Disclaimer The bold letter is a flashback except for the names enjoy. -Author
Dani~
I woke up in a dark basement I was chained up it was really cold down here then I realized why I was here and looked at the bruises on my body then I saw a little pudge on my stomach I started to cry when I heard footsteps I wiped my tears and looked up to see who was coming and sure enough, it was August.
"Hey babe"
"Hey," I said dryly fighting back my tears
"Look I'm sorry Dani" he caressed my cheek
I couldn't hold back my tears anymore
"Look I'm sorry ma stop crying"
"August I can't do this no more I'm pregnant and you treat me like a dog in having your child your SECOND at that and you beat on me and you cheat on me like I'm nothing to you!! why can't it just go back to the way thing used to be "
~Flashback~
- 3 years ago-
September 24th 1993
I walked around the diner and sighed another day of misery at least I get off tomorrow I thought to myself I watched as a man walked through the door of the diner
"Dani tell him to sit at table 4" the other waitress said to me
"Okay" I nodded my head I waved him over to table four luckily he noticed me
"Hello welcome to Paula's can I start you off with a drink" I grabbed the notebook out my back pocket the man smiled at me my cheeks felt hot
"I'll take a Dr Pepper" the man said
"Will this be here or to go sir?"
"Please call me August Sir makes me feel old" he laughed I laughed as well
"Well August is your order for here or to go?"
"Dine in" He looked at my name tag
"Dani"He winked at me and I blushed
"Okay your drinks will be out shortly feel free to browse our menu so I can take your order when I come back" I smiled as I walked away I pondered in my thoughts I grabbed the cup and started pouring the drink from the dispenser
I can't lie August was undeniably handsome but he has something odd about him he's not like other men that come through the diner
"Danielle!" My manager yelled
"Yes?" I looked at the cup in my hand it was over flowed with Dr Pepper I gasped
"I'm sorry Mrs. Montez" I wiped my hand on my apron
"That's gonna come out of your paycheck Ay Dios Mio" She face palmed herself
"I'm sorry I'll clean it up" I grabbed some napkins
"No, go take your table order!" She said my eyes started watering.
The only reason why I have this job is to get out of the house... I can't wait to move out
"Okay" I grabbed the drinks and walked back over to table 4
"Okay here's you drinks can I take your order" I grabbed
"Why don't you sit with me you look tired" August said I looked at my manager and she rolled her eyes
"Well it is around the time for my lunch break" I awkwardly laughed
I sighed and sat down across from him I stared at him noticing his features and his flaws he has freckles that sit right above his cheekbones light brown eyes and smooth Caramel skin
"Why are you being so nice to me? I'm just a waitress" I asked he turned to me
"You're not just a waitress you're a person with a life outside of your job and someone who has a hustle" He paused
"And I respect that" He looked deep into my eyes. He was so different it's like something about him drew me to him. Something about him made me yearn for his attention. Without me noticing he was staring right back at me his eyes roaming
"What happened to your arm?" He pointed at my bruised arm and I rolled my sleeve back up
"Oh it's just a workplace accident" I lied and awkwardly laughed. The truth is my mom and dad got into a fight last night and I had to break it up...
"It doesn't look like a workplace accident" I looked down and sighed
"Hello, what would you all like to order?" My fellow waitress Tina asked
"Saved by the bell" I thought to myself
"Hey Tina, may I have the Dulce de Leche Crunch Pancake Breakfast with orange juice?"
"Okay and for you sir?"
"I'll get the same thing" He smiled
"Okay will that be all?" Tina asked
"Yes ma'am thank you" He replied he was so generous and caring it was kind of weird you see since I was a child I've never been the center of attention I was the odd kid because of the situations that were happening at home it caused me to disassociate from others...
"Tell me a little bit about yourself" He said ripping me from my thoughts
"Why are you so invested in me?" I blurted out
He looked at me and chuckled
"I'm sorry I'm just wondering I'm just so plain there's nothing interesting about me why would someone like yourself find interest in me?" I said curiously
"It's something about you, you don't act like other girls and something draws me to you and makes me want to know more about you" He said making me blush
"Well as ironic as it sounds something draws me to you too you're just so..." I paused To think of the word
"You're so different, something about you is different from other men that have catcalled me in this diner" Or so I thought...
