Safe With Me

Chapter 3

**TW DESCRIPTION OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE**

Danielle's POV

Instead of going straight home, I did an extra loop around the block just to make sure that Mia got picked up. When I passed the set again, I saw Mia wasn't there anymore. Relieved that she got picked up, I kept driving back to my house until I saw something on the side of the road. It wasn't until I got closer that I realized it was a person, and even closer until I realized who it was, Mia. I jumped out of my car as fast as I could and raced over to her. I checked for a pulse and luckily there was one and she was breathing. "Come on Mia, just wake up. I'm here." I said, resting her head in my lap. Finally, I saw her eyes flutter open and then immediately fill with tears.

"Danielle." She cried.

"I'm here Mia. I've got you." I said. She started sitting up, but I held her back down. I didn't want her passing out again. "Do you have water in your bag still?" I asked. She nodded, and I reached into her bag to grab the bottle, again seeing all of the pills in there. Ignoring that, I handed her the bottle and had her slowly take sips.

"What happened?" Mia asked, looking up at me.

"That's what I was wondering. I was just driving and found you laying here." I said.

"All I remember was walking home and then everything went black and I couldn't hear anything and that's it." She said.

"Do you want me to bring you home." I asked her and she nodded hesitantly. I helped her get up and into my car. "Can you put your address into my phone?" She slowly typed her address and sat back once she was done. Poor thing, she looked so exhausted. Once we arrived at her house, she unbuckled her seatbelt and tried to get out before I stopped her.

"I'll go up with you. And if you want me to yell at your dad for not getting you and how I found you passed out on the side of the road, I will."

"No, it's fine I can go by myself." She said quietly.

"Fine, but let me put my number in your phone. Call or text me anytime that you need to." I said as Mia handed me her phone. I put in my contact and messaged myself so I would have her number too. "And don't come to set tomorrow. You only have one scene that can be rescheduled."

"But-"

"No buts. I found you passed out on the side of the road. You need to take a sick day."

"Fine. See you later." Mia said, getting out of the car and going into her house. I made sure that she made it inside safely before driving away.

Mia's POV

Right as I went inside the house, the horrible stench of beer hit me. I tried to sneak away to my room before my dad, step mom, or one of their about 7 friends that were over. But of course my dad saw me. "Where is the money?" He asked me.

"I don't have a paycheck yet." I said, shaking. I felt his cool hand whip across my face, probably leaving a huge mark.

"Next time you come into my house with no money, oh my, things will be much worse for you." He said, maliciously. "NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT." He screamed as I raced to my room in tears. I grabbed out my phone, about to call Danielle, but then I stopped. I don't want to bother or scare her. I've been living in this house with these people for years now. I can do it on my own. I think. It was getting pretty late, so I decided to try to go to bed. I could hear all of the people downstairs partying, so it was near impossible to get any sleep. I grabbed the stuffed bear that my mom had given to me when I was little, before she died. When I was 5, my mom was in a car accident involving a drunk driver. Pretty ironic how my dad is now an alcoholic. Finally, after about an hour of restlessness, I was able to sleep.

"Wake up you dumbass." My step mom said, slapping me awake. "Good, you're finally up. Now go clean up that mess from the party last night."

"But I didn't make any of that mess. I wasn't here all day and when I was I was asleep." I said. I saw my dad creeping behind my step mom. I could see by the look on his face that things were about to get really bad, really fast. 

"HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO YOUR MOTHER!" He screamed at me, making me back up into the corner.

"She's not my mom." I said. My dad then grabbed my arms and pinned me up against the wall. I could smell the alcohol in his breath as he had his face right next to mine. 

"You little brat! Stop crying!" I didn't even realize I was crying until he said that. I felt the swift motion of his hand across my face. It only got worse from there. He started punching me, threw me to the ground, kicked me. When I was thrown to the ground, I hit my head on the wall, making me pass out for a second before waking up to my dad still punching me in the gut. 

"David don't you think that's a little much, you made her pass out." My step mom said. She only would get involved in our fights when she wasn't either drunk or high. She's not a bad person, she just makes mistakes. At least that's what I've convinced myself. 

"NO! SHE NEEDS TO LEARN HER LESSON!" He yelled, before giving me one more punch and walking away. I just laid there, rolled up in a ball, so weak and lonely. I just wanted to be on set. People were nice there, home isn't nice. But I had to listen to Danielle. She seems nice, but that's also what I thought about my dad before my mom died. I never knew how he was when I disobeyed him. Who knows what Danielle would do?

Danielle's POV

As I walked onto set, all that I was able to think about was Mia. "Hey, bella you seem stressed. What's going on?" Stefania asked me.

"I'm just worried about Mia." I admitted. Stefania looked at me, confused. 

"Why are you worried about her?" 

"Well for starters I found her passed out on the side of the road last night." 

"What?" 

"Yeah. She fainted while walking home. Who knows what would have happened if I didn't take that extra loop around the block and found her? And then she seeemed scared to go home."

"Bella, I'm sure she is alright. Did you get her number?" I nodded in response. "Well then call her if you're so worried but I'm sure there is nothing to be worried about." I nodded again and stepped off to call Mia. I pulled up her contact and pressed call, praying that she would answer. Once the phone rung 4 times, she finally answered.

"Hi Danielle." Mia said. I could tell her voice was shaky.

"Hey Mia, are you doing ok? It sounds like you were crying."

"Yeah. Just still a little shaken up about last night still."

"I bet that was a bit scary. I was scared too, finding you like that. Are you feeling better physically though?"

"Yeah, I feel perfectly fine. I'll probably be back tomorrow." I sat silent for a second, thinking about what I could do to try to get her open up to me more.

"When is your call time tomorrow?"

"Um 7:30, why?"

"Me too. Hey, why don't I pick you up and drive you tomorrow?" 

"I-I don't want to ask you of that."

"Well good thing you aren't asking, I'm offering. You are right on my way, so it's no problem. So, you in?"

"Sure I guess."

"I'll pick you up at 6:45, alright?"

"Thank you." Mia said.

"No problem." I smiled, putting my phone away. 

"So I take it she's ok?" Stefania asked, seeing the smile on my face. 

"Yeah, she's fine. Still just a little shaken up from yesterday. I mean I can only imagine how she is feeling, I'm still shaken up from that and I wasn't even the one who fainted!" I said, my breathing starting to pick up in pace. 

"Hey hey hey, Dani, its ok. Eyes on me. Keep your eyes on me and just breathe." Stefania said, holding both of my hands. Of course we had to be interupted by the fact that we had to film, so we both had to run off.