May, 1987

Laura glared at the man sitting on her front porch, a swirl of smoke twisting from the cigarette he held in his hand. He was looking out at the driveway where his rusty pickup lay sitting like an open wound.

She hated him staying with them. No- she just hated him.

Her mother hadn't demonstrated a great sense of judgment since her separation with Laura's dad; this was boyfriend number three in the two years that had passed. And he was by far the worst. But what's to be expected from someone who couch-hopped more often than he worked?

She supposed her mother just thought she was being charitable, like she thought she could change him if only he were shown some odd kindness. That seemed to be a recurring theme with her dating.

So far, little success.

Laura frowned, trying not to scowl as she stepped outside, pulling the screen door closed behind her, already feeling the summer heat warming her skin as she crossed her arms and kept her distance.

"You know mom doesn't like it when you smoke so close to the house." She deadpanned monotonously.

Damon's head turned to look at her, bags under his eyes looking darker than ever.

"There's a lot of things I do that your mama doesn't like, little lady," he replied flatly. Laura cringed. She hated his nicknames.

"Don't call me that," she said firmly, arms crossing further. He seemed to find that amusing, eyes wandering over her figure for a moment until he cast her a coy smirk. She squirmed under his gaze and tried to ignore how uncomfortable she felt. "I'll call you whatever I want," he drawled, looking back over the driveway as he took a long draw from his cigarette.

She could gag. She was so sick of his creepy comments her mother never seemed to notice, the long looks, and his overall predatory demeanor. Laura had no idea how her mother didn't see it- so wrapped up in the sob-story narratives Damon liked to feed her and infatuated with the simple fact that she had someone that needed her that she chose not to believe Laura when she confessed that he would try the doorknob while she showered, or ask her about her dating life like it was his business.

She hated how alone and defenseless she felt in her own home. And her mother wondered why the girl always wanted to stay at her dad's.

Despite all those things, Laura liked to think she had some power, even if only minutely. She was going to find something that would finally convince her mother to throw him out… eventually…

She glared at him.

"Fine. But keep saying stuff like that around Rachel and you won't have a place to stay," she snapped- she knew that wasn't true, and so did he, but it felt good to throw something back at him.

At the mention of her mother's name, he looked at her again.

"You and I both know that's not gonna happen. But keep threatening me, by all means. It'll give me a good laugh," he retorted.

Laura stepped forward, glaring daggers.

"I'm going to find something she'll finally figure isn't worth keeping you around for," she seethed, leaning closer to him, "and then you'll be out and wishing you treated her like she deserved."

She realized too late that she'd kept too close a distance as his hand shot forward and wrapped tightly around her wrist. She gasped, trying to pull back but found his grip was too strong. He stared at her.

"Oh, is that right, princess?" He spoke in a falsely sweet tone. "Because, last I remember, that didn't go so well for you…"

The girl's face flushed as she tried to wrench her arm back with no success. It was true, just a few weeks prior she'd caught him nicking some cash from her mom's purse, but when she'd brought the issue up with her, she wasn't believed. In fact, her mother was angry that she'd said such a thing, assuming she was just trying to get Damon in trouble and subsequently grounded her for the weekend.

"Let go of me-" she protested. "You know you're trash-"

At that, Damon yanked her down to his level and she fell to her knees, heart racing at how powerless she felt and how close they were. She could smell the rancid stink of smoke on his breath.

"And I suppose you think you're smart enough to see that, huh?" He hissed in a dangerously low and quiet tone. "Think you're gonna do better than her? That you'll find the perfect guy to take care of you? That you won't pick up men like me?"

Laura was at a loss for words, heart beating faster and harder.

"Avoiding that is harder than you think, girlie. A Prince Charming is going to come along and sweep you off your feet because you're pretty enough for it, and you're going to think you're so lucky to have him. But he won't want you for long and he'll leave you feeling heartbroken," he said in a terrifyingly even voice, his grip beginning to hurt her. "Or maybe you'll feel so worthless you won't even realize you're dropping for guys like me who can play a part. Think you can fix a broken boy, Laura? Because that's all that'll be left for you," he scowled.

Laura was shaking, eyes wide as she held back a whimper, wrist throbbing with sharp pain.

"You'll end up just like your worthless mother who doesn't know she's being used. And you'll be so trapped," he hissed, twisting her wrist further as he pulled her closer, "that you won't be able to get out. Completely at his mercy."

They were scarcely an inch apart and Laura thought her heart would burst from her chest, wishing her mother were home, that someone, anyone, was here to help her. But no one came.

"A broken man is all you'll have and you'll fall for his manipulation every time. Mark my words."

And with that, he relinquished his grip and Laura staggered back, holding her aching hand to her chest, breathing heavily. She stared at him, his expression mocking her before she turned heel and ran back inside the house, locking herself in her room.

…

Three weeks later, Rachel had found out about Damon's cheating and stealing and made the decision to expel him from the house and thus his relationship with her. And while he left, the impression he left with Laura never did. She couldn't help but wonder if he was right and that she'd fall into the same relationships her mother always did.

That she wouldn't see it coming.

That there was no one to trust.

And she resigned herself to that… until she caught a bug for someone. Michael. Her friend.

With that in mind, she felt hopelessly confused and lost, furthermore afraid as she realized just how much she loved him

She didn't know what to do.