitry POV“I came home and she was still waiting for me. Like we were in some kind of relationship and that was the norm. I only left her here, alone, because I had to check a shipment for the old man. Otherwise, she would have been gone.”Cory uncontrollably. He stopped long enough to say, “You know what they say.” When I didn’t answer, he spits out, “Beware of a persistent woman. They always get what they want.”I laughed at the ridiculousness, but he was right. Persistent women always got what they wanted in life.I instantly thought of Danica. She wasn’t persistent at all.I replied to my friend, “I don’t care how persistent she is, she is not the woman for me.”“Then why did you invite her over?” He walked to the fridge and pulled out another beer. “Hey. I know I’ve talked to more than a few girls in my time, but I’ve never led any of them on.”He was right. I had never seen Cory lead one girl further than what he wanted. I also wasn’t that kind of guy. But Nancy is persistent a