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For once, Eloise is the one who is stunned.

I know she expected me to cower and cry. Apologize to her even. That’s what she wants, but I’ll never give her that satisfaction again.

I stare back at Dad, whose eyes remain on the back of Eloise’s head. His face has turned beet red, but of course, he’s not saying anything. He’s not protecting me. He let her slap me across the face.

Fury envelops me as I watch him, inaudible.

“You aren’t going to do anything?!” I yell at him with a huff. “Figures.”

Tears prick at the corners of his eyes.

I race to my room to grab my lavender duffle bag from under my bed, and begin packing.

Eloise’s voice echoes through the hall, screaming at my dad. “She’s your daughter! You fucking deal with her.”

Heavy footsteps approach my door. He opens and closes it quickly, stepping into my room.

Tears stream down my face as I throw some clothes into my bag. I’ll have to stay with Maggie until the move. It’s only a couple of weeks, I’m sure sleeping on her couch won’t be a big deal. Especially given the circumstances.

My dad still hasn’t said anything. He’s just watching me shove things into my bag.

“I’m going to Maggie’s. I’ll be fine,” I say rigidly through the tears.

“I’m sorry,” is all he musters out.

Eloise has a way of rewriting history. I’m sure she’ll flip this moment around when she tells people about it. She’ll probably say I laid hands on her and not the other way around. She should write down what she changes because eventually people will catch on to the lies.

“I just can’t do it with her anymore. She’s abusive,” I whisper.

His face is full of shame, staring down at the carpet.

I tug on my zipper, closing it. I don’t even know if this is all I need. I’ll have to come get the rest of my things while they’re working. I can’t think about it now, I’ll work out the logistics later.

“She makes me hate myself, Dad. And she does it on purpose.” I try to swallow my tears. “I don’t know if it’s to make herself feel better or what it is, but I know now more than ever, that I’m worth more than that.”

He finally looks at me with a piece of his heart breaking as he speaks. “I wish you would have told me you felt that way. Maybe I could’ve done something—maybe I could have fixed it before it got to this.”

My eyes fill with tears—betrayal sinking into them.

“How could you not see it?” I choke. “I’m right in front of you every single day. How could you not see that I was broken?”

“Please don’t tell anyone about this,” he says in a dull whisper.

He won’t look at me anymore.

“That’s what you have to say to me? You’re just as bad as she is.” I shake my head angrily as I pull my bag off the bed and swerve past him, marching out of my room.

I’ve wanted to do this for years. I thought it would be easier than this. I don’t want to leave my dad behind, but I know it’s what I have to do to get away from her. It’s the only way.

“Where the hell are you going?” she screams, descending from her bedroom.

“Have a nice life, Eloise,” I say, storming out the front door throwing her my middle finger.

23

Present Day

I got the call at 7:00 a.m. exactly. I had been awake for a while, yet I answered the phone as if they had woken me up. Anyone calling that early better have something important to say.