Kaya Daniels watched her boyfriend Terry’s blue sports car pull away from the curb in front of her house. She waited until the taillights faded in the distance, leaving only the moonlit street and the sound of cicadas filling up an otherwise silent night.
She put her hand to her face and felt the bruise. She hated when Terry got angry, but at least, he cared for her after he hit her. Despite the pain he sometimes caused her, she knew he loved her. And that was enough.
She turned to the front door, hoping no one waited up for her. The bruise would be too much to explain.
She pulled the key from her pocket and unlocked the door. The door made a slight creaking sound as she pushed it open. The house was dark, which meant she was safe.
She locked the door and walked toward the hallway to her bedroom.
“A little late to be out on a school night.”
Kaya pulled up short at the sound of her grandmother’s voice. She walked into the kitchen where her grandmother was sitting in the dark at the kitchen table.
“Hi, Grandma.”
“Let’s not go talkin’ in the dark,” her grandmother said. “Why don’t you grab that light?”
