"Where is your house, Butterfly?" he asked, and I didn't know whether to tell the truth or lie. I closed my eyes and gave him an address—of course, it was the wrong one. I wouldn't let him know where I lived after what had happened in the last two days.

He drove the car and stopped when we reached the house. I quickly opened the door and got inside the metal gate of a small yet classy house. God knows whose house it was. I had just given him the address of some stranger's house, which was about four streets away from mine.

He just stood there until I knocked on the door, and a lady walked out towards me with a questioning gaze. I looked back and sighed in relief when his car finally left.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly and turned around, walking the right path to my home.

Once I got inside my house, my legs lost their strength, and I sat on the floor, remembering everything that had happened today. Mom was probably in the kitchen. I sighed and shouted, "Mom!" She came looking at me in panic. I looked into her eyes and lost the strength to tell her that I didn't want to go to college anymore. How could I, when they had spent their money, time, care, love, and everything on me?

She crouched down and asked, "What happened?"

I didn't say anything for a few seconds, making her more worried, and then finally let out the words, "I am not feeling well, Mom." Her gaze turned concerned, making me gulp. She held my shoulder and asked, "Can you get up, sweetie? Rest in your room. Mom will call Dad, then we will go to the doctor."

I nodded my head and got up. She took me to my room, making me lie on my bed, and left after covering me with a soft blanket.

I looked at the ceiling blankly, and suddenly my body started burning. I touched my forehead and realized I had a real fever. I wanted to laugh at my lie, which had turned out to be true.

I closed my eyes, but the only thing I saw was his face—his smirk, the smoke, the slap, the orders, and the domination. I curled my body together and took a long breath, trying hard not to think about him.

Mom came and sat beside me on the bed, caressing my hair, and after that, I didn't know when I fell asleep.

The next thing I saw when I woke up was a clinic. The doctor checked me, giving my mom instructions for the medicine and telling her, "It was just because of the new environment..."

We all sat inside the car and drove back home. I was lying on my bed again, but this time with my little brother. He came to tease me, but after knowing I had a fever, he gave up. He sat for a few minutes, got bored, and then slept.

Mom cooked some light dishes for me, which I ate quietly before falling asleep again. Throughout the entire day, I didn't mention his name or what had happened.

The next morning arrived soon.

My mom came and checked my fever, which still hadn't left my body. She said, "You don't have to go to college today," and I was so happy after hearing that.

I spent my day reading books and watching TV, but mostly sleeping because of Mom's scoldings.

Not knowing that the leave i took will be so bad for me...