A/N: Welcome to my new story! I am very excited about this one because it is very close to home. I will try and update this story like you all are used to, which is once a day. If you have read my other story, you'll know that I am going through a difficult time right now because of the passing of my grandfather, which just happened a week ago. I have to say that writing is a great distraction, so I'll do my best to update regularly!

This story does come with a warning. There will be bullying, self-harm, and violence in this story. I'm not going to sugarcoat it; it will be heavy. But I can promise you a HEA at the end of the road! And there will be absolutely no cheating in this story! Only AS and CG. There is no BDSM in this story, but I do love a little kink ;). And this Ana and Christian are OOC.

Curious? Then please read this first chapter and let me know what you think. Enjoy! X

PART I

Chapter 1: Countdown.

"Look, there she is. I already thought we'd missed her today, but thank God we found her." I hear her say. I can tell they are right behind me. Following me.

"You'd think she would learn. Maybe she is deaf." The other one says. They are coming closer. I hear their expensive heels click on the floor.

Head down. Just keep walking and keep your head down. Don't give them any more reason than they already have.

"I think she is just stupid and stubborn. Come on, Ana Banana. Why are you ignoring us?" She asks me now. She is walking next to me, her two friends are behind me. I feel them stepping on my heels.

"Didn't your poor daddy teach you it is rude not to answer?" She asks me, now standing in front of me, successfully stopping me in my tracks.

Head down, Ana. Don't give them the attention they want. Ignore them and keep your head down.

"You are such a rude little bitch. Look at her when she is talking to you." One of the girls behind me says, yanking back my ponytail as she does so my head shoots up.

"There she is." Leila grins, her eyes twinkling with what I can only describe as pure hate. Pure hate that is aimed at me. And I have no idea what I did to deserve that hate.

"Can I just get to my locker?" I ask. My voice is soft and shaky, even though I try really hard not to let them see my fear. They'd enjoy that too much.

"She really has some nerve, doesn't she?" Susanna grins, moving in front of me as well. Her smile scares me, she looks like a cat that is crawling to its prey.

I try not to look them in the eye because it will make them angrier. But if I don't look at them they will be pissed as well. It confuses me. So I just stare into the hall in front of me, hoping that it isn't another reason for them to get to me.

"That she has. I thought we told you not to walk around in this hallway anymore?" Lisa asks me.

Lisa is the follower, as is Susanna. Leila is the one that makes the decisions. And she decided to hate me, so as good friends do, Susanna and Lisa hate me too.

"I have to get through this hallway, my locker is right there. Just let me get my books and I'll be out of your way." I try to keep my voice steady, not showing them what kind of effect this has on me. I don't want to show them how they get to me.

"Too late for that, Ana Banana. You are in my way already." Leila hisses.

Before I can register what is happening, I'm being pushed against the locker wall. Lisa pulls my backpack from my shoulder while Susanna keeps pushing me against the wall. Because the wall is uneven due to the lockers, something pointy is digging in my back.

Lisa gives my backpack to Leila, who opens it. Then she turns it over, successfully throwing all my books, pens, my lunch and my notebook on the floor.

"What do we have here?" She mumbles while grabbing my blue notebook from the floor.

The moment I see her opening it, I try to get it from her. I try to get out of Susanna's grip, but she is too strong. And then I realize I made a huge mistake. Because I tried to get the notebook from her, she is even more interested in what's inside of it. I am so stupid.

Lisa laughs and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at her. "What's inside of that book you don't want us to see, Ana Banana? Are we about to discover the name of your secret crush?"

I try to fight the tears from falling out of my burning eyes. They don't deserve to see me cry. I can't give them that pleasure.

Leila opens my notebook and frowns before giggling. "Jesus, she writes poems."

"How very geeky of you. You do make it really easy for us, sweetheart." Susanna giggles, pushing me against the locker a little harder. I'm sure I will have a bruise tonight, something is digging in my skin and I can't move to make it stop.

"I don't even feel like reading this shit," Leila says, before tearing out all the pages, throwing them on the floor for everyone to see. To make it a little worse, she stomps around, her heels making sure the pages are not more than dirty, old napkins with holes in them.

