It's hard to believe it was fifteen years ago. I had just turned fourteen. I was young, foolish and in love. I thought if I obeyed him he would love me like I loved him. I didn't know how far it would go...

I was outraged when Momma and Bill, my stepfather, uprooted me and moved me all the way from the small town in Nebraska to an even smaller town in Utah. It was all so Bill could get work in a factory or whatever, who cares? They moved me from my friends when I was starting high school and threw me in the middle of no where.

It wasn't fair. Momma always did whatever Bill told her to do. What's worse is she makes me babysit Caleb. He's ain't even my real brother! Momma and Bill made him not Momma and my real daddy. Momma treats the little cry-baby better any than she ever treated me or my older sister, Jenna. When I was his age I never needed all these people fussing over me. I swear, he just does it for the attention. Sometimes I wish that Jenna wouldn't have gone and got herself married then she could still be home.

I was trapped by an endless cycle of school and babysitting. There was no way out, until I met him...

It was a Monday morning. Immediately after I woke up I decided that I ain't gonna spend one more day at school. I was gonna play hooky. I hate school and I figured I wouldn't bother anybody staying home. When Momma came upstairs, to my room to wake me, I gave her my best pathetic and sick look and said, "can I stay home today? Please?"

Momma felt my forehead with the back of her hand. "You don't feel hot, but I guess so. Don't get up till after Bill goes to work."

I nodded and snuggled back into the covers. Momma exited my room closing my door behind her. My eyes were just about closed when I heard the pounding of Bill's heavy boots making his way up the stairs. I heard him turn the corner in the hallway, move closer to my bedroom door and mumble, "little bitch ain't gonna sit on her ass all day!"

Momma must have told him. He was pissed and I didn't want the blunt painful end of his back hand this morning. I quickly rose out of bed and pinned my chair up against my bedroom door.

He pounded his fists on the door as he roared, "open the damn door, you're going to school you little shit!"

I stayed silent and made my way towards the window. I quickly opened it and removed the screen careful not to make any noise. Not a minute before Bill barged in I escaped through my window. I had already climbed down to the ground when I looked up and to find bill sticking his head out the window. He glared down at me and screamed all sorts of awful things at me while he hysterically waved his arms around.

I knew I better run and hide. I ran as fast as I could toward the canyons that border our property. It's some sort of state park. I don't understand why someone would want to speed their vacation here. It's a hot and empty wasteland of death.
The canyons are perfect to hide in. Once, after I escaped Bill's beatings for not paying attention to Caleb, I ran and hid in a cave and he never came after me. Bill is terrified of out here.

Desperate to keep out of school I ran and ran until my legs almost gave out under me. I found a cavern to sit inside while I wait for Bill to go to work.

Once I was out of the heat I sat down and inspected my feet. I didn't grab shoes or socks and it showed. My feet were raw and practically bleeding. I picked at the sores on the soles of my feet to get some of the gravel off them. I was so involved I barely heard the sound of rock skipping just beside me.

I looked up and saw a young guy. He was dreamy with piercing blue eyes and dirty blond hair. His clothes were dirty and almost in tatters. He had a 22 gauge shotgun slung over his shoulder. He looked at me and said, "that's what they have shoes for ya know?"

I smiled and said, "I didn't have time for shoes. Sorta couldn't wait to get out here."

"This ain't no place for a lady." He said gruffly.

"Yeah well I ain't a lady." I replied earning a snicker from him, "names Liv."

"I'm Mac. I know who you are. You last name is Gates. You just moved here and you go to my high-school. You're a Freshmen."

"So?"

"Ain't you supposed to be in school?"

"Ain't you?"

"Naw, I'm having a me a day off. Figure as a Sophomore I've earned it. Plus there ain't no way I'm serving that fucken in school suspension. They can suck my dick." Mac said mumbling the last bit.

"You look at bit too old to be a Sophomore." I said noticing his height, build and facial hair that I've never seen sported by any sophomore.

"That cuz I stayed back a couple grades." He explained, "my dad used to keep me outta school a lot, he needed help with the family business. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Thinking is all. Why do you care? You don't own this."

"Yeah I do. Ain't no one know the canyons like I do." Mac said proudly puffing his chest.

"Congratulations. You're an expert in nothing. What do you do here?"

Mac pointed to the gun on his shoulder and nonchalantly answered, "huntin lizards."
My face twisted in disgust. "Gross! You gonna eat them or somethin?"

Mac laughed, "no I just shot em is all. Wanna try?"

I never shot a gun before but something in Mac's eyes made me want to please him.

"Sure." I answered standing up. I followed Mac outside the cave. We walk a ways till Mac spotted something scurrying up towards some bushes a ways away from us.

"See that?" Mac pointed as he grabbed his gun, pointing it towards the sound and held it tightly towards his strong chest. "This is what you do. You point towards whatcha want to shoot squeeze the trigger and blast it away!"

As he spoke he released the trigger. There was a loud crack followed by a lizard being propelled into the air by the force of the bullet. The lizard did a flip in the air and landed on it's back, dead. Poor thing didn't even know what him it. I could hear Mac chuckle to himself. He was definitely pleased with himself.

"Next one we find is yours." He stated. We didn't have to walk far till we came across the now familiar sound of a lizard scurrying to hide itself.

Mac stood behind me and showed me how to hold the gun properly. I ain't never smelled anything like him. He smelt like all man. I could feel him breathing on my neck and I just know I turned beat red. So embarrassing. I squeeze the trigger and hit my target. I turned around to see Mac smile at me. I wondered what I can do to make him look at me like that more.

We spent the rest of the day hunting squirrels and getting to know each other. I told him all about my life, how I was trapped and I ain't never got to have any fun. He told me about his mother who abandoned him and his father who is as brutal as Bill. I forgot all about going back home till the sun was setting.

I told Mac that I had to head on home. If I'm late bill gives me the belt.

"Let me walk you home." Mac told me.

We walked to were my house was just coming into sight and I told him not to go no further. "It ain't safe."

Mac nodded and asked, "you going to school tomorrow?"

"Not sure yet."

"You shouldn't." He said as he leaned in close to me. He held me by my arms and kissed me deeply.

Me being the nervous dumb girl that I am I quickly broke the kiss. I was blushing so hard I thought I was going to pass out. I could barely get out "Good night," before I turned and ran towards the house.

I quietly climbed back up into my room. I changed into my pajamas and was about to climb under my covers when I heard the sound of a pebble hitting my window.

I found Mac standing outside my window looking up at me in the moonlight. I immediately hushed him and begged him not to wake up Bill.

"I will if you don't go out with me! You know? Be my girlfriend?"

Shocked i answered, "What? I just met you! Ain't this happening to fast?"

Mac just looked at me and grabbed a larger rock. He swung his arm back and hit the rock has hard as he could against my front door. It was so loud he got our dog barking. I saw lights flick on in momma and bill's room.

"I told you I'd wake them up." Mac whispered. "Now what'll it be? Do I gotta throw this here rock again?"

"Fine!" I whispered. "Fine I'll be your girlfriend! Now go away!"

"See you by the cave tomorrow! Mac said as he turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Soon after he left, the light in Momma and Bill's room turned back off and I was able to get to sleep without a bruised back side.