It Can't Get Better Than This

The Day After

The blare of my alarm clock woke me up from my deep sleep and the dream I was having about Ronan. I groaned and rolled out of bed, "One day closer to getting out of this place," I mumbled to myself smoothing my unruly nut brown hair. I stumbled to the bathroom and climbed into the shower. My fingers traced along the bruises on my sides and hips. I winced when I pressed on one, "God I can't wait to get out of this house." I flinched when I heard the front door downstairs slam closed and inaudible yelling. I turned the shower knob off and sat there a minute listening to the fight  below. My heart pounded and silent tears slid down my face. I pulled myself up and started to get ready for another day in life. I stared at myself in the mirror my cloudy amber eyes deep-set in my delicate ivory skin stared back at me. I dried my hair and put it in a braid down my back and applied some light makeup. I put on my favorite dress and headed down the stairs. "Morning, Mom," I hugged the tiny woman. 

"Morning, sweetie," She smiled sheepishly at me and pulled me closer to her, "Be careful," she whispered in my ear her voice catching in her throat. 

"I will Mom," I whispered backing leaving a kiss on her head. I smiled shyly at my dad, grabbed a banana on my way out the door, "Bye guys!" 

I dashed out the door and jumped in my car. I started to school my mind racing. Ronan entered my mind. My heart raced at the thought of last night. 

                                                                                           ***

I arrived at school to see Ronan walking into school. He spotted me in my car and grinned at me stopping. "Hey Rony," I yelled  at him from my car door. I headed toward him and smiled up at him, "How was your night last night?" 

"Uhm..." He paused, "It was fine," He tentatively answered. He tugged at his cloths nervously.

"Want to walk to class together?" I bubbled leaning on my toes. 

"Yeah, what's your first class?" He sauntered next to me.

"Sociology with Davis," I smiled bumping my shoulder gently into his arm.

"I have AP Lit with Pearson," He smiled down at me, "It kinda sucks." 

I laughed lightly, "I bet I hear the homework is brutal," we walked in silence until my classroom, "Here's my stop." We stopped and I stared into his soft eyes. 

"Well I'll see you later, Ilyana," He stepped away from me and headed down the hallway waving behind him.

"Later, Rony." I mumbled.

                                                                             ***

The day went on like every other day with me dragging my ass from class to class only occasionally seeing Ronan in the halls and exchanging smiles. 

At the end of the day I sat in my car dreading heading home when someone knocked on my window scaring the shit out of  me. "Oh, sorry," Ronan apologized as I rolled down the window to see what he needed. "Want to go do something? I'll pick this time," I stared into his glittering eyes.

"Uh..." I mulled it over in my head, "Yeah, meet me at my house I'll drop off my car and tell my... parents." 

"Okay yeah cool," He stuttered out smiling sweetly at me. 

"Okay," I rolled the window back up and pulled out of the school parking lot his beat up car following close behind me. When I pulled into the driveway I saw my dad standing outside of our house leaning against the door frame. "Fuck," I mumbled under my breath. 

"Ilyana who the fuck is that following you?" He asked rushing towards me. 

"He's just a friend Dad, I came home to ask if he and I could hang out.I'm sorry," I stared hard at the ground as my dad smacked the roof of my car.

"Well why didn't you ask before he came over?" he screamed grabbing onto my wrists.

"I'm sorry, Dad it won't happen again," I murmured quickly still staring away from his face. 

"Uhm... Ilyana?" Ronan's voice reached my ears and I raised my head to look in his direction, "Is everything okay?" Tears grew in my eyes as I stared at him. His face was tightened with worry as he took a step forward. 

My dad dropped my arms and took a step toward Ronan, "And you need to get out of here right now before I make you leave." 

"Well since I can see that as soon as I leave the premises something bad will happen to Ilyana and I'm not sure I could live with myself knowing I let that happen, so respectfully sir I will leave but I'm taking her with me or calling the cops," Ronan took a couple steps toward me and stretched out his hand. 

"Rony," I hesitated glancing up at my dad. I could almost see smoke coming out of his ears as his breathing was heavy, "I need you to go, Ronan," The hot tears fell from my eyes, "Thank you, I'll be fine, but you need to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow." 

"Shut up! Shut up you dumb whore!" My dad screamed as he whipped around and punched me across the face. Ronan sprinted forward shoving my father out of the way before coming to my side.

"Ilyana I'm not leaving without you," He helped me to my feet and led me off toward his car.

"Ronan if I leave he'll hurt my mom or my brother," I lisped my lip swelling up.

"You need to get out of here right now. Are either of them home?" I shook my head, "Well call them both and tell them not to go home. He needs time to cool off," he helped me into his car as my dad ran after us. 

"You can't take my daughter away from me," My father yelled, "She's mine and I'll get you arrested." 

"All due respect, sir, if you call the police on me I will tell them exactly why I took her in the first place," He stubbornly paced around the car and climbed in the drivers seat. "Now, time for that date I asked you on earlier."

"Date?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Yes a date. I think we need this," He grabbed my hand gently and held it tightly, "I like you." 

"I like you too," I smiled as much as I could and laced my fingers with his. 

"Now, do you like Chinese food?" He watched the road as he gently ran his thumb across mine and my stomach knotted. 

"I love it," I said quietly.