Gustav stared at me for a second before he rubbed his face and shook his head. It was like that many times before and I tried to tell him I couldn't go out but he wouldn't listen to me. I just didn't want him to see how I looked like. I looked disastrous.

"Meet me here at seven tonight," Gustav said. I looked at him like he was nuts. And he pulled me into a hug. "We're running away."

"What?" I said. "This is crazy, Gustav."

"Ja, but I don't care!" he said to me firmly. "This can't go on!." He let go and looked into my eyes and I felt it penetrating me. His brown eyes were so full of life. "You can't continue lying to me, Ashlee."

"I'm not lying to you," I said. I lied. There were things I hid from him. I tried not to stare into his beautiful eyes.

Gustav sighed. "Your bruises... I know they are not from falling down," he said gently to me as if bringing it up would shatter me into a million pieces.

And then I thought of my drunk dad. I hated him to bits but he was still my dad. "No," I said, mumbling. "He's not what you think-"

"I'll kill him if you don't come with me," he said.

I was shocked. "You can't do that!"

"You'll die if you stay here any longer so it's either he goes or you go," Gustav tried to compromise. He was using reverse psychology, this smart ass.

I was almost speechless. "I will, but just-"

"Good. Get all your CDs and posters, and all your money," he said. "You're coming with me."

We were just two hopeless people in love, but I had way more problems than Gustav did and I was afraid I would be a burden to him instead.

"But it's not easy. We won't have anymore money left when we-"

"Ja. I'll work!" Gustav offered. "Day and night, and all we need is each other. Move to California or back to Germany. Anywhere in the world."

I sighed. He was sweet, but I didn't know if it was something I should do. I met him eight months back and he was this German immigrant who knew nothing much about me or New Jersey but now, it's like he knows everything better than me. Should I be thankful?

"My dad's the only family left," I said to him, holding him close as I rested my cheek on his chest. He was my pillar of strength at times like this.

Gustav stroked my cheek which were lightly bruised purple and I winced. "Then we'll make a new one," he said. "I'm sure that it will be a better family than what you had."

I looked at him and smiled. Was that an indirect proposal? I didn't want to think about it as I cried softly into his chest, hugging him tight.

"Have I ever told you ich liebe dich?" he said suddenly.

"Did you just call me a dick?" I frowned, looking at him. It sure sounded like one.

Gustav grinned and shook his head. "It means 'I love you' in German," he smiled. I loved how he had a very small German accent and you almost couldn't tell he had one. He's such a linguist. Thank God he learned English before or we would've been lost in translation for real.

"Oh," I blushed. "Sounded really dicky to me." And Gustav chuckled. We stood there by the empty park.

"So, seven at night. Everything you want, just throw it in your bag," he told me.

And so it was seven at night. I managed to escape before my dad got home from his drunken stupor and I made my way to rendezvous with my German rescuer.

There he was with a bag on his back. He had a cap on and he turned to see me when my footsteps got a little louder. "Gustav!" I exclaimed, feeling extremely happy.

He turned to look at me and smiled. "Ashlee," he said before someone from behind shouted my name as well, but louder and in a more harsh voice.

"Dad?" I said, shocked.

"Run!" Gustav said. He grabbed my hand and started running. I turned over my shoulder to look but there was a loud screech and a bang and the next thing I knew I saw my father lifeless on the floor right next to me in a pool of leaking blood.