"WHERE ARE YOU BITCH??!" Ben's sharp voice rung out in the apartment.
Shaking, Miley slid farther into the darkness in the closet and smothered herself with more coats. Ben had come home in a hazy drunken rage again and Miley had been forced to take refuge in the coat closet.
But of course, it wasn't really a refuge when she wasn't safe. Miley held her hands clenched together under the layers of jackets, repeating desperate prayers in her head over and over. Dear God, please keep me safe from him. God, please don't let him hurt me.
Miley held her breath and listened closely to the noices from beyond the closet door. She heard a few shatters, and several loud thumps.
It was silent for a moment.
"Where the fuck is that little whore?" Ben screamed at himself.
Miley covered her mouth to keep from crying out.
"God DAMMIT!" he screamed. There was the sound of stomping and then an opening and slamming of a door. He was gone.
Like every other time, she tried to relax and the fear she'd been bottling up bubbled up and over the top. Miley began to shake uncontrollably, as if she were freezing. Tears dribbled down her cheek, but she made no effort to wipe them away.
Sitting in the closet, Miley was so wrapped up in her fright that she didn't hear the door swing open again and the foot steps lead to the closet.
The closet door swung open, surrounding her in light.
She looked up surprised and nearly screamed.
"Nick!" she cried, pulling him down to her level on the floor.
She studied him for a moment. "My God. You grew up".
He half grinned. "So did you". Just as quickly his face slid into concern. "Why are you hiding in the closet? What did he do to you?"
"How did you get into the apartment?"
Nick scratched his head. "It was unlocked".
Of course. Ben must have left it unlocked when he was storming out.
"Oh".
"Miley", he grabbed her shoulders. "What did he do to you?"
She shuddered, throat closing up. Very slowly she pulled the coats away from her, reavealing her scarred hands.
"Oh my God, Miley", Nick whispered, eyes wide. He carefully touched a burn that Ben had given her by pushing her into the stove. Dozens more covered her once flawless arms.
He closed his eyes and sighed a long sigh. She watched his face for a while.
"Show me your legs" he spoke finally.
She shook her head quickly. "NO"
"Miley, you have to show me what he did to you", he said sternly.
A tear slid down her face but she nodded. Miley stood up, and slowly slid off her sweatpants.
His face sunk. "Oh, Miley" he whispered.
Large ugly purple bruises covered her arms, cuts, and band-aids decorated the space that wasn't bruised, and rope burns tattooed whatever skin was left.
She felt tears bubbling up in her throat. "Nicky, he hurt me" she said wobbly and uneven.
"Oh, baby, I know. I know" He pulled her into her arms and she sobbed into his shoulder. "I know".
It was silent for a moment, and it was quiet. And then something broke that.
"You really are a whore, aren't you?"
MIley stiffened and looked up terrified into the wild eyes of Ben.