Cassidy's Pov

I remember a time when coming home I would walk through the door and be greeted by the comforting sounds of my family. Laughter echoed through the halls, love was in the air, and everything felt right.

But then, it all changed. the laughter turned into screams, love turned into anger, and home was not home anymore. The sound of shattering glass became all too familiar, and loneliness crept in. It was as if I was living in a completely different world, a world where happiness was just a distant memory.

As I sit at my door, holding it shut, my hands covering my ears from the screaming and the sounds of stuff shattering against the walls of the home I used to love.

It's happened every day for the last 3 years and I still cry every time.

It is my fault. My fault that my parent's love is no more for me. My fault my parents only have one child, not 2.

I can still hear the echoes of their laughter, their love. But now, it's just me. I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, the blame, the guilt.

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to hold myself together.

As I sit at the door, the screams and the shattering silence for a moment before I hear deafening footsteps coming up.As they get closer. I bite my lip trying to hide my sobs and rough breathing.

"Cassidy, open the damn door before I boot it down!"My father screams. An ear-piercing scream.

No. Please go away. Please

"I just need to speak to you, Cassidy, I promise, "He says softly

I hesitate, his voice reminding me of how he used to sound before.

I step up, unsure of what to do. He's going to get in somehow.

I open the door step back close my eyes shut and wrap my bloody arms around my stomach.

He steps closer to me, my eyes still glued shut.

He grips his hands around my low ponytail pulling my head back. "This is your fault" he slurs his words and my heart breaks into a million and one pieces.

He doesn't hate me. He doesn't want to hurt me. He's just drunk. Remember, he loves you.

"I'm sorry, Daddy "I whisper. My eyes opened looking up at his emotionless eyes.

"We ran out of rum and gin. Get more" He says giving me a 20 dollar bill. "Hurry, I ain't patient" He says before disappearing from my room

As I watch him leave, tears roll down my cheeks.

I'm only 19. I can't even get alcohol, Dammit.

As I slide my shoes on I quietly walk down the stairs, my parents are thankfully asleep on the sofa.

As I slip out the door and into the Winter cold weather, I shiver but continue walking down the path and onto the street.

It's 10 pm on a Sunday night shops will be open.

As I continue walking up the street, many shops come into my view, all closed. Great.

As I'm walking I bump into someone.Whoops.I fall to the ground. "Ow"I say groaning. I look up at the stranger I bumped into. All I see is a black figure.

I embarrassingly pull myself up. Ugh.I'm so unfit, the problem for a different day. "I'm sorry," I say to the unknown black figure. They grunt, he grunts, it's a guy.

"Are you gonna kidnap me?"I say stupidly, that was probably the worst thing I could have said at this moment.

As I look closer I can get a tiny see of what he looks like but not enough to see his whole face, but I can feel his gaze on me, even in the dim light. It's like he's studying me, trying to figure me out. I turn away, trying to hide the blush that's creeping up my cheeks. But I can't help but steal another glance at him.

His features are still hidden in the shadows.

It is very much possible that he is planning on how to kidnap me.

He still doesn't reply, maybe he's mute or maybe he's deaf, my childhood dog was deaf in one ear and blind in one eye, her life was really tough.

"Well, I will leave, here in the darkness, uh, bye"I give a small friendly smile, he probably can't even see it, obviously Cassidy.

I go to walk away but of course, what happens instead of that? My feet get tangled and I stick my arms and hands out ready to fall onto the ground for the second time tonight. But I never make it to the ground, instead of falling to the ground and breaking my nose, my future kidnapper wraps one of his arms around my waist and pulls me right back up to him.

Wow.

He caught me with only one arm. Very strong catching someone like me with one arm.

"Sorry! Again, my fault," I laugh trying to keep it cool.

"It's just very dark"I say "I hope I didn't hurt you!"I say trying not to cry in embarrassment.

He clears his throat. Awkward.

"I swear I'm not usually this clumsy" I blurt out, my words tripping over each other in my haste. "It is just...it's dark, and I didn't see that...whatever it was I tripped over. I'm usually much more graceful. I mean, I've never fallen over in broad daylight. Well, there was that one time, but that doesn't count. It was windy that day..." I can hear myself babbling, but I can't seem to stop. The words just keep pouring out, filling the awkward silence with my nervous chatter.

"Are you finished?"The kidnapper man says in a low rumble.

God. I wasn't expecting his voice to be so deep and manly and nice.

"Uh, yes. Yes, I am done"I nearly faint as he towers over me intimidatingly.

He stands in silence for a moment before walking away.

"Bye" I call out softly as if he's my friend which he most definitely is not.

He pauses. I watch his tall, muscular, body outline as he turns to me. I'm still unable to see his face properly.

Imagine we were friends?

No. That is impossible, it is impossible for me to even have a conversation with someone never mind make a friend, and not a guy friend.

He walks away after a moment and I sigh continuing behind him. Not in a creepy way but it is the way I have to go.

He walks so fast unlike me so I can no longer see his figure.

As I continue to walk up and then I see a building with a light on. I rush up, and as I do there's loud laughter. I read the sign on the building. Down Bar.A bar.Great

I hesitate before entering. Men are spread out all over the place in groups laughing and drinking as they watch a football game.

Everyone glances up at me but then quickly looks back at the screen.

Thank you, God

Everyone in here looks friendly.Friends.Something I don't have. Sometimes I like to think I have friends but in reality, I don't.

My friend group consists of my pillows, my blanket, my mattress and thats it.

I used to have one best friend. She and I were so close. My Sister, I miss her dearly.

In high school I tried making friends, I tried every group, like the drama group, the robotics group, and even the debate group but no luck.

I just didn't fit into anything I was always different from everyone, I never fit in and probably never will.

I don't know where I belong or if I even belong anywhere in this world.

"Hey, what can I get you, sweetheart?" the bartender asks

"Uh, do you have, um"I pause forgetting for a minute "A bottle of rum?" He looks at me confused.

"Sure" I silently thank the man above.God

As I stand waiting for the man to give me the bottle I think about the strange kidnapper guy.

I probably will never see him again, well I didn't even see him.

"Here you go"I smile handing him the money and leaving him the chance as I exit the bar and begin my long journey home.

As I walk up the path, and then I remember that I didn't get the gin.

Maybe, they won't be mad, I still got the Rum. Maybe they're asleep.

I carefully open the door and walk in quietly.

Both of my parents stand waiting for me, cans of some type of alcohol in their hands and more surrounding them in the house.

I hand them the rum. "Where's the gin?"My father scoldingly

"I don't have it"I look down at my hands as I speak.

"Why!"My father screams slurring.

"I-I um forgot"I explain not bothering to lie.

I'm terrified

My father grabs his belt and I make a run for the stairs

No, please. I just want my family. I hate this. Please God why

I'm not fast enough. Even as my father is drunk off of his head he still manages to grab me from my ponytail and whip me with his brown leather belt.