"Right and it's just so weird because I've never met you before in my life but it seems like I've known you forever" He smiled at me we stared into each others eyes looking into his soul and he could see mine I didn't have my guard up with him as of now I am an off duty soldier fighting in the war of vulnerability.
"Okay love birds your food is here" Tina said handing us our plates of food
"Thank you Tina" I smiled at her
"Of course I convinced Montez to let you take the day off because you have company" She winked at me
"Why would you do that no I need to work today" I said as my heart sank truth is I didn't want to go home
"I'm sorry I was just trying to help" She said
"Well thank you but I didn't ask" I said she scoffed and walked away
I sighed and picked my fork up
"What was that about?" He asked me
"It's nothing I'm just tired and I need this job and stuffs just been so tight at home I've been working overtime to get the bills paid it's just been a lot going on but enough about me tell me about yourself" I said pushing past the subject
"Well I was raised in Illinois for most of my life but when my dad died we moved down to Texas to get away from all that mess" He explained I nodded my head
"Not trying to pry but how did your dad die?"
He cleared his throat
"He died in a fire I'll spare you the gory details I'll tell you one day" He said and when I looked at him I saw a different side of him he was vulnerable but closed off. In his eyes I could see the pain but he said "one day" which means he saw a future with me already I don't know whether to see that as a red flag or a compliment
"What about you, have you been in Texas your whole life?" he said as he cut into his pancakes. I finished chewing and then took a sip of my orange juice.
"Well I was born in 1976 I've lived in Texas my whole life but I lived in Houston until I was 13 then we moved here to San Antonio and I've been living here since"
"If I may ask, do you have any family here?" He asked me
"Yes I do I have my twin brother my sister and my mother and father here" I explained
"Your mother and father do they love each other" He asked me sincerely
I looked to the side
"Well the do love each other they just show it in different ways" I explained
I heard my phone ringing I fished it out my back pocket and answered it
"Hello?"
"Dani you gotta come home Dads yelling again and mom locked herself inside the bathroom" My brother Juan said with the background sounding chaotic
"Juan I have another shift to work I can't come home" I grabbed my jacket August looked at me I held my finger up to him signaling for him to wait
"I'm not gonna get back home any time soon anyways I have to take the bus" August looked at me again about to open his mouth to say something but closed it
"You have to come home Dani mom needs you" He said I heard a scream and the line went dead
I sighed and placed my hand on my forehead
"I can take you home" August said
"And Tina already took your shifts for you" He continued
"I really don't wanna bring you into this mess" I explained
"It's fine I offered" He grinned I grabbed my things and put the money on the table offering to pay
"I got it you can keep it" He said and without hesitation I put the money back in my pocket Lord knows how much I needed this
"I gotta use the restroom" I said as I exited the booth
I walked to the back restroom for employees only
I opened the door and sighed I looked in the mirror and held my cheek yesterday I was slapped for helping my mother off the ground It wasn't as bad as it usually is but it still left a mark with tears in my eyes I walked out the bathroom and walked into August's chest he looked down at me and I looked up at him he wrapped his hands around my waist and held me I broke down in his arms now that I think about it my mother always told me to never let a man see you cry or they'll take advantage of it I should've listened...
