And Love Walked In

I sit on my bed staring at the cover of The Art of War. I couldn't take my mind off Rome and the kiss we were about to share. I wanted to kiss him, I would of. Then I remember what happened with Mr. Hold and I got scared, so fucking scared he would be the same. That he would hurt me.

"Emerson." My grandfather says as he enters my room a maid at his side. "We will be attending an important dinner tonight, I need you to cover your face with this." he says as the maid hands me a make-up compact. I take it and open it up, make-up to cover my bruises.

"Why do I have to go?" I mumble closing the make-up compact and throwing it onto my bed. I continued to stare at my book opening it to the first page to read it, again.

"Get dressed we're leaving in two hours." he hisses and storms out the room slamming the door behind him.

I feel the tears drip from my eyes but I wipe them away and set the book aside. I get ready for the party, only because I don't want to get on my grandfather's bad side for the remainder of the week my parents will be gone. I dress in a pair of slacks and a dark blue button up. I slip on my shoes and run my fingers through my hair as there's a knock on my door. "Come in." I call softly.

A maid enters, Rosa. She smiles kindly at me exposing her wrinkles along her face. Her graying hair is wrapped in a bun and tied with a pink hair tie. "How are you?" she asks as he comes to me taking my face softly between her hands. She examines the bruises on my face and sighs before telling to sit on my bed. I listen to her and take a seat watching as takes the make-up I left lying on my bed.

Rosa has been a maid in the house since I could remember. She's witnessed all the years of abuse and she never said a word. I wouldn't expect her to, she has a son and daughter to raise and she needs the money and this is a good paying job for her. "Your father's never been this bad." she whispers as she applies the make up for me.

She's right though. My father never bruised my face, usually everything below my neck would be left bruised and battered. I sit still and watch her face as she applies my make up, "Rosa." I whisper softly reminding myself of a small child. She hums in response and her eyes meet mine for a second. "Can I move in with you?" I ask although I know it's a dumb question to ask.

"I wish I can miho, I really do but you know I can't." she sighs as her fingers brush over my concealed face. "You better get down there, your grandfather is waiting." she tells me standing up and watching as I grab my coat and head downstairs.

As she said my grandfather is standing near the door tapping his foot impatiently for me. "Let's go I have the cab waiting." he tells me as we hurry out the door into the cold bay air. I shiver although I'm wearing a coat and slip into the cab.

The ride to his friend's home doesn't take long and soon the cab is coming to a stop in front of a grand home, grander than mine. We get out the car and head into the home. My grandfathers walks in the crowded formal room beginning to converse with his friends as I stand aside and make myself look invisible. I walk toward the window and look out, I could see the golden gate bridge and smile lightly wishing I could just leave this place. Go anywhere but here.

"A-are you Emerson?" A soft girly voice asks from behind me. I turn around and come to face with a petite girl. She's looking up at me with large brown eyes as she tucks a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. "I was told to come find you." she whispers glancing down to the floor.

"That's me." I mumble glancing back out the window.

"My names Emily." she says standing next to me and looking out the window. "Emily Shal." she adds tapping her manicured fingers on the window seal.

"Emerson, I see you met Emily." My grandfather says from behind me. I turn to him with a cold stare, so now he's setting me up on dates?

"Yeah." I whisper still keeping me gaze on the ground.

"Good you should accompany her this evening." my grandfather says not giving me a chance to debate. If grandfather wants this, then I have to obey. I glance to Emily and give her a tense smile as my grandfather walks away.

"You don't have to hang out with me if you don't want to." Emily tells me as she picks at the window. "I have a friend coming anyway." she tells me looking down, but I could still see the blush coating her cheeks.

Just as I was about to speak another soft voice interrupts me. I turn around and another girl is standing behind us. She's a bit taller than Emily and has curly brown hair and slightly tan skin. A blush is also covering her cheeks and that's when I understand that this girl isn't just a friend to Emily, but much more.



We get home much later than expected. My grandfather is upset at me, half way through the dinner I left Emily and her friend so I can go to their garden. My grandfather found me and began to lecture me leaving me with a warning and a threat for when we got home.

I stand behind my grandfather as he opens the front door allowing me in. I glance up to him before stepping in. Immediately I feel my grandfather kick my back causing me to fall face first on the ground. I whimper and turn onto my back before sitting up to look at my grandfather. He kicks me a few times in the ribs before lifting me up by my neck. My breathing gets cut off and I pull and my grandfather's hand trying to pry him off me.

He finally lets me go with a drop to the floor. I lay on the ground gasping for air as I hear him walk past me to his bedroom. Once he's gone I bring myself to my feet before stumbling up the stairs and to my bed room. I turn on the lights to my bathroom and wipe off my make-up exposing my bruised face my family tries so hard to hide.

I walk back into my bedroom in my boxers. I make my way to my bed sitting on the edge as my eyes scope my bedroom falling on my window where a note is. I stand up and walk to my window and open it slightly to grab the note before closing the window again. I slip to the floor bringing my knees to my chest as I open the note,

Taking a state whole is superior.
Destroying it is inferior to this.

I smile lightly at what Rome wrote on the note before pinning it above my bed.