Elizabeth Shoupe is evil personified. You might as well be dead to her if you aren't rich or influential. She feeds off the attention, knowing that she has the town in the palm of her hand. But perfection doesn't exist, and royalty comes at a cost...
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The night ends sooner than I had hoped.
Morning light floods my room, illuminating all that I'd tried to keep in the dark but failed miserably. He is beside me, still fast asleep, undisturbed by the bright light beaming through the curtain.
I stay in place, watching his chest rise and fall, his bruises darker in the light. Much worse than I had originally thought.
They are scattered all over his torso, a deep purple with a shadow of black.
My heart breaks for him, that he was struggling all this time but still managed to have the loudest laugh in the room.
Not wanting to let anyone know that his home wasn't a safe place.
A father beating his son.
Hard enough to leave bruises, both physical and mental.
What kind of cruelty is that?
I know my parents aren't winning any awards but they would never bring harm to me like this. They are my parents, it's their job to protect me and keep me safe in this scary world, not be the monster I'm running from.
It's their job to love and care for me.
But I guess I have some experience in being hurt by someone that is meant to love and care for me.
But JJ doesn't deserve any of this.
He doesn't deserve all of this pain and I'm no doubt making his life harder. Maybe he would be better off without all my drama.
But would I be better off without him?
I turn my head to the side, catching a glimpse at my alarm clock and I realise I need to make an appearance downstairs before my mother gets suspicious about why I am sleeping for too long.
Can't have her wandering in here and finding JJ.
I could never talk myself out of that.
Even though nothing happened last night, it would not seem like that to her. I wouldn't even believe myself.
But the last thing I want to do is get out of this bed, move away from the heat his body radiates. It's as though this comforter is our safe place, no expectations or interference from the outside world.
We can just be us, whatever the hell we are.
But outside this bed, we are exposed.
There's my parents, Rafe and even Kiara who I know will take my head off once she finds out I broke my promise to stay away from him.
I saw how much she hated John B and Sarah getting together. If she or Pope were to find out about JJ and I, they would surely have an aneurysm.
