A New Life

eighteen.

"I just got butterflies again."

Abby's POV

I lied. I don't have an exam to study for. I could have gone over to Danielle's, but I couldn't let her see me in this state.

~flashback to earlier in the day~

"Abby!" Rob's voice booms through the hallway as I walk into my room after getting off of set earlier today.

"Yeah?" I question.

"You need to lose that attitude!" I stare at him blankly. "You hear me?"

"What attitude?" I ask, turning around to put my backpack on the ground. When my back is faced to him, Rob roughly grabs my arm and pulls me so I'm facing him.

"Ow!" I exclaim, causing him to tighten his grip. My eyes begin to well with tears, knowing I'm home alone with him and there's no one to witness anything that might happen.

"You walk into this house like you own it and never even greet me or your mother."

"Right, because the two of you pay so much attention to me. Do you even realize when I'm out of the house or when I'm up here in my room?"

"You aren't grateful!" He yells.

"Grateful?! What do I have to be grateful for?" I raise my voice, the words cracking slightly as they come out.

"Your mother and I do so much for you! You've been handed a simple life and you take advantage of it!"

"You do so much?! Last time I checked, I, the 16 year old, am making the most income out of all of us!"

Rob raises his hand and before I'm able to escape he slaps me in the face. "Don't ever disrespect your father like that!" My heart drops and I swear smoke was coming from my ears.

"Don't you ever call yourself my father ever again." I say sternly, tears now falling from my eyes. "You couldn't be a fraction of the man he was even if you tried." I try to run out of my room, but he grabs my arm again, the same one, and yanks me back in.

"You have no business speaking to me that way." He grabs my jaw and yells right in my face. I can smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Are you drunk? It's 1 p.m." I try to escape from his hands but he tightens his grip on both my arm and my jaw, causing me to yell out in pain as more tears escape my eyes. "Stop! You're hurting me!" He lets go of my jaw but that same hand comes slapping down on my face again. I rip my arm from his other hand, and run into the bathroom. I lock the door before he's able to follow me and I sit in front of the door sobbing.

"Now you're crying like a baby?" I hear his voice through the door. "Wait until your mother hears about this!"

I can hear his footsteps stumble down the stairs, but I stay in the bathroom, unable to stand up because my legs feel so weak.

After what had to have been at least a half hour, I use the counter top to pull myself up and look in the mirror. There's a bright red mark on my cheek, and you can almost see that it's a hand print. I bring my hand up to my cheek and wince in pain. I walk back over to the door and press my ear against it, listening for Rob. I can faintly hear the television on downstairs, so I crack the door open and peer out before making a sprint for my room. I lock the door and collapse onto my bed, breaking out into sobs once again.

~end of flashback~

I was a mess after the incident with Rob, and the marks on my face were still prominent. My arm was starting to bruise already, just hours later, but I could hide that easier. I couldn't let Danielle see me like this. Not just the physical markings, but mentally I was in a fragile state. I spend the rest of the night locked in my room, not daring to go downstairs to get food. I'm starving, but food had to wait. There's no telling how much drunker Rob probably is at this point, and after what happened this afternoon I was scared of what he's capable of. He never used to actually physically hurt me, but I knew it was bound to happen at some point. I know he hurts my mom, too.

"Promise me you'll call if you need anything at all."

Danielle's words that she always says echo through my mind. I could call her, but what would that help? It's not like she could help me escape from this house. Plus I don't think I'll be able to talk about what's happening yet, it's too fresh in my head and I can't call her without telling her. Even thinking about it, my breathing intensifies and my body shakes.

The hours pass by slowly as I sit in my room, not having the energy to do anything. I open up Instagram, and see Danielle posted on her story. I click on her profile and it's a picture of her and Stefania on the couch watching the premiere. I smile at the thought of them being together alone right now. It's only a matter of time before one of them makes the first move. I definitely couldn't call Danielle now, I would ruin her night.

I go to sleep late at night, happy about the fact that I don't need to set an early alarm since I have tomorrow off, but also filled with dread at the thought of being stuck in this house for the next three days.

...

Friday and Saturday thankfully go by quickly, and I'm able to sneak downstairs to gather food for the weekend so I don't need to face my mom or Rob.

Sunday night, however, I get a phone call from an unsaved number. I hesitantly pick it up.

"Hello?" I say into my phone.

"Hi! Is this Abby?" the voice says.

"Yes,"

"Hi Abby! This is Sharon, one of the Station 19 personnel."

"Oh, hi Sharon." I say, unsure of why she would be calling.

"I was just calling to let you know that a week from tomorrow we will be shooting on location up north for the week, starting that Monday and we will be returning the following Saturday. Since you're underage, you do need a guardian or chaperone as you're unable to stay in a hotel room alone." My heart sinks at these words and I feel my mouth go dry. "Did you hear me Abby?"

"Sorry...um yeah, okay."

"Okay, great. So I'll get the paperwork handled and what I'll need from you is a form of identification and a signature from whoever will be acting as your chaperone for the duration of the week...I'm assuming it will be one of your parents?"

I go silent at her words, trying to think of what to say. There's no way in hell my mom would come with me, nevermind the fact that I wouldn't be able to spend a week with her.

"Um...yeah, I'm not sure yet. When do we need this sorted out by?" I ask, feeling my stomach turning and my hands shaking.

"I'll give you the paperwork you'll need to complete on set tomorrow, but anytime before we leave is fine."

"Okay," I bring my hand up to the necklace that Danielle gave me and start to pull on it.

"Okay, thanks so much Abby. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye Sharon, see you." I sit there silent on my bed for what feels like hours, staring at my phone screen. What do I do?

a/n: i might double-update today and post the next chapter later on since it's a little shorter than usual...we shall see;)