Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for choosing to read my book. I hope you love it. Also, don't forget to vote, leave reviews, and leave comments. I always accept *constructive* feedback.

Update- This book is being slowly edited. This is the first book in what will be a trilogy series. The second book is already completed. It's called, "Hireath." Again, thank you for choosing to read my book!

~Katja

Mila's POV:

I can't believe we're leaving... Not that I'm against it. Honestly, I've envisioned this day every day since I could remember, but I can't believe this day is finally here—seventeen years... of that piece of shit beating my mom. I watched him do it every day, and then around the age of ten, I started standing up for my mom, and he started beating me too—countless nights of him stumbling in drunk just to beat my mom and me; never letting me forget how much he wanted a son, and how much of a piece of shit I am. I don't know what made my mom finally decide enough was enough, but I'm glad. So here she is, waking me up in the middle of the night in an estranged panic. Sweat drenching her forehead. She spoke very rapidly and shakily.

"Mila, wake up! We have to go! Grab your emergency bag. I told you always to have ready, and let's go!"

The urgency in her voice sent my body into a panic. I hurriedly threw on my shoes and grabbed my emergency bag. Within seconds we were out the door and in the car speeding away. I looked back at the prison in which I had grown up in and was thankful to be out of its toxic grasp. With every mile we put between us and that house, I started to feel safer. I finally found my voice after some time.

"Mami, where are we going?"

"Away, Mija."

The car became silent after this. None of us spoke another word. I turned back to look out the window. I was too far into my thoughts, praying this wasn't a dream and we were truly getting away. Before I knew it, we were at the airport. As we rushed in from parking the car, she handed me a ticket. It was a one-way to San Diego, California. I don't know how she got these tickets. We were broke. Any money that came into the family was just from that bastard and his shitty job. He never let my mom work to earn money of her own; he controlled all of it. He controlled us.

"Mami, how did you get these tickets? We can't afford these."

"We'll talk about this later, Mija. We have to hurry to our gate."

We got to the gate just in time to board. So much has happened, and so much is going on. I sat in my seat, and my mind was reeling. I had so many questions, trying to connect the dots but struggled to form one coherent thought. We were about to take off when I finally found my voice again.

"Mami, what's in San Diego?"

"My sister Mija." at this point, I'm really confused. I just started shaking my head.

"No, Mami, you don't have a sister..." She's never mentioned having a sister. My mom just looked at me with pleading eyes. I could see how broken and terrified she was.

"I'll explain everything later, Mija. But, for now, don't tell anyone where we are, not even Julian. Promise me." This caught me completely by surprise. I want to tell Julian everything, but he could be put into danger if he knows where we are running to.

"I promise."

The rest of the flight was filled with silence. I didn't care about leaving that piece of shit behind, but I was going to miss my best friend Julian so much. He was my only friend... The only one who knew everything about me, and I mean everything. He knew about how my da- sperm donor beat my mom and me, he knew about my anxiety and nightmares, he knew that reading and running were my only healthy escapes, he knew about my self-harm, and he even knew my biggest secret of all..... That I'm gay.