When she is done, she looks at me again. "Trust me, I did you a favor. Nobody will read the stupid nonsense you wrote. Now let me make something very clear. I do not want to see your ugly, fat face in this hallway ever again. I don't care how you do it. Move your locker or carry your stupid books in that ridiculously huge backpack of yours, but don't set foot in my way again. Do you understand?"

Her face is just inches from mine, I can feel her breath in my face. I can tell by her heavy breathing she is pissed.

"She asked you a question," Susanna growls while slamming me against the locker again. This time so hard, I feel the thing that pocked me hit my ribs, making me gasp for air. My head hit the wall as well, making me a little dizzy.

"Do. You. Understand?" Leila growls again.

"I understand." I manage to get out.

"Good." She hisses before turning around, kicking my stuff a little further around the hall and then walking away as if nothing happened.

"Better keep that promise, Ana Banana." Lisa giggles.

"You better." Susanna hisses, pushing my back against the locker on more time before following Leila down the hall.

When I'm sure they are not in my sight anymore, I look around. A few students are looking at me. Some are laughing, others just pity me. I can see them whisper, telling each other how pathetic I am. But nobody helps me. They all let it happen, every single time. Some of them are scared, others just enjoy seeing me suffer and struggle. It is sad.

I get on my knees, ignoring the sharp pain in my back and ribs, and try to save what's left of my books and notes. Unfortunately, I think I have to throw everything away. My poems are unreadable because of the footprints Leila left on them.

When I have grabbed everything from the floor and have put it into my backpack, I walk to my locker. Inside are three books, which I also put in my bag. I can't take the risk of coming here again and pissing them off even more. Even though I know that tomorrow they will find another reason to give me their unwanted attention.

When I shut my locker, I put on my backpack and walk to the exit. Head down, straight through the doors. All the while biting my lip to prevent the tears from coming. I can't show them they get to me. Not here.

I need to be strong just a little longer.

When I open the door of my house, a delicious smell hits my nose. And for one moment I forget everything. A feeling of safety washes over me. I'm home. I'm safe. Nobody can get to me here.

"I'm home!" I yell.

"Hi, sweetheart. I'm in the kitchen." I hear my mom yell back, welcoming me home. He voice brings me comfort.

I put my bag on the floor and hang up my coat before walking into the kitchen, where mom is making her famous tomato soup. It smells so good. The smell reminds me of when we first moved into this house when I was six years old. How I wish I could go back to that time. Everything seemed so easy back then. No pain, just fun.

"How was school, sweetie?" Mom asks.

For a second I think about telling her the truth. Telling her about how much I hate school, how I don't feel safe there and how I never want to go back. But I know I can't. Mom has enough on her mind already with dad out on a mission. I can't let her worry about me as well. Not to speak about how much it would hurt her if I tell her what I go through every single day.

"It was good. I've got a B+ for my math test." I smile while grabbing an apple from the counter.

"That's my girl." Mom proudly smiles at me, her eyes shining with happiness. She needs this. She needs to hear I'm doing good, so she doesn't worry about me.

"I'm going upstairs to do my homework," I tell her after a few moments of watching her stir the soup.

"You do that. Dinner is done in about an hour. I'm making bruschetta's and a salad as well. We can watch a movie tonight if you want. I heard there is going to be a good lifetime movie on TV." She smiles.

I nod my head, grab my backpack out of the hall and then get upstairs to my room. The moment the door closes behind me, I let my tears fall. Here I'm allowed to let them go. This is my place. Here I'm alone. Alone with my thoughts.

After a good fifteen minutes, I manage to pull myself together. I walk to the mirror and lift my shirt to look at my back, which is hurting even more than before. I see two huge bruises forming already. One on my lower back and one on my left side, just where my ribs begin. I sign while looking at them.

It is not the first time they marked me, but every time they do, it seems to break a piece of my soul as well. I feel so weak. Weak for not standing up against them. Weak because I let them bruise me. Let them hurt me and make fun of me. Every time I think about it, I promise myself that this was the last time. That tomorrow I stand up to them. But I know it is a lie. I know that tomorrow I will be doing the exact same thing.

I will be bending my head down in submission, almost giving them permission to get to me. To hurt me. I will be hiding behind my big glasses, baggy clothes and hoody, trying to be invisible. But they will find me. They will see me. And they will find a reason to hate me and then it will start all over again. Like it has been every single day, for the last two years.

