Prologue–1

Brooklyn placed the cold ice to her bruised eye. The chilling sensation reminded her of everything that ever happened. It reminded her of the once boiling water of their relationship was now as frozen as an ice cube. Brooklyn didn't cry. Somehow, she saw this coming, she'd never admit that, even to herself, but she knew it would come to this. After every football game of Jeff's she ever attended, after every fight she saw him throw punches in, after 5 years of Jeff, Brooklyn knew it would come to this. Just how she knew he would propose, despite the low shock value, Brooklyn was ecstatic when Jeff pulled himself to one knee underneath the waning moon on a chilly October evening. The ring was blinding, and real. Jeff came from a rich, well-
bred family, everyone told them that they'd have beautiful children. Brooklyn prided herself on that compliment. Children were what she'd always wanted, Jeff thought otherwise.

The bedroom was warm in the spring day. Brooklyn looked around her bedroom, the same bedroom she had lived in all her life. The same house she had lived in. The same old city she had lived in. When she was in high school, Brooklyn dreamed of living in New York. Jeff had told her that one day, they would live there together. Jeff also told her that he would never hurt her. Brooklyn now realized what a lie it all was. Her entire highschool career was a lie. She thought she was happy with Jeff. But she was just afraid that if she lost him, she'd loose everything that was worthwhile, everything that kept her alive. The more Brooklyn though, she was dependent on Jeff. But, now, everything had changed.

"Jeff?" Brooklyn came into the kitchen quietly, everything she owned was packed, she had her plane ticket to Newark the next morning. She had been planning this for a month and a half.

"What?" He grumbled, not looking up.

"The wedding is off, I'm leaving." Brooklyn hardly heard the words come out of her mouth. Everything was swirling, her knees were weak, and the vomit was crawling up her throat.

"WHAT?!" Jeff shouted. He was getting, angry, violent. Suddenly, Brooklyn had no regrets, she knew why she was leaving. Her mom and dad supported her, and with good reason. Jeff continued shouting, "THIS IS JOKE! YOU'RE MADLY IN LOVE WITH ME!"

Brooklyn headed for the front door.

"FINE! LEAVE! I CAN HAVE ANY GIRL IN THIS CITY! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOSING."

Brooklyn, stone face, got into her car. She drove off, emotionless, but as the words cracked through her skin, she began to cry, what was she losing? Everything. She was losing everything she ever knew. Brooklyn drove back to her own house to find herself unable to sleep until the early morning when her plane would leave for Newark, New Jersey.

Brooklyn lay crying on her own bed, her black eye from a few weeks ago was still lingering, but now it was accompanied by new bruises in a rainbow of colors. Tears rolled into Brooklyn's stream of emotion. Her thoughts soared as she talked herself through her tears.

This cannot be happening. It's Jeff, Jeff is perfect, amazing, he's everything I've ever looked for. I can't just leave South Carolina. What will I do with myself there? God, what the hell am I thinking? I'll just go apologize to Jeff, and the wedding will still be on, and everything will be perfect. There. Perfect, just like before.

Brooklyn turned to the window. Everything was dark outside, so everything on the other side of the mirror had vanished, it was only Brooklyn, in her well lit room. This created a mirror effect Brooklyn didn't enjoy. Her face was red and puffy, stained with mascara, and everything seemed bruised and imperfect.

WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? A pillow hit the opposing wall out of frustration. I need to escape from him, from everything. In New York, everything will be different. I can get a job, and new friends, and start a new life, where Jeff and Charleston aren't in it. I'll forget everything that ever happened with Jeff, nobody needs to know, it's in the past, I can move forward.

The sudden optimism that had struck Brooklyn was overwhelming. But before she knew it, she was just as determined to go to New York as she was three weeks ago. Visions, hopes, lucid dreams flashed before her eyes. Perfection in New York City. All of these kept Brooklyn from sleeping. It was well into two before slept crept over the young South Carolinian.