Samantha brushed her teeth as she flicked through her phone with her free hand. She flicked from one TikTok to the next, not really paying attention, just passing the time as she got ready. She had woken up only a few minutes earlier, the annoying blare of her phone’s alarm jarring her from a blissful sleep. A quiet sleep where no dreams or thoughts had tormented her. That was a rarity, and she somewhat resented her phone for waking her. She finished brushing and spat in the sink, rinsing the water away, then sat down on the toilet. She let out a sigh as she peed, staring blankly ahead. And then, he had came in.

Ray. When her Mom first started dating him, she’d been happy for her. She’d been so depressed ever since Dad had left her. Left them. So her going out again, being so active, was a good thing. It had been wonderful to see that spark in her again. So full of life. It had been a whirlwind romance played fast forward. In less than six months, they were engaged and ready to be married. He’d even been nice to her, but she slowly noticed more and more things about him. His eyes were the first thing she noticed. The flashes of anger in them quickly tamped down. Just there, but enough for her to notice. Then the tone of his voice would change, firm, demanding. The words were still polite, but it was clear the intent had changed. Obey. Or else.

Then came the lingering stares. At 14, Samantha had just started to blossom, still as slim as soft as she could be. So only had peach fuzz and small budding breasts as she stared jealously at her friends who had hit puberty before her. She’d seen how other men and boys noticed her friends but not her. But Ray? Ray looked at her like like that. He didn’t see her friends, just her. And at first, that was actually nice. She even encouraged it a bit, dressing older. He didn’t seem to like that. Instead, he often helped put her hair in pigtails and bought her dresses. They were cut funny, the dresses. They looked like little girls’ dresses, but they fit tight and short. But she loved the way he smiled and kissed her head. And so, everything was alright.

Her mom had married him, 6 months to the day they had met. After that, things changed. It quickly became clear that he now was running the house. His word was the only law that mattered. He still doted on her Mom, took her out, and treated her nice. But any challenge was instantly shut down. Often with a slap and harsh words. And her mom? She just took it. Terrified to be left again, she did everything she could to make him happy. And when he was happy, they all were happy. But it took more and more to make Ray happy.

His stares lingered more and more on her. If he bought her a dress, he wanted her in it, immediately, turning her around, inspecting her. Ray began to massage her shoulders often, sniffing her hair. And walking by him when he watched TV, he’d often pull her on his lap. Poking into her rear, grinding, telling her how big she’d gotten. Then the bathroom door was opened, despite it being locked. Coming in as she showered because he “couldn’t hold it”. Leering at her through the glass as he pissed. Then one day, the doorknobs to the bathroom and her bedroom were changed. They could no longer be locked. Sticky panties in her laundry. And then it had happened.

She had woken up one Saturday, groggy, confused, and disorientated. It was already pushing 11 AM and she never slept that late, even on the weekend. She sat up and felt pain in her groin, like someone had kicked her. There was a bit of blood and she thought she had had her period at first. She limped slowly to the bathroom, wincing as she had sat down. A little blood came out when she peed milky white urine. She walked slowly to the living room and told them how she was feeling. She missed the long, lingering glance her mother gave her stepdad. The longer silence as he stared back at her. Then her mom got up and said she’d get her some ibuprofen and not to worry about it.

She did, however, when it happened the next two weekends. Groggy, fuzzy, weak in the late morning, one day sleeping until 1 PM. Sore, but no more blood. Then she slowly put it together. Mom’s reassurances that her period hadn’t came early. Why they had refused to take her to the clinic to check her out. And so, she had been careful the next Friday. Poured out her drink, picked at her food, and waited. She ended up wishing she’d drank her drugged drink after. Ray’s sweaty body climbed over her, shocked to find her awake, then he smiled. Her screams didn’t stop him. They didn’t bring her mother. After a while, her screams stopped, just crying and taking it. She didn’t even move when her mom came in and cleaned her. She took some pills and swallowed and slept hard.