[|]

I got home and called out to my mom who immediately responded from the kitchen. I smiled and walked into the kitchen where I saw her cutting some carrots. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and moved away after some seconds.

"How was school?" She asked and handed me a baby carrot.

"School was the same as always. Fun and difficult," I replied and bit the carrot then chewed.

"That's nice," she said and faced me. "About your college, dear."

"No, mom," I said, knowing where the conversation was headed. "Don't start, please."

"But, Jackie. You need to understand. Your father and I don't have the resources to help and we want the best for you."

I frowned. "Which is what?"

"He already decided that you will stay at home for maybe a year or two. You will work and—"

"No! I can't do that!" I tossed the carrot into the sink angrily. "Why should I listen to him? Who does he think he is to make such decisions about my life?! He has never done anything for this family and you think his decision is the best?! You know what, mom? Tell him that I said he should go to hell!"

I turned around and froze at the sight of my stepfather leaning against the entrance of the kitchen. I swapped my expression to glare and matched up to him then eyed him with disgust before brushing past him.

I matched into my room and locked myself. Anger boiled in my system at how uncaring my mother was. She was not like this before marrying Martinez, my stepfather. She had always wanted me to have a bright future and attend a good college even when my father was alive. She would always save for my future and after she married Martinez who she claimed was the man she loved so much, the savings she had kept for me was squandered. That was the very beginning of my problems with my mother.

It hurt me that she stopped caring about my future and how she started fighting with me each time Martinez filled her head with manipulative thoughts that caused problems between us. If only she knew what he did, she would be repulsed.

I tossed my bag aside in anger only to remember the phones in it. I ran to the bag and unzipped it. My eyes spotted the new phone which made me think of Lucas. At that, I got angry at what he had put me through. I already suffered enough and he had to add salt to my injury. I hated him so much.

I grabbed the phone and eyed the rectangular box for some seconds before tearing the white wrapping off. I opened the box and gulped at the brand new phone sitting in the box. I was tempted to keep it but as long as it came from Lucas, I couldn't. I closed the box and dumped it in my bag then rose to my feet. I was tired and needed to sleep.

[|]

After taking a cold shower, I locked my bedroom door, knowing my mom was not around and that Martin would be returning from wherever he went soon. I walked to my bed and laid down, feeling the pull of sleep that I succumbed to.

I don't know how long I had been sleeping but when I picked up the sound of the door handle rattling, I woke up with a beating heart. I took my flashlight beside my bed and flashed it on the door. The rattling stopped but I sat in silence, hoping it wasn't what I was thinking.

I controlled my heavy breathing as my heart pounded so fast behind my rib cage. I exhaled in relief and turned off the flashlight then made a move to lay back down when a loud knock on the door startled me to my feet.

"Open up, little one. I just wanna talk," Martinez said behind the door and I started to shake from fear. "Let's talk about what you said this afternoon, pretty one."

I swallowed hard as I staggered backward. My breathing increased as my eyes blurred from tears building up in them.

"I will break down this door! Open it!" Martinez yelled and started to pound on the door.

I whimpered. "Leave me alone!"

"Jackie, dear. Daddy only wants to talk!"

Once my back touched my room window, I turned around and eyed it then glanced at the door. I parted the curtains and slid the window up. The cold breeze made goosebumps rise on my skin. I jerked when the pounding on the door became louder as if he was using his body. I shifted my eyes to my phone charging on the table beside me. I unplugged it and climbed out my window.

The moment I landed on the ground, my room door burst open. My eyes widened at Martinez barrelling into my room. I bent low, away from his wandering eyes when I saw he hadn't seen me. I crawled away and rose to my full height then ran off. I ran with all my strength, not knowing where I was headed. All I wanted was to get away from him until my mom came back.

I ignored the pains under my feet as I ran on the lonely street. The tears on my cheeks dried up from the cold breeze that blew all around my body at my speed. I kept running until I came to a stop in front of a twenty-four hours store. I bent over and rested my hands on my knees while trying to catch my breath.

I stood straight and walked over to the store. I stepped into the place and smiled at the woman behind the counter. She eyed me suspiciously. I would have done the same if I saw her in the state I was; no shoes, just sweatpants, and a shirt. I looked around the place and spotted a table with some chairs by the window. I went over to it and sat down then turned on my phone.

