When I arrived at our house, the absence of my parents' car in the driveway filled me with a sense of dread. It meant they weren’t home yet. Anxiety gnawed at me. What if my brother and cousin were inside? The thought of them hurting me again was almost too much to bear. I couldn't take any more pain.
I checked the time on my phone. 7:05 P.M. Why weren't Mom and Dad home yet? I was about to dial Mom's number when I noticed a message from her in my notification bar.
"Attending a coworker's birthday party. Be home late. Take care!"
Damn. I was alone with the people who tormented me. I stood at the doorway, hesitant. The thought of facing my brother and cousin terrified me, but I had nowhere else to go. I glanced over at Drew’s house, hoping maybe I could find some solace there, but the h
