Safehouse

Chapter one

They were sitting at the table eating dinner. Mitch was barely picking at his plate, he never seemed to be hungry anymore.

Trent had just gotten home from work, and so far everything had been quiet.

But you never really knew with him.

Days would go by where he was the sweetest boyfriend a man could ask for, but then that would change in an instant, and Mitch would be covering his bruises with makeup.

Lately those sweet periods were becoming fewer and far between.

Charlotte sat next to Mitch reading a new book while she ate. Mitch had never been much of a reader, neither were their parents. He had no idea where she got her love of books from, but he was proud of her.

"Babe, this pasta's a little bit overcooked." Trent stated bluntly,

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again, I was a little distracted." Replied Mitch calmly, though his heart had started pounding.

"What was distracting you?" Trent's voice had risen just enough for Mitch to notice.

"I was just listening to music, you know how I get." He said with a forced laugh. He was getting nervous this conversation was going in a bad direction. He just hoped Charlotte wouldn't-

"I think Mitch is a great cook."

Of course she did.

12 years old and she was already braver than Mitch would ever be.

"Sure you do, you like all food. I bet you don't even taste it when you shovel it in your mouth. God, you already weigh more than Mitch does, I wonder what your friends at school think, if you even have any, looking like that."

Charlotte had tears in her eyes, Mitch had to do something, he had to say something.

"Trent..." was all he managed to choke out, and he knew it was a mistake the second Trent's face got even redder.

"No Mitch, if it was up to you, she'd be five hundred pounds. You're lucky I'm here to discipline her. In fact you're lucky I'm here at all. If it wasn't for me you'd be out on the streets."

Trent had stood up at some point, unnoticed by Mitch who was too focused on the tears running down Charlotte's face.

"I know, we're so grateful, you know I love you."

"Do you?"

This was where Mitch's mind usually went numb with panic.

"Of course I love you."

Trent grabbed Mitch by the front of his shirt.

Mitch wanted more than anything to run, to jump out the window, to lock himself in the bathroom.

But he couldn't, he never could.

"I don't think you show me enough. You love that stupid pig more than me."

"She's my sister-"

"And I'm your boyfriend."

Trent let go of Mitch's shirt, and for a second he felt absolute relief. But then Trent turned to Charlotte, who was still frozen in her seat at the table, Mitch wanted to throw up.

As Trent moved towards Charlotte, and pulled her out of her seat, Mitch managed to shake himself out of his petrified state enough to grab Trent's arm,

"Please Trent, don't hurt her, she's just a kid, let her go to her room, you can do what you want to me."

Mitch didn't know where those words came from, he was even proud of them for a moment.

But then his head got slammed into the wall.

He collapsed to the floor seeing colors, white-hot pain seared through his head.

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" Trent
yelled, his loud tone worsening Mitch's pain, "I'm leaving to get a drink and some decent food. I'll be back in a few hours."

The door slammed, Mitch clutched the sides of his head. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

"I wish you wouldn't talk back to him."

"If I don't stand up for you who will?"

Mitch let her words soak in. Her voice was so soft, it reminded him how young she was. She was so young and yet she'd been through so much.

"Trent is right, I am fat. All the kids at school tell me."

Charlotte had never been a super thin kid. But after their parents died a few years ago, and they moved in with Trent, she had put on quite a few pounds. Mitch still thought she was beautiful with her thick caramel curls, and big blue eyes.

"Oh Char, you're beautiful, please don't listen to the kids at school or Trent. They don't matter."

"If I shouldn't listen to Trent, why do you?"

That hit him hard. It was time he admitted it to himself.

"Char, I'm going to find a way for us to leave."

"But Mitch where will we go?"

"I'll figure it out, I promise. I love you Char, go get some sleep."

"Love you, goodnight."

Mitch remained in his crumpled position for a few minutes longer but when he eventually got up he felt strong. He had a goal to work towards.

Mitch didn't know how he was going to do it, or where they would go.

But he finally knew one thing with absolute certainty.

I need to get out of here.

A/N: So this is my first Scomiche fanfiction, thank you for reading :) feedback is appreciated.