Living in the Shadows

17) You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

Liza's POV

Here I stand head in hand

Turn my face to the wall

If she's gone I can't go on

Feeling two foot small

I remember falling asleep, but it wasn't long before the nightmares woke me up again. My mother alone in a room. Beaten. Bloodied.

Dead.

I knew for a fact that the boys had already left. The time read 12:01. In just a few short hours, one of three things would happen. Lucas and my brother would successfully save my mom, and we would all run away free. My father would die and none of us would have to leave the small town home. Or, the worst of the three things, my father would kill the boys and my mother, then find me and kill me.

Just 24 hours ago, everything was perfect. I was in a safe place, with caring people. I was pulling my best friend's heartstrings and had captured the heart of my hero. Now, everything was falling into pieces. My father was threatening my mother, my brother returned from the dead, my best friend was broken, and my hero was putting he neck on the line for me. It was like a crazy sitcom.

A storm had just began to light the sky and I didn't know if it was Lucas or mother nature. I had seen much of his powers over the past few months, and I knew he was capable of this. But I wished it wasn't him. I was already scared enough, I didn't want the sky to reveal to me his feelings. I went up to the roof, guitar in hand. I needed to breathe before the rain came poring down.

Everywhere people stare

Each and every day

I can see them laugh at me

And I hear them say

I screamed. It wasn't a high pitched one, nor one made of fear. It was a scream made out of aggravation. I heard the soft landing of feel behind me, but the air around me told me to run. This was a welcome that I didn't want.

"So this is where you have been for the past few months. I must say it looks nice."

I turned around to face my father, free of his super hero garb. He had lost a lot of weight and finally shaved. For once he looked sober, he looked human. He would have looked like the father I remembered if it wasn't for the deadly anger behind his eyes.

"It was safe," I replied, meeting his eyes.

"Oooo, someone gained some confidence. The little wimp can finally look me in the eyes." He stared walking for me. Maybe I could hold him out long enough for the guys to get my mother and return here. I turned away from my father and looked up toward the sky, eyes closed.

"He can't save you, you know. Not as long as I'm at his house." I could feel the heat coming off of his body, threatening to melt me.

"Oh I know. You said I was taken from you. In all honesty, that isn't too far from the truth." I saw the soft light of a vehicle approaching. I turned around again, coming face to chest with my father. He grabbed my arms and held me in place .

"Liza, why didn't you come back? I was worried, beyond scared. Why didn't you come home?"

"You call that home?" I asked loudly, purposely making my voice carry, borderline yelling. "You beat me almost everyday. I had to quit school because of you. Do you know how many bruises I had to cover up? How many lies I told? Not because i was scared of what would happen to you, but because I was scared of what would happen to me. I was scared of going to sleep. I prayed for death to take me in dreams because I didn't want to spend another day dealing with you."