It came on and when I was about to dial my mother's number, I stopped myself when I realized there was no need. She would not believe me if I told her what has been happening for years. I placed my phone on the table and looked out the window. The street was lonely and I knew for sure that I was not going back home tonight. As long as Martin was there, I won't.

I sighed and rested my head on the table. I stared at the products on a shelf, while hating my life. I wish I had a normal life like every other eighteen-year-old girl. Tears rolled past the ends of my eyelids as I thought about how I've lived a life full of fear. I only hoped that things would be better once I leave this town after school.

[|]

I groaned in annoyance when I felt someone trying to wake me up from my sleep. I felt a hand clasping my wrist and panic rose within me which made me sit up, waking up from my slumber. My eyes widened at the stranger standing before me with worried eyes. He looked to be around my age with dark disheveled hair that fell over his forehead. His blue eyes held concern and his plump lips were set in a thin line. My eyes scanned his body and saw he was in a similar uniform to the woman from the counter. At that moment, I looked out the window; it was dawn. Cars were driving by at full speed and I could hear the chatter of people around.

I rose to my feet and faced the boy who blinked his eyes rapidly, probably wondering what a random girl was doing in their store.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I smiled.

"I'm fine," I replied and made a move to walk past him but he blocked my path, towering over me.

"My boss told me she saw you walk into the store last night. At first, she was confused but when she saw the fear all around your body and how you dozed off not too long after walking in, she let you sleep. Was anyone hurting you or something?" He asked.

"No, I...I just needed a place to stay. I was... I was locked out of my house. My parents went on a trip yesterday and I came home from a friend's place when I saw I was locked outside," I said, silently hoping he'd believe me.

"Okay... But you should probably head home. Aren't you going to go to school today?"

His question made my eyes go wide at the thought of missing school. I had an important test today and I barely knew the time. I took my phone from the table and gasped when I saw it was almost seven. I went around him and started to head to the door.

"You go to Redside High?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. He was smiling and shrugged his shoulders.

"How did you know that?" I asked, feeling tense at the thought of someone from school seeing me here, in a vulnerable state.

"Your sweatpants," he said and pointed at my pants.

I looked down at it and rolled my eyes at the school logo running down the sides of it. I looked up and found him walking up to me.

"I'm Axel and I go to Redside High. And you are?"

So, he didn't know me. That was a close one.

"I'm Jackie," I said and clasped. "I have to go now. Thank you for waking me up."

"Wait... Can I drop you off at school?"

I took my time to look at him after his request. He was like every other good-looking boy at Redside High. Tall, dark, and handsome.

"I don't want to burden you, Axel."

"No, you're not. I only came to work to stock the shelves. I'm done now so maybe we can go to school together?" He smiled at me and I felt a wave of relief.

After waiting ten minutes for Axel to arrange some things, we left the store when a different attendant came in and then made our way to a red and white mustang. I became curious because the car looked pretty expensive and he was working at such a store that barely had customers?

"Get in," Axel said as he unlocked the car with the key.

I eyed him from the corner of my eyes, trying to understand who this guy was. I only hope he was a good company and not otherwise.

[|]

Axel had waited for me to take a shower and prepare. After that, I boarded his car and we drove in silence until we were five minutes away from school.

"How come I've never seen you in school before?" Axel asked.

"I choose to stay out of people's wandering eyes. I've been in the shadows for years now and I'm glad I did. There's too much going on at that school," I replied and he chuckled.

"I understand you very well. I've been trying to stay away from the people at school but when you have some type of reputation, you can't have a life of anonymity," he said and I found his words holding great intelligence.

"Are you a senior?" I asked.

"No," Axel replied and I was about to ask him more questions when I saw we were pulling into a parking space at school.

Once he turned off the engine, he smiled at me and unlocked the doors. I opened the door and stepped out. When Axel went around the car and stood beside me, I started to notice how the students around started whispering and staring at us. I ignored them since I didn't know what their problem was and walked away from the car with Axel beside me.

"What is she doing with Axel?"

"Who is she?"

"I've never seen Axel with her before."

I stopped and looked up at Axel in confusion. I needed to know who this guy is because I hated the heavy stares at me.

"Who exactly are you?" I asked and he sighed.

"I'm Axel Hamilton, Lucas' younger brother and someone whose existence is all about my popular brother," he said.

When did I suddenly become a target for these people?