Chapter 2

Chapter 2
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They walked down the street together.  Ashley tried to gain her composure on the way to her best friend's house but she didn't quite make it.  She knew that the police could help her more than her friend's parents, but it was a start.  She had been keeping her father's secrets for too long, and it was only getting worse.  Beneath her pants and long sleeved shirts and sunglasses were bruises, both healing and new, that her father had put on her.  She was tired of secrets, tired of lying and tired of pushing away the people she loved to protect someone who hurt her so much.  She was beginning to hate herself and she hated her dad for making her feel that way.  Even though she didn't really hate him, she loved him.  But this had to stop.  Even if he'd be mad.  They walked in the house arm in arm.  Even before they said anything, Molly's parents knew something was wrong.  They embraced Ashley at once and told her that they loved her and anything she needed, they would be there for her.  It was like she had been holding onto this secret that everyone knew about anyway.  She looked at Molly, but no signs of betrayal flashed upon her face.  She hadn't known about her dad until the minute she told her, so she couldn't figure out how they knew.  Molly's mom, Violet, was the first to speak.

"Ashley, it has been too long since we've seen you.  I didn't want to betray your trust by calling the police so they'd be here when you got here, but if you're ready we can take you there now.  We would be so happy to have you come stay with us if this is where you feel safe."

Tears rolled down everyone's faces as they embraced, and Ashley knew that she had done the right thing.  With a tiny voice she said, "let's go."

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Molly held her hand the whole way there. She loved her friend even more at this point for sticking up for herself the way she was.  She didn't know anyone that was as brave as Ashley was, especially now.  Ashley squeezed her hand in the backseat of Molly's parents' car and Molly squeezed her hand right back. Suddenly, as if in a dream, they were at the station. "you ready?"  Molly asked. "as ready as I'll ever be," Ashley answered.
"You are the bravest girls we know and we love both of you," Molly's dad said.

Together they all got out of the car.