There's a part of me that should scare me. The dark part of my soul that I've worked so hard to keep buried should make me want to run the other way. I've put it in a cage, locked it away so that no one would have to lay eyes upon that vicious monster. But it won't go quietly. Everyday it eats away at my soul, desperately trying to break free. That was when he came into my life. He could see into my soul, far deeper than anyone had ever dared to go, even me. He tore away the layers, ripping away at all the barriers I had worked so hard to build. He was inside of my mind, playing around in it like it was his own personal toy, throwing away the part of it that he didn't like. I was helpless, I had let him in and now he would never leave. My mind didn't belong to me anymore. But he saw something in me, something that I was too afraid to even admit to myself…that the part of me that should scare me didn't; it excited me. I was desperate to let it free, to give up the control that I had used to keep that monster hidden away. He could see it in my eyes, the way I did my hair and makeup so perfectly to keep up the illusion. I had everybody fooled, but not him. I couldn't hide anything from him and it was liberating. He didn't want the girl that I had made myself into, the girl that the rest of the world wanted me to see. I had spent my whole life molding myself into what other people expected me to be.

I've always been the perfect girl, sitting quietly in the corner. I always listened to my parents, took care of my siblings. I did everything right, but no one cared. I took care of everyone, but at the end of the day there was no one there to care about me or my feelings. They just expected me to be the perfect one. And so that's what I did. I was at the top of my class in my high school, but then we had to move to Gotham City and my life changed at Gotham City High School.

From the first moment I caught a glimpse of his green hair, I had to know more. I had already heard stories about him, the mysterious leader of Gotham City's most notorious gang. He was known as the Joker and no one dared call him anything else. He had a hold on me and he knew it. I was completely at his mercy as he consumed me. He got under my skin and spread his poison through my veins. I couldn't stop him, but the scariest part was that I didn't want to stop him. I let him in and he brought out parts of me that I didn't even know existed. I could feel him unlocking the cage, toying with me as he brought out the monster I had kept locked away for so long. He liberated me, freeing me of the controlling bonds I had put on myself.

We became the King and Queen of Gotham City High School. Wherever he went, I followed. He was like a drug to me and I was addicted to the feeling of freedom, the lack of control. There was an aura around him that touched anyone who came close and I craved that feeling. I only felt alive when I was with him. His touch sent electricity pulsing through my veins. There was no greater feeling than when his lips touched mine. He consumed my soul, having complete power over my thoughts and feelings. We were one person, a beautiful and twisted mess that could never be untangled. I didn't feel complete without him, so I put up with whatever he did to me. It was my fault anyways, I was always making mistakes. But I had to make him happy, I couldn't let him leave me. He would never do that to me, he loved me. How could I go on without him?

But still everyone tried to warn me. They told me to get out while I still could, before I was trapped. But I didn't listen to them. I was too distracted by the feeling of him freeing me from my controlling shackles that I didn't see him put his own on me. He played with my mind until he was the only thing there. I dressed for him, did whatever I could to please him. I just wanted to make him happy.

But now he's gone and I'm standing here alone. The rain smears my makeup, making my pigtails sag. He was supposed to be here, he said to meet him out front. He said him and the boys were just finishing up outside and he'd come back to get me. But it's been too long and there are police sirens in the background coming closer. I'm about to give up when I see a figure approaching…

"Harley?" I hear a familiar voice whisper in a heartbreaking voice.

"Red?" I ask as I try to keep my voice from cracking, but I know she can hear it. I can't hide anything from Ivy, she knows me too well. As soon as she hears my voice she runs to my side and envelops me in a hug.

"Harley, we need to get out of here, the cops are on their way," she tells me, cupping her hands around my face and pushing the wet strands of hair out of my eyes. I gather all my courage and slowly raise my head, looking into her eyes. As soon as I do, something inside of me just breaks.

"H-he was supposed to come back for me," I sob into her shoulder. She doesn't say anything, she just reaches down for my hand and laces our fingers together. Just as the police sirens seem to be getting closer, she leads me away into the forest and we walk back to her house.

As soon as we get to her house, she helps me change into fresh clothes and wraps me in a blanket. She doesn't even need to ask me what happened, I break down and tell her everything. She never lets go of my hand and listens to me, waiting for me to finish.

"Harley, you need to leave him," she says calmly once I'm done talking. Her words sting, but I know she's right.

"But what if I'm not strong enough?"

"You are," she looks me right in the eye and continues, "you're stronger than you realize. You can do this and I'll be there for you every step of the way."

I look up and smile at her and maybe it's the emotions from the night or the way she looks at me, but it's like I'm finally seeing the truth. Ivy's always been there for me, even when I screw up. She never hurts me like he did. Her words fill me with happiness and I feel an undeniable spark when she touches my hand. Maybe, with her by my side, I can do this. I have to do this, for her.

So finally, I place my other hand over our intertwined hands and tell her, "Okay."

Hi so this is a new story that I've been thinking about writing for a long time. Please comment and let me know if I should continue with this or not! It might just end up being a one-shot, but I'm thinking about writing more for it...