It was a Wednesday, she remembered, because he had left for work early that day.
He always left for work early on Wednesdays.
She had gone out to grab the mail and come across an envelope which had been stamped in Lima.
Lima, Ohio.
How she did not miss that place one bit, sure she missed the people, but never Lima.

Rain had started to drizzle, she remembered, because she was barefoot and tiny puddles had begun to form on the concrete leading up to the steps of her house.
She had stood there for quite some time, letting the calm breeze fill her lungs with air, as the raindrops gently fell on her face.

Almost soaking wet, she retreated back and slipped into the wide open door. She remembered, because she had left muddy footprints all the way into the kitchen, where she had jumped up onto the counter, to read what was in the envelope.

"Class of 2012!
Hello Classmates,
It's about that time –Please join in the celebration of McKinley High's 10th year reunion and we want to see YOU there!"

Brittany had let the piece of paper slip out of her hand and sail to the floor like a bird's feather, ever so gently. She remembered, because it was still there when he got home.

"Honey?" The door was slammed shut and Brittany jumped at the sound. She was still upstairs, overusing foundation, to rid some ugly marks on her face. She was getting better at hiding them. "Coming!" She yelled as she did not want to keep him waiting any longer than she necessarily had to.
This wasn't the first time she had to cover up a mark like this. Usually it would be bruises and open wounds, she had been lucky this time.

Brittany remembered, because there had been times when she had not been as lucky, there'd been times where a trip to the emergency room had been required. A sprained ankle was understandable, but that, plus multiple fractures a few times a month? It just didn't add up.

Brittany remembered, because her friends had started to wonder; 'You need to leave.' They would tell her, but she never did, otherwise she wouldn't be this battered and broke down.

"B, get your ass down here!" She worked on the final touches and ran her fingers through her disheveled honey blonde hair, took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally, before going downstairs to greet him.

He was waiting for her in the living room. "What's this?" He asked, holding out a piece of paper. "It's, it's nothing." She lied, not wanting to start anything that would end in tears and pain. "It's obviously not nothing, had it been nothing it would've been in the trash and not on my kitchen floor, right?" At this Brittany had just nodded. Agreeing with him had saved her, on plenty of occasions. "You're not going." In her mind, she had already known that this would be his answer, so it wasn't as if she was disappointed or anything when he actually said it. "Okay."

Brittany was broken, he had broken her. He had taken all of her dreams and crushed them, one by one, until they were no more.
Non-existing, was what she was.
She had always wanted to make the world dance. Because when she danced all of her worries flew right out the door. She had been really good too.
He knew, because that's how they met.