Arabella Rivera First, all I felt was fear of knowing how badly he'd twist the situation then as I stared at his disappointed face, anger coursed through me. "Were you watching me?" I snapped walking in further. Father's eyes turned even more furious. "You did not answer my question Arabella. Why were you dropped off by that kind of boy?" He roared, gripping my arm before I could walk past him. His grip is firm and almost painful. That kind of boy? Tipping my chin defiantly, I stared at him right in the eye and....said half the truth. "He just gave me a ride home. Stop overreacting." I tried tugging my arm out of his hold but he doesn't budge, only tightening it until it ached. My heart pounded as I realized I had angered him a lot. " Stop overreacting? So I should stay muted when I see my teenage daughter kissing the delinquent neighbor in his fucking truck!? The boy whose mouth is foul and he's hated by everyone?" I flinched by his harsh words and my heart starts pounding painfully when his words sank in. He saw me. He saw me kissing Haiden. My mouth runs dry when his grip tightens harshly until I let out a pained cry. "You're hurting me." He pushes me away from him harshly and I stumble back, nearly falling. My eyes burned with hatred at his severe actions. "You don't know- He chuckles bitterly, cutting me off. "Don't know what? That my daughter has turned into a slut and is now spoiled? You're now dirty Arabella!" I flinched again, holding the arm that still throbbed from his harsh grip. His words made me sob and my vision blurred. "For all I've done for you, you disgrace me like this! You have disgraced this entire family because you couldn't keep your legs- I pressed my lips together waiting for him to continue but he doesn't and looks at the entrance of the kitchen. I turn around and embarrassment snaked on my cheeks as my eyes fell on Gertrude. "What's going on?" She whispered, her eyes falling on my arm in pity. "I do not pay you to stick your nose into my private conversations with my daughter. Go back to cleaning the kitchen draws." Father spat. "Father-" I started but he stops me."You shut your trap." He yelled, making me jump in startlement at his loud tone. Gertrude's eyes widen in shock and fear, darting her eyes between father and me in helplessness. "Mr. Rivera- I squirmed and flinched when he shouted. "Leave us Gertrude!" "Please go," I whispered to Gertrude who seemed like she wasn't going to budge. I didn't want him spitting out his anger on her too. His problem was with me and not her. With a reluctant stare, Gertrude nods and turns around, disappearing inside the kitchen. Turning to father I looked at him unhappily. "That was unnecessary- " I never took you for that kind of girl Arabella. Your mother and I did everything right to raise you, yet you turn out like this. Whoring around with that boy." He blasts with rage. His voice shook the walls. "Have you no shame to parade around with a boy like that?" Even though his words stung, he had no right to talk about Haiden like he was the spec of dirt under his shiny shoes. So glaring at him through my blurry vision I snapped. "You don't know him father. He's not bad like you and everyone else think- "Shut up!" He roars, coming closer to my face, and took a hold of the same arm he abused his strength upon minutes ago. Jerking me forward harshly, I looked up at him in fear. A daughter should never have to fear her father but right now, the look he pinned me with, made my stomach cramp with dread. "You will not see that delinquent again. Do you hear me?" He whispered and even though his tone was soft, the fury still lurked in the shadows. My heart raced out of fear yet my mouth is bold as I answered him. "I will not stop seeing him." If he was shocked at my answer, he did not show it. He was too calm. Too calm. "And why the hell not?" His eyes darkened even more with a furious gleam. "Because I love him," I whispered truthfully, tearing my eyes away from my father's fierce ones. It's silent for a couple of minutes, only the sound of our harsh breaths and the energy of our anger sticking to the air can be felt and heard. Then he chuckles. Dryly. "What do you know about love Arabella? Don't fool yourself, you know nothing of that sort. You're still young and dumb to that emotion." I snap my eyes to his mocking ones and I'm furious. "And you know so much about love father? You're a cold man, you have never shown that emotion yourself. And feel it? I highly doubt it. So what do you know about lov-The sting on my cheek came abruptly, making me snap my head to the side at the force. I shouldn't be surprised and I wasn't. But it still wasn't easy to know that he struck me on my cheek. "Now I see why you've been acting the way you do. How long have you been seeing that boy?" I gulped, refusing to look at him nor answer his pending question. "He's the one that has turned you this way. See how he has ruined you Arabella?" He growled lowly. "Mr. Rivera I think you should let her go." Gertrude's soft voice pleaded with father. Moving his gaze off me, father looks over my shoulder and glares. "Did I not warn you to not stick your nose into my private matters with my family?" He snaps. "Mr. Rivera, with all due respect, I don't think I can stand there and let you strike her again without interfering. You will have to fire me if you are not pleased with my words, but I will not be leaving here until I know Arabella is safe and away from you." Gertrude said more boldly than before. Father is still and by his tight grip, I knew he was still angry. Seconds tick by before he pushes me away. He doesn't look at me while he spits out." Go to your room." Without thinking too much about it, I run upstairs, tears trailing down my cheeks. With my blurry vision, I pushed my door open, the harsh action had it banging on the opposite wall. Hurling my bag on the floor I made a beeline for my bed. After sitting for quite a few minutes just sobbing, I finally had the courage to look at my arm. His grip was so hard that my once blemish-free skin now had the print of rough fingers wrapped around my upper arm. I touched the skin tenderly, my stomach twisting with unease. "I brought some frozen peas. " Gertrude's sudden voice made me lift my head. I looked at her standing in the doorway and she lifts the bag of frozen green peas. "For your cheek. There wasn't any ice in the freezer." She said in pity as her eyes fall on my arm. I don't answer her, only felt the tightening of my throat as I tried to hold in my cries. Her pity stare weighed down on me and I couldn't hold the sob anymore as she walked in further. "Oh Arabella, I'm so sorry." She whispered as she plops down beside me and pushes the frozen bag of peas on my cheek. I flinch but don't pull away. After a few moments of silence, she speaks out soflty. "You truly love him?" Not exactly expecting her question I don't answer for a few seconds, until she turns my head to face her and looks at me knowingly. With a nod, I answered truthfully. "Yes. I love him." Her eyes dart between my eyes as if looking for any falsity. Then her lips lifted into a small smile. "Then don't let him go." Tearing my eyes away from her and looking at his window, I answered. " I wasn't planning to."