"Let's go it'll be okay" He whispered in my ear
"Thank you" I said as we walked out the diner we got into his Toyota Supra
"What street do you live on?" He asked
"Fulton ave" I said still on the verge of tears
"Okay what's going on?" I put my hands on my face and shook my head no I silently cried he rubbed my back and consoled me
"I try so hard to stay out of his way every day but he still manages to hurt me or my
brother" He looked at me confused
"Your dad?" He asked and I nodded my head
"I'm so sorry Dani" he wiped my tears
We entered my neighborhood and I tensed a little there's so many bad memories within these 4 walls and these streets some people call the place they stay their home but mine is just the hell hole I'm bound to there's no escaping it
"Stay here" I told him as we entered the driveway
"Are you sure you wanna go in there alone?" He asked me
"Yea I'll be fine" I sighed and mustered up the courage to enter the house
I opened the door and seen Juan going blow for blow with my father and Gabrielle was crying in the corner
Gabi was the "neglected" one she was barely beaten but often starved and overlooked but I'd say that's a good thing me and Juan take most of the beatings for our mother because she can't take it any longer
I shielded my little sister from him as he hit my back
"Stop!" My mother yelled as she cried out for me
"Mom, run!" I yelled to her and she grabbed Gabi and ran out the house I shielded my face from him as he took his anger out on me
Tears ran down my face as he hit me
"Stop it!" Gabrielle yelled as she ran back into the house I pushed him away from me
"Papi stop it, you're scaring her!" I yelled to him as he charged at me
"No stop!" My voice cracked as he picked me up over his shoulder and took me to the backyard
"Gabi go!!" I yelled out to her and she did as told
He grabbed my neck and forced me to look at him
"What did I tell you would happen when you disobey me again?" He squeezed harder tears ran down my face
"I'm sorry" I sobbed he held me up my feet dangling above the ground choking me I saw little black dots as the oxygen was being taken from my lungs
He removed his hands from around my throat just when I was about to pass out I gasped for air he grabbed my arm but I pushed him and he fell to the ground he was so drunk he could barely keep his balance he grabbed on of the twigs and hit me across the back I cried out in pain as I felt the skin on my back form into a welt
He grabbed something from his pocket as I tried to run away he grabbed my ankle and dragged me towards him
"Get off of me!" I screamed he cut my arm with a razor he had in his hand and I screamed out in pain I looked around me for something to defend myself with I grabbed a rock and hit him across the face he groaned out in pain
I ran back to August's car and frantically told him to open the door I looked in the driveway and the car was gone my mom escaped I took off my shirt and tied it around my arm his eyes immediately went to my back and the bruises I had His thumb retraced every bruise on my stomach to my back I shivered and closed my eyes and sighed
"I really like you" He finally said
"I like you too" I smiled slightly he looked at the white shirt now covered in blood and sighed deeply
"We need to get you to a hospital" I shook my head no
"They'll call the police and take us away and-and we'll be separated" I stuttered
"You can die Dani" He interrupted me
"I would much rather have them take you away then you not being here with me and with your family not being able to see you again you scared me Dani he could kill you" He explained
"I'm sorry I just didn't want you to see me get hurt and I didn't want him to do something to you" I said lowering my head
"C-can you come in with me?"I asked him nervously
"Yea come on" He said as we got out the car and entered the emergency room I inhaled sharply and August grabbed my waist he could tell I was uncomfortable he took off his shirt and gave it to me
"You'll be fine" He sweetly whispered in my ear
"I have a woman here with a severe gash on her arm and a black eye she needs medical attention ASAP" The nurse at the front desk yelled
Dang. Now I need to come up with a story. August took my hand in his as we walked behind the nurse I still have no idea who this man really is
The doctor was rushed in and put numbing cream on my arm he sticked the needles in my arm to stitch it up and I winced at the sight of it I was terrified of needles ever since August squeezed my hand in reassurance that I'll be fine
I smiled slightly at him I palmed my forehead feeling light headed before passing out
When I woke up hours have gone by and I saw policemen in the room I gasped loudly gaining everyone's attention
"Ma'am we need to speak to you" one of the officers said
"My child is a minor, you cannot speak to her without my permission!" My mother
yelled across the room. I held my head in my hands and turned to August. He held his head down and told them everything.
"Then she ran to my car and she was bleeding a lot" the rest of his words I tuned out
They looked at me with pity in their eyes every time they asked "Is this true ma'am?" I would nod
"We need you to say it verbally" The female officer said as she held my hand as if I was a child but Lord knows how much I needed it. I was terrified.
"Yes ma'am" I said my voice was shaking
"I'm sorry mom" I mouthed to her as she rocked herself back and forth. They opened up an investigation and within two months I was separated from my family. Since the incident had just happened. They found the evidence rather quickly. The social worker was called and I was placed in a foster home for 3 years separated until my 18th birthday