I stare directly at him, ignoring the rest of the courtroom, "There is no day that everything goes to hell, excuse my language. Growing up, we were a normal family. My father is a wealthy lawyer, my mother a nurse. My two best friends, James and Sara, there when I needed them until they weren't." I stare at him, his eyes glaring at me. I take a deep breath, "My sister's death probably led to everything. She died when we were six she was my twin. We all lost a piece of ourselves the day she died. I never truly believed things could get worse, but I was wrong. "Nothing is safe when death is around." Alex said that a lot while she was fighting cancer and I now know what she meant." I look at my mom and watch her wipe her eyes. "My name is Mia Evans and my relationship with my father was not genuine. I grew up fast, faster than most kids. When my sister died we didn't talk about her, ever. I can't help but feel like this all is my fault. I guess it starts in my freshman year."

I am escorted out of the courtroom and back to the hospital. When I open the door to my dorm and sigh, "Fuck my life."

Two Years Earlier...

"Honey, you are going to be late. It is your first day of high school, come on," my mom says through my shut door.

"Almost ready mom, I will be up in a few minutes," I shout from my closet. I look in the mirror and adjust the bandage a little more and wince, "Fuck me." I slip into a dress and walk out of my closet. I slip into my art studio and grab my sketchbook. I glance at the most recent art project and sigh, "School Mia, come on." I shut the door to my studio and lock the door. I grab my bag and heels.

"MIA!" I open my door to my mom.

"Sorry hair problems."

She shakes her head, "Is that makeup?"

I nod and remind her, "You said I could wear makeup is that still correct?" I silently pray it is. She nods and says, "Ready?" I shrug as I put my heels on.

I walk up the stairs saying, "I guess, just another day mom." She laughs and follows me up. As we pass the kitchen I grab a box of pop tarts and throw it into my bag. I walk to the door and open it, "Does my chariot await?" My mom laughs and goes out first. I follow her shutting and locking the door.

We pull up to the school and my mom turns and gives me a hug, "I will be at the hospital tonight and your father will be at work, probably late like usual. You are solo tonight. If you get takeout or go to the store, use the card I gave you. Have a nice day. Smile okay?"

She hugs me and I sigh, "James and Sara are waiting. I love you, Mom. Have a nice day too." I get out and start walking up to my friends.

"Ready for our first-day, Bitches!!" Sara yells.

James smiles and says, "Hell yes queens!"

Sara starts rambling and as we get to our lockers she says, "You bitches are so lucky that you guys have the same class first and second. I should go see you both at lunch?" She doesn't wait for a response and kisses both of our cheeks and hurries down the hall to class.

"Did you give her a coffee this morning? Jesus," I laugh as James gives me a look. "I am fine James. Really, I am."

He shakes his head, "We can't keep this a secret, okay. Please tell your mom."

I shake my head, "James, we talked about this, the last thing I need is to drag her into this. She will think I am lying."

He sighs, and we start walking to class, "She will believe you did that to yourself? Really? Evans, you are insane, she is your mother, she will find out one way or another. Tell the truth Evans, for yourself."

I lose my temper and say, "Yeah, take your own goddamn advice, James. Tell me the truth."

I sit down, and he looks shocked, "What does that mean?" I mutter, "You know what I mean."

I sit through first, not looking at James and even flirting with Daniel. I have liked James for a while and have known he liked me ever since this weekend. As my math teacher goes on about class expectations, I think about this weekend. It was just my dad and I home, and he drank way too much again. I had been in the kitchen and broke a glass. He came in and helped me pick up the mess, and he swept the glass up into the dustpan he threw it at me. A piece of glass hit my side and cut it. He smacked me across the face and called me a piece of shit. He sent me to my room not without punching me in the side that got cut. I was wearing a crop top, so it showed, and it was gushing blood, and I moved to my room. I didn't know what to do, I texted James telling him to sneak into my room with bandages, everything to fix a cut.

When he came in through my window he saw that I was passed out. He quickly woke me up and, not without giving me a lecture, fixed my side. He presumed I started cutting myself again, but when he realized bruises were appearing on my face he knew. He knew it was my father. I confided in him for so much, so he knew that my dad lost his temper when he drank, but it never got physical until today. He stayed the night and the next morning snuck out and went home, leaving the bandages. We didn't talk much about it until he came over later that day. He had almost lost it on my dad and I had to fix the situation, which earned me a slap in the face. Not that I told James that. I had recently learned how to apply makeup from Sara and wore enough to cover the bruises perfectly enough. James wants me to tell my mom, but I can't. Not because my dad said she would hate me for destroying the family even more but because it would destroy her. She only has my dad and I. She thrives on us being the perfect three-person family. I can't rip that away from her.

I look over at the clock ex when the bell rings. James gets up and helps me pack up. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head, "I am sorry."

He nods, "I shouldn't have pushed you on the subject. I... I know that this is hard for you."

I nod and mutter, "Thank you." We go to our next class and I sigh and say, "James?"

He looks down at me. "What?" I gaze down at the bottom of my dress, "I have a question... um... Do you, um, do you like me?"

The bell rings, and he laughs, "Later." He walks into the classroom and I shake my head and follow him.