Drown In Your Love (SLOW)

10: Nobody Knows

Gave you every piece of me.

MINA SOLACE

"You!" His voice echoes through the house. "We're supposed to be in bed resting for your flight, instead, you're at a fucking party?" He closes his fist and opens it a few times, the veins popping out.

I shut the door with a loud slam.

My Dad stands in front of Yelena who looks down at the floor, hair covering her face.

"It wasn't until the next-"

"Shut it-" He said through clenched teeth. "If you don't shut the fuck up I-" He raised his hand.

I step out of the shadows and next to them. My heart is racing as I stare at my Dad who holds his hand up ready to slap her across the face. He's almost done this once before to me.

"What do you think you're doing?" I eyed him.

"Disciplining her," he looks at Yelena over my shoulder. "I am your parent, I have the right to discipline my kid if they aren't listening to me."

My cheeks flush in color, I am fuming.

"So you think slapping her across the face is going to do it?" I said, glaring at him. "Do you think she wouldn't hesitate to call the cops? This- isn't disciplining your kid. It's not a slap on the butt or a time-out. It's fucking hitting your kid." I never use curse words in front of my parents, but if it means getting the point across then so be it, I didn't curse at him.

"You've almost done this once before when we were in LA for a work trip, and I wouldn't shut up either," I look at Yelena, who sits quietly. "I recorded it, I have evidence of the way you talked to me that day, a reminder of who you are."

I hug my knees up to my chest, finger hovering over the play button.

The video doesn't have any visuals just a black screen. I remember secretly pulling my phone out, hitting record on the camera, and placing my phone flat against the table.

Tears already streaming down my face as I remembered how he stood in the kitchen of the hotel room. We were only separated by a line.

I looked up at the door, my Dad had just left the room.

I press play. Everything hits me at once.

The way my voice breaks, wobbles, and the way I scream haunts me.

"No- No!" I screamed, "Don't cross that line, I'll shut up if you just stay over there." I hiccuped pleading for my safety.

I was trying so hard to defend myself moments before it led to him stepping halfway across the line with his hand up. Ready to slap me across the face. I remember the look on his face, brows furrowed inwards, eyes glaring, his jaw set.

I was scared for my life. I was only seventeen.

I had done his laundry wrong and he didn't like it. He didn't tell me nicely instead he went straight for yelling and "disciplining."

I wanted to help. I wanted to be a nice daughter and help with his laundry. But I couldn't do anything right.

Tears pool in my eyes as I close them and remember the way I told his sisters who had joined us on the trip.

"He was going to slap me," I said, spacing out. "He wanted to slap me because I didn't shut up."

Aunt Nathina looked at me with an indescribable expression.