The girl’s expensive leather boots clicked incessantly as she strutted across the marble hallway. Her show stopping jet-black hair hung in ringlets that framed her porcelain skin. Sarah looked up from her locker, just as the girl turned in her direction. Their eyes met. She managed a smile. The girl’s icy blue eyes were rimmed with flecks of emerald that sparkled in the sun. The girl winked at her. Sarah turned away, and the girl realized why. A hefty armed crept its way around her shoulder, Matt.

“Hey Babe,” he said in a low breathy voice.

They walked silently down the hall and out to the parking lot, his arm around her. They walked by the cheerleading squad and she could feel the jealous stares on her, her cheeks turned crimson. Everyone at St. Mary’s new they were dating, it was no secret, but cheerleaders envied her for it, and she new it. How could they not, she was the daughter of a multi-million dollar industry, and he was the captain of the football team. They finally arrived at his car, Matt had always had a big ego, and his car showed it, a bright red Audi with a black racing stripe down the center. She sheepishly ducked inside. She new it was coming. He grabbed her by the throat and pulled her in close to him. His breath smelled of alcohol. He kissed her with such a force that it hurt. She tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. She bit down on his lip, causing him to jerk away.

“You think you own me, huh?” She tried to look away but her grabbed her wrist and dug his fingernails into it. She turned back, fighting back tears. “You think I’m just your little toy. Well then maybe I ought to show you who you’re messing with.” His words were slurred. She looked up at him, knowing what he was going to do, praying that he wouldn’t. Suddenly, she felt his fist. He thrust it so hard into her stomach that she whimpered in pain. “Not enough?” He said, a look of hysteria in his eyes. Another agonizing blow to her stomach and she was doubled over in pain. “Next time you disrespect me it’ll be that pretty little face of yours.” He jabbed a beefy finger into her cheek. He grabbed hold of his steering wheel and jutted out of the parking lot. She wished that someone had seen, someone who could rescue her, but she knew better than that. His windows were tinted the darkest shade, and the music had been blaring so that no one would hear what they were saying. “So what’s our story this time,” he cooed innocently. “Kate took a softball to the stomach during gym?” He smirked. “Oh, how about one of the cheerleaders took you down with their pom pom.” She looked as though she was going to be sick. She felt a lump form in her throat as tears slid down her cheeks. “Come one Kate, laugh a little, will you?” Her lower lip began to tremble. She turned to him, hate filling her beautiful blue eyes. She stared at him, wishing she had the courage to speak up, hoping that this ride would be over soon. Then, as if someone had heard her wish, there was a loud thud and the car jolted forward. She turned around to see that the car behind her had rear-ended them. Matt got out of the car. Flailing his arms and cursing, he ran over to the other car and banged on their window. She looked back at him, in just enough time to see the face in the car behind her. Then, in a split second, she threw her bag over her shoulder, got out of the car, and ran. Luckily, she was no more than 5 blocks from home. She ran up the long winding driveway to her house. A mansion at the least, her house stood 4 stories high. Every inch was ornately decorated. From Romanesque architecture, to Picasso paintings, the house modeled a fairytale castle. Every window formed a beautiful stain glass mural depicting a scene from the bible. Tears continued to spew from her eyes as she clicked across the foyer. She had always disliked that about heels, but right then, she hated it. They way the sound resonated off the walls so that everyone within miles could hear her coming. She wanted to be unknown, invisible to the world, so she stopped just long enough to yank off her boots and toss them aimlessly behind her. She started to run again, up the two flights up steps to her father’s office. She almost ran into him as she barreled through the door.

“Kate honey, I’m in the middle of a very important meeting.” He gritted his teeth together angrily. “This is Mr. Maroon and he is the top investor in our company.” He enunciated every word, hoping she would catch what he was implying. She took a deep breath and looked her father in the eye,

“And I believe Mr. Maroon was just leaving.” She said tightly.

“What in bloody h*ll are you doing?” He mouthed.

I am standing up for myself, she thought.

“I think what she means is that she was just leaving, right Kate.” He looked at her with a fake smile.

“No!” She cried. “I am not leaving!” Her dad looked at her with the utmost anger on his face. “I won’t let you do this to me anymore!” His anger turned to fear as he realized what she was about to say. “You never used to make me go to church, until you found out. You couldn’t have your perfect daughter going to h*ll, oh no, it would hurt the image of your darn company! That’s all you ever cared about is your stupid company!” Mr. Maroon looked between the father and daughter, and quickly got up from his chair.

“I think I ought to be going now,” he said, his face turning pale. The girl stood in front of the door.

“No, I think you should hear this too.” She wiped the tears from her face.

“Don’t you dare say any more young lady. I am your father and you will listen to me!”
“You forced me to go some Catholic high school, but I guess it didn’t take the devil out of me because I have news for you, Dad” She spit the last word at him. “I have a girlfriend.” Mr. Maroon, fell out of the chair he had reseated himself in.

“No you don’t.” Her father said and he pushed past her, opened the door, than dragged her out with him, slamming the door behind them. “You don’t have a girlfriend, you have a boy friend named Matt, remember.” He looked at me expectantly.

“I’m done!” She cried out, “I’m done pretending for you!”

“I told you what would happen if you let this get out Kate.” She knew what would happen, but she didn’t care.

“Go ahead! Disown me I don’t care!” She got in his face looked him straight in the eyes. He had her beautiful, ice blue eyes. “Don’t you think people would have figured it out eventually? Huh? Matt lives in a trailer, yet he drives a sports car!”

“It’s not like tha-“

“It’s not like what? Like you bribed him? You knew about the injuries dad, you covered for him! And what’s worse, you never cared! It’s better to get you daughter a little banged up then to have her be,” she raised her voice so that it echoed through the whole house, “Gay!”

“Keep your voice down!” She ignored him completely and started to back down the stares, “You’re the only male role model I have ever had in my life, and after you, I don’t think I could ever love another man again.”

With that she turned, ran down the stairs, and out the front door.