"Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it's the place where we find the deepest heartache." ~Iyanla Vanzant
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THUD! "You stupid bitch! You and that useless child ruined my whole fucking life!"

I pulled my pillow tighter across the back of my head and over my ears. Seven years old was way too young to have a set method for drowning out the telltale sounds of what was sure to be another night of my parents having a long "misunderstanding" as my mom would call them.

Despite my young age, I wasn't stupid. It didn't take long for me to notice the purple bruising that covered my mom's body or that there were always darker ones after their night-long "misunderstandings." Not only that, I was also constantly reminded that I needed to be perfect or else my dad would get mad. Perfect grades. Perfect at judo once I started it at age 11. Perfect daughter, which included helping keep the house clean, perfect manners, looking impeccable at all times, and being the top of my class in piano as well.

It was a lot of pressure for a kid that finally reached a boiling point when I reached 3rd grade. That was when I made my first B in school. A storm rumbled ever closer, as I quickly made my way back home from school. I was terrified as I reached my home and went straight to the kitchen where my parents were waiting.

Without so much as a "welcome home" or nod of greeting from either of my parents. Instead, my father simply held out his hand, and I swallowed loudly as I surrendered my report card with trembling hands. My blood pounded in my ears as I watched my father's narrowed steely eyes scan the document in his hands before meeting my gaze with an unreadable expression.

Ten seconds. That's the amount of time it took for my father to go from staring me down to me looking up at him from my new location, sprawled on the cool tile of our kitchen floor, my head spinning from the sudden pain on both sides of my skull. One side from its impact with the floor, the other from the impact of my father's still raised fist. Through the scalding tears blurring my vision, I could just make out my mom's expression as she watched scene unfold. Her sky blue eyes looked unsurprised and apathetic as I cried out in fear and pain. As my senses began to fade, my cries died out in tandem with my hopes of being helped by my mom, the person who was supposed to love and protect me, my parents' conversation burned itself into my memory.

"Ichika, take her upstairs and clean that blood up. Also, make sure she doesn't eat dinner tonight or breakfast tomorrow morning. No use wasting food on such a worthless child."

"Of course, my dear." I'd never heard my mom sound so happy and relieved, and in desperation, I croaked out a weak, whispered "I'm sorry". My apology went unheard as the thunder from the storm around us boomed and I finally escaped consciousness.

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Song: Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez

Thanks again to for

for the amazing cover :)