As it normally does the day after her beatings. I've been sleeping all day, trying to muster the strength for work in a few hours. I haven't heard my mother's steps anywhere in the small house. I think she went out to do whatever addict, low life mothers do.

I slowly raise to my feet, feeling out where my worst injuries were. Looking over my shoulder I see the clock: 4:00 p.m.

Nightshift at the diner starts at 6:00 p.m.

Since it's Thursday, I don't work at the club. I'm relieved that I only have to work one of them today. I know that I wouldn't be able to go through both, not today. From the way the left side of my face is throbbing. I know that it won't look pretty.

Looking into the mirror I see it all, my black and purple eye staring right back at me. The small but painful bruise caressed my cheek.

What am I doing to myself?

Even if I had the strength to leave, where would I go? Where would I run to?

My eyes get that familiar heat behind them. I let it out, I let it all out. The feeling of hopelessness is too overbearing. I fully understand that there is no way out. In a place full of corrupt cops and abusive mothers, I try to understand what good I'm doing even living.

I'm never going to be anything, I'm never going to get out

I have a broken heart from the world around me. I want to have hope, but I just don't see a future for myself. Not a positive one.

I try to get up from my place on the bathroom floor, but I'm too emotionally drained to even stand.

Knowing I have to cover the bruises and go to work, I get started on my makeup on the floor. Then crawl to my bedroom to get on a work uniform.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ.

***

I've been in the parking lot for a solid twenty minutes now. Trying to muster up the joy and smile I normally show on my face. It's not my day, but I can't cancel work. I'm getting paid overtime for this, and if I want to find some hope at all. This will help.

With a long sigh, I throw my door open heading into the diner.

Walking through the employee door, I find out that there are only two other workers in. Both from the kitchen, I would be the only server here. I have worked night-shift only a few times. Each time as only been full of drunks, old men, and travelers.

Sometimes even old men that are drunk and traveling

The energy seemed off this time. I only had three customers in a span of six hours. It was now midnight and my shift ended at three.

As my back was turned to the door, wiping tables. The door chimes, singling that someone had entered the diner. The way the diner is set up, the customer picks the table and waits for a waiter to bring menus. I quickly grab the menus and walk to the table they chose. Looking up my heart skips.

The striking light blue eyes

The chiseled facial structure

The devilish smirk

It's the man from the club last night. I plaster on a smile.

"What are we drinkin' today?" I chirp, pen and paper in hand.

The sinfully handsome man looks up from his menu, his gaze immediately goes to my eyes questioningly.

"Coffee." His words toneless, uninterested.

Alrighty, then

I move my look to the guy he was with, eyes already staring at me. The same brown ones from last night. From the look in his eyes, I know he remembers me. But from where?

I clear my throat.

"And for you sir?" I ask.

"Huh?" He shakes his head, glancing quickly at the handsome devil across from him, "Oh right, drinks. A beer, please,"

"May I see an ID?" I smile, I desperately try to hide the shake of my hands.

"What? Why? For what?" He snarls.

God, must he make everything difficult?

"I apologize sir, but in order to have a drink that contains alcohol. I have to see your ID," I explain, "It's only protocol."

The man reaches in his pocket as the gorgeous man in front of him, that I'm purposely not looking at, sighs.

He hands me the ID: Elijah Black.

But it's fake.

It's actually a really good one and if I hadn't been working as a server for so long, I wouldn't have noticed. I normally would tell them that I know it's not a real one, I normally would apologize and not hand him the drink.

I look back up at them.

"Elijah?" I ask, my throat became dry.

"Yeah," His voice unwavering but his eyes hold something else.

"That's a cool name." I squeak, handing him the ID and going to the back. I give the cooks the order.

My breathing shallowing, legs starting to weaken. I excuse myself the bathroom, locking the door before sliding down it.

Elijah

Elijah

"Elijah!" I scream tears running down my face.

The body of my ten-year-old brother laid tangled in the passenger's seat. Blood was everywhere, I noticed then that I, myself, was covered in blood as well. Whether it was mine or not I could not tell. Looking over to the man in the driver's seat, my vision goes in and out. The right side of my head pounding.

"Daddy?" I whisper, he doesn't do anything.

I see the large wound on his face, blood leaking down out of it. His eyes wide, but not alive.

I try to move towards my older brother, but my body didn't respond to my wants. My seat belt was tight and my arms stuck.

"Elijah!" I yell again, pulling at the seat belt.

"Elijah, please!" I cry, still trying, "Please wake up!"

I gasp loudly, looking around.

I'm still on the bathroom floor, my mind reeling.

Elijah

That was my brother's name.

I remember the table.

"Oh, shit." I quickly get off the floor, running into the kitchen as the little bell rings.

"Order up!" The cook yells placing both drinks on a platter.

Oh lord, good

I swiftly grab the tray pushing through the kitchen doors. The men were talking in hushed voices as I approached.

"Here are your drinks," I smile placing the order on the table.

"So are you gentlemen ready to order or do you need more time?"

"No food will be necessary, honey," The blue-eyed man states, glancing at his coffee cup.

"Okay, I'll be right back with the sugar and cream."

God, if I drank, it would be as good a time as any to do so

While I'm bussing tables, getting ready for closing. I hear the two men stop whispering. They've been here for hours, just talking.

"Princesa, can you come here?" His devilish lips emit a beautiful sound.

(Princess)

From any other customer, the nickname would've made me cringe. However, when it came from his mouth, I had to keep myself from blushing.

"Yes, sir? Is something wrong?" Looking around him and the table, I don't see anything.

"No," He chuckles, "What's your name?"

"Rose." I frown slightly.

Elijah squints at me, from the corner of my eye.

"Is anyone back there, gorgeous?" He gestures to the kitchen, I again, try not to be affected by the nickname.

"N-no, kitchen closes at 2," I stutter as his hand only brushes against mine.

"Good, liste-"

"What the hell happened to your face?" Elijah stares into the side of my face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I quickly cover that side of my face, "Listen I'm closing soon, so if you don't need anything else I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave."

Looking back at my hands, I see the concealer I used for my eye.

Shit

"What happened to your eye, Princesa?" The man glides behind me, breath on my neck.

(Princess)

"I know you didn't do it yourself," He removes my hand completely. His jaw ticks.

"Tell whatever loser that is beating on you" He seethes, "That real men, don't hit women."

I roll my eyes, Typical.

"Can you please leave?" I whisper, with his body being so close to mine, I couldn't muster up anything louder.

"Let's go." He grumbles to Elijah, who was looking at me with the same intensity from earlier.

Pushing roughly through the door, the man doesn't wait for Elijah to respond. Elijah follows him, but before he gets to the door he turns around.

"You don't have to stay," He whispers, "You can leave,"

"No, actually, I can't." I retort lowly, I didn't think he heard it.

The way he looked back at me through the window, lets me know he did. The regret and pity in his eyes were prominent.

He didn't need to pity me and I'm not sure what he regrets. I don't need to be pitied, I don't need a savior.

I slam the front door, locking it before shoving the keys roughly in my pocket.

I'm no one to be pitied