Safe Haven

Chapter Two: Heart and Soul

"Professor Carbonell?" Vera calls out, making him turn around.
"Yes?" he asks.
"I just...I don't understand why you stopped me." Vera says. She had never been the type of student to struggle. She was always the teacher's pet.
"I didn't feel like you knew what you were doing. I didn't want my time wasted." he says, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder.
"Well could you tell me how I could fix it?" she asks.
"Feel the words more." he says with boredom as he attempts to step around her. She steps in front of him, stopping him. He sighs, rolling his eyes.
"You're my professor. You're supposed to be teaching me." she says, trying to control her anger.
"Fine." he says, setting his bag down and walking onto the stage. Vera follows, eager to learn.
"This woman is desperate. You've got to delve into your soul and reach into your own desperation. Bring that desperation to the surface. Let the audience see it." he says, facing her.
Vera thinks about how she can show her desperation through her body and words.
"Lets hear it." he says. She takes a deep breath before stepping forward in character.
"Monsieur Javert, I beseech your mercy. I assure you that I was not in the wron-"
"No." he says, walking off of the stage. Vera stops and looks at him.
"Honestly, I think this piece is proving to be too difficult for you-"
"Dammit, just tell me what to do!" she shouts. He glances up at her, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"Sorry." she mumbles, obviously not sorry.
"That's the emotion your scene needs." he tells her.
"Pardon?"
"Go again. Put that emotion in it." he says, watching her.
"Monsieur Javert, I beseech your mercy. I assure you that I was not in the wrong."
"You are about to lose everything. Where is your soul?" he asks.
"If you had seen the beginning, you would have seen. I swear to you by the good God that I was not to blame!" she continues.
"Vera." he stops her, making her sigh with exasperation.
"You are about to lose your freedom and your child. Perhaps you have never experienced something of that magnitude in your life but surely there is some painful memory that you can draw on." he says, walking back up to her. A memory plays out in front of her.
Her mother is running all around the room, gathering her things and stuffing them into a suitcase. Vera watches from inside the closet as she frantically packs her things away. The bedroom door opens and her father walks in angrily.
"Where the hell have you been?" he shouts, grabbing her arm.
"Joseph!"
"Are you cheating on me?" he asks, pulling on her.
"No! Of course not." she shouts, struggling to get away. She reaches for her bag and pulls out a gun.
"You bitch!" he shouts, throwing her to the ground. He kicks the gun from her hand and it lands right in front of Vera.
"I'm sorry!" her mother shouts as her father picks her up by the waist. Her mother's hand reaches out toward her.
"Vera!" she shouts. Vera picks up the gun, her small hands wrapping around the large weapon. She holds it up to her parents, clicking it back.
"You stupid unfaithful bitch!" her father shouts. Her finger touches the trigger and she pulls.
"No. No painful memories. I live a normal life." Vera lies. His dark eyes seem to look right through her and Vera suddenly becomes incredibly insecure.
"Then this scene is not for you. Good day miss Farmiga." he says, grabbing his bag and leaving.
She sighs and grabs her bag, figuring out where she wants to sleep tonight. She had already crashed with Olivia twice this week and she is afraid Olivia might start asking questions. Before she can decide, her phone buzzes in her pocket.
"Hello?" she answers.
"Where the hell have you been?" her father asks.
"School."
"Get your ass home. You haven't made dinner in three days." he says, sounding angry. She hangs up the phone and drives to her small home just outside of the city limits. She steps out onto the dirt driveway and walks to the house.
"Good afternoon, miss Vera." Nina, her nanny, greets her. Nina had been with the family since her mother passed and has stepped in as a mothering role in Vera's life.
"Good afternoon, Nina." she says, stepping into the house.
"Where's TJ?" she asks, grabbing an apple from the fruit basket.
"Your father is in the back. He'll be in for you soon." Nina says with a look of sorrow on her face. Vera nodded, mentally preparing herself for whatever abuse is to come.
A few minutes later, her dad walks in with a dirty tank top on and jeans with holes in them. His hair is slicked back in its usual style and he takes the cigarette out of his mouth, stomping it out on the kitchen floor.
"Where you been, child?" he asks, glaring at her. Vera fingers the fabric of her blue dress nervously.
"I told you. I've been at school."
"You ain't going nowhere with an acting career so I don't know why you even bother going to that damn school." he says, grabbing the box of grits. He pours them onto the kitchen floor while he glares at her.
"You are to come home every night from now on. You hear me?" he asks. Vera nods, staring at the grits.
"Go on." he says, putting the box away and sitting in the chair by the table. She steps forward, slowly kneeling down into the grits. She bites her lip to keep herself from crying out as the grits make their way into her skin, making it feel like a thousand needles instead of just some rice.
Her hands grab onto the fabric of her dress as she keeps herself from crying. She refuses to cry in front of TJ. She won't give him the satisfaction. She glares at him as he drinks his beer and watches her struggle.
After what feels like an eternity, he stands up and grabs her by her hair, pulling her up. He marches her over to the stove and hands her the box of grits.
"Now make me some damn food." he says, walking away. She gently brushes the remaining grits from her knees and gets to work making his food. Once she serves him dinner, she locks herself in her bedroom only opening the door for Nina.
"How long did he make you sit there?" Nina asks, cleaning up Vera's knees.
"Two hours." she says, watching Nina work.
"Poor thing. I'm gonna get us out of here one day. You'll see child." she says, moving to place bandages on her knees.
"No," Vera says, stopping her. "I'm fine. I don't want to draw attention."
Nina smiles and puts the bandages back in the first aid kit.
"You always were a tough girl." she says, putting the first aid kit away.
"Do you think I'm waisting my time with school?" Vera asks, laying back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling.
"Of course not. If you think that you are meant to be in that school, then I am sure you will go far. You're such a talented young lady." Nina says, her small, wrinkled hand grabbing onto Vera's hand.
"Thank you, Nina. You're the closest thing I have to a mother so your approval means a lot."
"You're welcome, dear. Now get some sleep." she whispers, kissing Vera's forehead and turning off the light.