My body froze, every muscle locking up as if my mind had shut down. I could hear him, I knew what he wanted, but my legs felt heavy, like they were glued to the floor. Fear snaked through my chest, tightening with every second that passed.

I took a slow, shaky breath and forced myself to move. One step, then another. My heart hammered in my chest as I walked into the living room. Dad was sitting in his usual spot on the couch, beer in hand, his expression hard. He didn’t look at me right away, but I could feel the tension crackling in the air between us.

He finally glanced up, eyes narrowing as they landed on me. “You think you can just run out of here in the morning without doing your job? Huh? Leaving me to take care of everything while you act like you’ve got nothing to worry about?”

I stayed quiet, my hands fidgeting nervously at my sides. He hated it when I didn’t answer, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Anything I said would only make it worse.

“You can’t even do one thing right, can you?” His words were sharp, slicing through the silence. “You’re useless.”

The familiar sting of his words hit deep, but I kept my head down. Don’t look at him, don’t react. I could almost hear my own thoughts whispering to me, guiding me through the storm like they always did.

He got up from the couch, moving closer, and I tensed, bracing myself for what was coming. But before he could reach me, I heard the front door slam open.

I turned quickly, my heart leaping into my throat. It was Ethan.

“Hey!” he called out, already heading toward the kitchen. “Sorry I left without you this morning. I thought you were still asleep.”

Dad froze in his tracks, his hand pausing mid-motion. His face hardened, but he quickly straightened, pretending nothing had happened. “Yeah, she was running late,” Dad called out, his voice suddenly lighter, more controlled. “Tried to sneak out without saying anything.”

I let out a shaky breath, feeling the tension shift. Ethan’s voice, so casual, had defused the moment, at least for now. Dad wouldn’t do anything in front of him. He never did.

Ethan appeared in the doorway, completely unaware of the danger that had just passed. “You ready to go?” he asked, flashing me a smile. “We’re all heading out for lunch in a bit, but I figured we could go together.”

My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to nod. “Yeah, let me grab my stuff,” I mumbled, quickly slipping past Dad, careful not to make eye contact.

As I rushed back to my room to get my bag, my hands shook uncontrollably. I could still feel the adrenaline pulsing through me, my ribs aching from the pressure of holding everything in. I had to get out of the house. Fast.

Ethan was waiting for me at the door when I returned, his expression still casual, completely oblivious to the tension that had just filled the room. “We’ll grab some food, and then I’ll drop you off at your friend’s house later, yeah?” he said, already making plans, unaware of the storm swirling inside me.

I nodded again, offering him a weak smile. “Yeah, sounds good,” I lied, hoping my voice didn’t betray how broken I felt.

“Cool,” Ethan said, stepping outside and waiting for me to follow. As I passed through the doorway, I couldn’t help but glance back at Dad, who stood silently in the living room, watching us go. His eyes met mine for a split second, and I could see the unspoken threat there. This wasn’t over. It never was.

But for now, I was safe. At least for a few hours.

We got into Ethan’s car, and I leaned back in the seat, staring out the window as we drove. He was talking about something—school, plans with friends, things that felt so far away from the reality I was trapped in. I could barely focus on his words. All I could think about was what would happen when I got home, when there were no more distractions, no more brothers to save me from Dad’s wrath.

“Hey, are you even listening?” Ethan’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I quickly turned to him, realizing I had been lost in my own world again.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Just tired.”

Ethan glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. “You’ve been really quiet lately. Is everything okay?”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to smile. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, the lie slipping out easily. “Just a lot on my mind.”

He didn’t push it. Ethan never pushed when it came to me. He just shrugged and turned the music up a little, letting the conversation drop.

But I could feel it—the cracks in my facade growing wider, threatening to break open at any moment. How long could I keep pretending that everything was fine? How long before they all saw through the mask I wore every day?

---

The rest of the day passed in a blur. We grabbed lunch with Elijah and Lorenzo, and for a few hours, I managed to bury the fear, to laugh at their jokes and pretend I wasn’t crumbling inside. They didn’t notice the way my hands shook every time I lifted my fork, or how my smile didn’t quite reach my eyes. They were too busy living their lives, too used to my silence to see what was hiding beneath it.

Later, Ethan dropped me off at my friend’s house, just like he said he would. It was the perfect excuse to stay out a little longer, to avoid going home as long as possible. My friend didn’t know either—no one did. I was too good at keeping it hidden.

But even there, the darkness crept in, pulling me back under. Every time I laughed, it felt hollow, like an echo of who I used to be. Every time someone asked if I was okay, I lied, just like I always did.

I was drowning, but no one could see it.

By the time I finally had to go home, the sun had set, and the house was quiet again. My brothers were already asleep, their rooms dark as I slipped inside. My heart pounded in my chest as I tiptoed through the hallway, trying not to wake anyone, especially not Dad.

But when I reached my room, I found the door slightly ajar. My stomach twisted in fear. I pushed it open, and there, sitting on my bed, was Dad.

He looked up at me, his expression calm, but I knew better. The quiet before the storm.

“We’re not finished,” he said softly, his voice a promise of what was to come.

I stood frozen in the doorway, my body trembling as the door clicked shut behind me. I was trapped, and no one knew. Not my brothers, not my friends. No one could save me from this.

Not even me.