erik menendez // if you love me..don't let go

prologue

1892

Across the street I met eyes with a young boy, maybe my age. He had one heavy looking bag on his shoulders and a frown on his face. Without thinking, I ran across the street until I got to him. He stayed still, staring at me through his dark blue eyes.

"Hi." I smiled my signature smile, the one that made all of the adults coo and laugh at me.

I didn't get a response. The boy moved his eyes to his fingers, fidgeting with them.

I let him stay quiet, and then he finally responded. "Hi." It was barely a whisper.

"What are you doing?" I asked, too quickly for his liking because he looked at me with fear. Hm.

"I'm running away." He replied as he stared into my eyes. I could all of a sudden feel his fear and my heart pounded out of my chest.

I guess my reaction was a question enough because he soon spoke about the unsaid words. "I'm afraid of my father."

He's afraid of his father? Why? How could anyone be afraid of their father? Mine was the best. He let me reorganize my room whenever I wanted, he took me out on daddy daughter dates, and he read me bedtime stories! Daddy's are the best! But then again, the genuine fear in his eyes made me think differently. Maybe his daddy isn't like mine?

I shifted on my feet, a wave of awkwardness suddenly crashing over me. "Oh." That's all I was able to get out. I was still so confused.

"I'm going to leave now." The boy said, his voice was now filled with some sort of determination. I didn't quite know what this meant, but I just nodded and watched him as he walked away. I didn't know if he was going the direction back to his house or the opposite. I'm not even sure why I cared so much.