He hit her again and again the force stronger with every punch. Knowing he is twice as strong as her, and she doesn’t have a chance she begins to get weak. Olivia sees his veins pop out on his forehead and forearm,and the evil in his big brown eyes, and she gives it her all and she scrambles to get away. She runs to her room and locks the door behind her. She hears her father scream “Olivia!” Clashing and clanging of everything while her father destroyed their house, therefore she doesn’t say anything knowing he has had plenty to drink and he will pass out soon. She cries for her mother knowing she will get no reply, “Mom I wish you were here and not another one of those business trips.” She whispers to herself. The screaming stops and she hears her dad sound asleep on the couch. “Finally passed out.” Olivia spoke. She opens the window to get away.

She runs in the cold stormy night, the tears are running down the side of her cheeks. The girl sees the light through the bushes and she prays her best friend Haley is still awake, because she doesn’t want to startle her. She taps on the window with the screen already taken out from many nights before. Olivia sees Haley asleep. She lies there sound asleep and she begins to wish she had a father like Haley’s knowing he would never do anything to hurt his little girl. Olivia comes back to her senses,and she knows it is her only place to stay without word getting out and about through town. So she taps on the window. Her friend doesn’t budge so she taps on the window a bit louder. Haley jumps with a startle and waves her friend into the room. “What’s wrong? Is he after you again? Does he know you’re here? Did you see him follow you?” Haley spills out many questions.

“No I got away this time when he passed out, and I ran, thank you again for letting me stay.” “ I am sorry for waking you with such an alarm, but these last few weeks he has just been worse and worse, and with mom gone on her business trips it leaves no one to help me.” “Oh and to make matters worse I heard my sister on the phone talking to one of her old friends, and apparently my dad has been seeing someone! He has a mistress, Haley what should I do? Should I tell my mom?” Olivia’s voice was quivering her friend could tell she was going to cry again. Another tear fell from her hazel, and bloodshot eyes.

Haley gave her long hug, “It will be okay, you’re safe here. Now try to get some sleep we have school tommorow, Haley said calmingly.” Olivia laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, she couldn’t sleep. She kept replaying every time he hit her. She was tossing and turning. Haley woke every time Olivia did so. The dream must have been crucial Haley thought to herself.

Buzz Buzz the alarm clock pierced through the two girls ears. “How are you? Did you sleep okay? You kept moving around last night.’’ Haley questioned.

“I tried, but all I can think about is my dad hitting me over and over again I really dont want to go to school to day Haley but if I don’t they will call my dad. They know mom is out of town so I can’t pretend to be her. ” Olivia replied.

“Well what do you wanna do?’’ Haley questioned.

“Don’t have much of a choice do I?” “Hey can I borrow some clothes I didn’t bring any and I think my jeans ripped from running through the briers last night.” Olivia asked.

“Sure here you go.” Haley tossed a red shirt and dark colored jeans to her knowing the red shirt will complement her blonde hair. They both scrambled around to get ready for school.

“Olivia we got to go or we will be late.” Haley said.

Eight am and the bell rings and to first hour they go. Haley looks at Olivia and says” Your mom just texted me.” Hayley whispered with excitement.

“Is she back? I am so excited maybe this time she will believe me maybe we can get away! She has to know something is up.” Olivia looked excited but scared. She took the phone and asked to go to the bathroom. Walking discreetly out of the room and she read the text. It read ,”Hey Haley told me what has been going on I am so sorry for being blinded and not seeing the real things. Today after school just go outside and I will pick you up. I already gathered your things while your dad was working. I will get you away from this. I love you tons. Love mom.” Her eyes watered up and she wasn’t sure how to feel. Not knowing what the journey ahead for her held, knowing she would have to say good bye to everyone she knows and loves. Not knowing when she will visit again. A smile breaks out on the face of fear and she heads back to class. Throughout the day she squirmed hoping her dad wouldn’t come get her from the incident from last night and so excited her mom is back. Last hour rolls around and she hugs her friend goodbye. “I will miss you, but I will keep in touch.” Olivia tells her friend.

“I will miss you too, but you deserve to get away! Call me when you can.” Haley told her. The girls look at each other and wave goodbye with tears in both of their eyes. Olivia sees her mother’s car and opens the door with a big inhale of air.

“Olivia, I am so sorry I love you so much and I promise we will get away and go some where that is safe.” Olivia’s mother told her.

Many miles and miles later they come to a log cabin in the woods. The nights go by and Olivia’s mother knows she has to do something. So she gets a lawyer to make everything legal for running away with her child. Her lawyers says to say they went on a vacation. Olivia’s mother Paige told her” If anyone asking why we are here tell them we are on vacation.” Oliva thought to herself “weirdest vacation I have ever been on”..

The talks with her lawyer upset her but she knew she had to do it.. The lawyer told Olivia’s mother she will have to come to town and figure out custody and visitation rights. Counting down the days when they will have to go back to hot and humid texas.

They go to two thousand miles and to the court rooms they go. They get settled down on the bench and wait anticipating for the judges arrival. Court ends and she still has to see her dad when school has a break. She also has to talk to her dad two nights out of the week, and then get up to three nights a week. Olivia is in more terror than ever. She doesn’t know what to do.

Olivia starts school and her bond with her mother got stronger than ever. Olivia meets new friends and has her wall up still, but is letting other people her age in slowly. Every tuesday and thursday she talks to her dad and with a few months passing by it seems as if her bond with her father is stronger than ever. Olivia begins to miss her father, her family , her old life. Even knowing her old life wasn’t the best she begins to become more and more vulnerable to her dad. She talks to her mother and tells him about this situation. They both just sat there and cried, and held each other. Olivia tells Paige “ Mom I feel so stupid how can I care about him again after he has crushed my feelings and hurt me for all these years.”

Her mom holds her a bit tighter and whispers in her ear. “Everything will be okay. You are safe here with me.”