One Chance

by southernbeauty13

She stood there, halfway out the door, and stared into his deep brown eyes. He knew that what he asked meant that in the end she could walk out of his life forever. He wanted to show her that she could trust him and to open her heart. To show her that life wasn't all of what she'd always known. To show her what life could be. All he needed was one chance.

1. Prologue

I tried to remain calm as I walked through busy, rain covered streets of New York. My heart hammered in my chest but I kept my breathing normal and kept the soaked hoodie pulled over my head. I could still hear my father screaming, drunk as usual, that when he found me, he'd make sure that I wasn't found again.

I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm, ignoring the pain in my ribs from the bruises that were forming there. I could still feel his boot on my ribcage but I knew after I left, I'd never feel it again. The train pulled into the station and I blended into the crowd of people who were boarding the train.

I took a seat next to the window at the very back of the bus and leaned my head back against the seat. I felt a tap on my shoulder and opened my eyes and turned to see an elderly woman with gray hair and blue eyes, a book in her hand that was extended to me.

"It'll be a long ride, miss." I took the book and saw that it was Romeo and Juliet, a personal favorite of mine.

"Thank you." I told her and opened the book. I got comfortable and felt a smile on my face for the first time in my 22 years.

I was free and I was on my own. My name would be the same always but I was finally free to find out who I was. It was time for me to start living and looking forward to my future. My past was over and I was starting my story.

Quantico, Virginia would be the start of a new, better life.