• Dawn was about to arrive. She kept her head down, not wanting any late passing strangers to see her tears. Her hand in gloves and her jacket mostly zipped, she wondered if anyone even noticed she was missing.
    The girl's breathe couldn't be seen in the cold anymore. Swaying gently back and forth, the breeze danced silently through her hair as the girl's head slowly lifted and her eyes closed as the sun gently hit her delicate face. She tied her fingers tighter around the rope that was attached to the wooden swing below her, swaying higher and higher through the wind. Maybe she could disappear from the world like how the stars disappeared from the sky.

    In the girl's head, she remembered how every time something happened... she'd come here and swing until her heart was content. This time though, she didn't plan on going back. Why would she? No one was waiting for her, no one has been looking for her, no one even cared.

    Her swinging gradually came to a stop as these thoughts filled her mind.

    She suddenly felt arms wrapped around her that scared her nearly to death. The girl most definitely would had fallen off if it wasn't for the arms. Her heart raced as she tried to calm down from the sudden fright. A fragrance reached her and she knew. She knew she was safe; for she recognized this scent and these arms.

    "Don't do that ever again."

    And she knew that voice.

    Her head leaned on his shoulder and tilted toward his face. She guessed she was wrong.

    No one was waiting for her, no one has been looking for her, no one even cared... but him.




    "You just love doing this don't you?" he muttered.

    The girl looked up at what she could see from her angle, the side of his cascaded eyes.

    "Doing what?" her voice was almost equal to a whisper.

    "Make me worry all the time," he placed his head on her shoulder that sent shivers down her back.

    Her back quickly warmed up from him and she was finally able to relax—something she hasn't done in a while. He knew not to talk much and all she wanted was just his company. Simply being there in silence was good enough for her.

    The early morning wind brought chills to her arms. He noticed her shivering and began rubbing her arms. His eyes almost didn't notice her flinch.
    "What's wrong?" he looked down at her, hoping to meet her eyes.
    "Nothing!"

    Why did she reply so quickly?

    "Scarlet, what's wrong? Did he abuse you again?"

    He tried to pull up her long sleeves but she stopped him.
    "He did, didn't he?"
    "Conner, it's not as bad as you think," she mumbled.
    "I can't keep watching from the sidelines and let you get yourself hurt like this."

    He was balancing on the balls of his feet in front of her now, cupping her small hands that fit perfectly into his.

    "It's not like I want this you know," she sat up straight and looked at him.

    "You need to report him for abuse," he stared right back.

    "He's my own father," she shot back, "the only family member I got left!"

    "You're not safe with him though," Connor couldn't think of what to say now.

    "What do you expect me to do then?" She stared into his eyes, lost and confused.

    "Move in with me," he said finally after some careful thinking.

    Scarlet wasn't expecting a response like that. Her eyes widened a bit but then softened.
    "You know I can't do that,"
    "Will you just cut it out?" Connor finally stood up, "Scarlet, do you realize that you keep on making excuses for us not to be together?"

    "I'm not making up ex—" Connor cut her off.

    "Not only is your dad trying to keep us apart but now you are too," he bent down to look at his girlfriend at eye level again.

    "I...You know that I want to be with you Connor. I-I just don't want anything t-to happen to you."

    Connor leaned forward and wrapped her around his arms. Soon he felt his left shoulder wet from the tears.

    "Pretend you were home all night. I'll come by within an hour," he spoke quietly in her ear.

    The girl didn't want to go home. But there she was, rushing in her room from corner to corner, packing her things. As much as she would love to leave behind, she packed her school items as well. Clothes were piling on top of the huge open nike bag. Pictures on her desk, any money she had left, anything that contained a special memory. Through the adrenaline, she had almost forgotten her special teddy bear her mother had gotten her for her 8th birthday, the year she died.

    Glass broke downstairs. The girl stopped in her tracks and froze. Loud thuds were heard that got louder and louder. Her eyes widened as she realized what happened. He was awake. A groan was heard on the other side of the the door that was her only barrier. And he was coming for her. Suddenly, her door started to shake as her father pounded on the door.

