Dan's POV I walk through the door, knowing what I would find. My mom sitting in the living room with her new husband, John, by her side, waiting to criticize me for leaving without telling them. "Dan." I hear her call me into the living room. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick." I didn't speak. I didn't have anything to say to them. "Please answer me, Dan." "Son." My step-dad interjects. "You need to tell us where you were. We're your parents. You can't ignore us." I just sit there for a second, trying not to yell at him, but I couldn't stop it. "You're not my dad!" "Dan! Do not yell at him!" My mom yelled at me. I wanted to yell "You don't see what he does to me." John was abusive. He's been living with us since I was little, though he and my mom only got married last year. He's always hated me and yelled at me for the pure fact that I wasn't his kid. He used to beat me up when my mom wasn't home and then would tell her that I ran into the door or something stupid like that. I stared out the window as I thought about what John did, ignoring what my mom was lecturing me about. I saw Phoebe walk up and wave at me through the window. Phoebe was the only friend I've made in the few months since my mom moved us across the country with John. I got up and started to walk out of the living room. "Dan? Where are you going?" I only utter a simple "Out." I could feel the bond breaking between my mom and I. It's been fragile ever since she married that guy.All Rights Reserved