    "Wopen dup, you skank!" he slurred. [Open up, you sk.ank.]

    She stay planted at the spot. There was no possible way she could climb out of the window. Her bathroom would only just trap her. The closet was too shallow and her bed was too low to crawl under. Scarlet soon broke out in a sweat. More adrenaline raced through her veins as she snapped out of her shock. She stuffed the last of her clothes and zipped up the tightly packed bag.

    "I knows tsuu in derr!" He continued to hit the door. [I know you’re in there.]

    The girl looked for her phone. Her hands kept slipping from the sweat. She couldn't concentrate in her panic state and struggled to call Connor.
    "I'm already on my way Scarlet," was the first thing he said.

    "C-Connor! It's him. H-He's awake. He's trying to get in. I-I can't climb out of the window. I'm trapped," Scarlet started to break down again.

    "Hang in a bit longer, I'll be there soon!" She could hear him accelerate in his car in the background.


    "Wopen de dayum dore tsuu little sloot.” [Open the dayum door you little sl.ut.]

    Her father started to kick the door more violently. She had to stall for more time. The girl struggled to move her shelf in front of the door, and just for some extra measure: the desk and wardrobe was moved too. In minutes she heard screeching tires. Her hopes were lifted and she opened the window to see Connor sweating and in complete panic. He looked up and relief fell over him when he knew she was still alive.

    Their moment was cut short when his expression hardened as Scarlet's door made a splitting noise. The door was cracking under the critical hits.
    "Connor! I can't get out!" she cried out her window.
    "Out the window!"
    "It's too high," she panicked as she heard more of her wooden door breaking.
    "Throw your bags down first," Connor called up.

    Scarlet swung it a bit before she heaved it out the window to hear a grunt from her boyfriend. She leaned out the window again and saw him drop her oversized nike bag on the ground next to him.
    "Your turn," he said.
    "I can't," fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
    "Trust me, I'll catch you,"
    "I'll hurt you though,"
    "I truly will be when I see or hear my girlfriend get hurt by her alcoholic dad," he shot back.

    The books she left behind started to shake off the shelves that barricaded the door. Get killed [or badly injured] by her dad or fall into the arms of her boyfriend over 30 feet below?
    “Sorry,” she called out.
    “For what?”
    “Oh, that was just in advance.”
    “Adv—Shyt!”

    Scarlet lost her footing right when she climbed out of her window and skidded to the very edge of the railings. Some pieces from the roof fell off and the railing now had a dent from her foot.
    “Scarlet!” Connor hurried close to the edge of the house with his arms up.
    “It’s okay, I got it!” At least she hoped she did.

    Her fast-beating heart raced at the sudden movement of the slip. Her palms became a bit more sweaty as each second past. Crashing noises were heard from behind her. He was in her room now. Scarlet didn’t dare look behind her and slowly reached for the railing. A loose piece from the roof skidded right off and her hands grabbed the railings at the last second.
    “Scarlet!” Connor yelled out again, “Christ girl, you will be the death of me someday.”
    “That is so not funny!” Scarlet yelled as she dangled from the side of the house.

    “Hez tsuu ho! Get cho azz bahk deer!” [Hey, you wh.ore! Get you’re a.ss back here!]

    Scarlet looked up and could only see the top of her father’s head. He knew she was trying to escape now. Her heart beat faster than before.
    “Scarlet, let go. I’ll catch you,” Connor yelled from right under her.

    Her legs continued to dangle in the air as her arms began to get tired. Deep breathes and relax just a tad. She didn’t try to look down.

    In seconds, she let go and felt those familiar arms wrap around her once again. For she knew them from all those times she ran away from home to the park. From all those nights she cried, desperate for an escape. From all those days where she needed comfort.

    “I told you I’d catch you.”

    Connor grinned and slowly put her on the ground. He leaned back down and grabbed the tightly packed nike bag.

    “Now there’s just one more thing we got to do.”

    Scarlet tilted her head as he grabbed her hand. His famous smirk appeared on his face as he looked over his shoulder at his girlfriend.

    “Run.”