And all I can do is count the days until summer vacation. Four more weeks left and then I have two months of freedom. Two months without being bullied and hurt. Two months with mom and dad, the people that do love me and want to spend time with me. I just have to be strong for four more weeks.

I grab my backpack and get all my stuff out. I don't bother to look at my poems, and just throw them away. It will only hurt me more to see the damage Leila did to them. Instead, I'm just going to make my book report.

We have to read one of the classic English books and write an essay about it. I've chosen Tess of the D'urbervilles by Tom Hardy. It was the book my mom and dad gave me for my fourteenth birthday and I've read it in one week. I just couldn't put it down.

The tragic yet loving story of Tess gives me hope. Hope that there is more to this life than what I'm getting out of it now. That one day, I will find my happiness. I just have to be strong now, and try to be invisible so I don't give them any more reason than they already have.

Reading is a way for me to escape reality, just as writing is a way to sort my feelings. The two of them keep me on my feet. They allow me to create my own world, one where people are making an effort to get to know me. One where nobody is being judged by what they wear or how they look or how much money they own. Somewhere perfect and peaceful. And even though a place like that only exists in my mind, I still keep hoping that someday I will be at a place like that. A place that keeps me safe and where I can be happy. Where I can be myself and where someone will find me enough. That someone will find me worth it. Somewhere I belong.

Later that night, mom and I are watching a movie about a teenage girl who had a baby and agrees to pretend the baby is her sister, so she can go to school and life like a normal teenage girl. It is sad and endearing at the same time. Yet I can't keep up with the story.

I keep looking at the clock, counting the hours until my alarm goes off and I have to go to school again. Ten more hours before I have to leave my safe haven and watch my back. It is exhausting.

"Ana, how are you, sweetie?" Mom asks out of nowhere, probably sensing I'm not really paying attention to the TV.

I'm alarmed for just a second, scared that she might know something is wrong. But then I pull myself together and answer her with a smile on my face like always. Pretending to be just fine.

"I'm good. Busy with the last few assignments for school, but I'm getting there." I smile, way too comfortable with lying to her.

"And what about the boys?" She wiggles her eyebrow and then giggles.

Poor mom. She wants to have girl talk with me so bad, but I have no idea how to do it. Not only because I'm not really a talker. Also because I have zero social contacts in my life, let alone contacts of the opposite sex. I will probably die as a virgin, but I won't tell mom that. It will break her heart to know she will never have grandchildren, I just know it.

"I'm not really busy with boys, mom. I'm just trying to get through the next four weeks. I want to have good results." I tell her.

"Annie, you know you can tell me everything right? Even things about love. I wouldn't mind if you maybe like girls instead of boys." She carefully says, watching my reaction as she talks.

"I'm not into girls, mom," I mumble.

I hate these conversations. They make me feel uncomfortable. I know I'm not gay, I think. I once liked a boy, when I was ten years old. His name was George and he lived next door. When I was ten years old, he was very pretty. We played with the ball in the garden and after that, he shared his cookie with me. Since then, there hasn't been a guy that got my attention. Maybe that doesn't mean anything, but I've never been attracted to a girl either. And the thought of kissing a girl doesn't really make me feel anything special. Kissing a guy? I think I can see myself do that if he is sweet and caring. I'm sixteen now, so I would probably know if I was into girls.

"I'm just saying, it would be okay." Mom smiles and grabs my hand to squeeze it. "Dad and I would love you just the same."

Just great, she doesn't believe me. But I let it go for now. I don't have the energy to convince her otherwise. I just squeeze her hand back as a response before getting my attention back to the movie, which is even more a blur now that I missed half of it.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Mom asks me after a few minutes of silence.

I look at her questioningly. Her eyes are shining and her face looks so happy. Like this surprise is the best one I'm ever going to have in my whole life. Her face makes me smile as well, it works contagiously.

"In four weeks, summer vacation starts. And by then, dad will be back from his mission. So we thought that would be the perfect opportunity for some family time." She says excitedly. "So I have booked us a two week vacation in Tuscany, Italy, where we are going camping!"

Mom is so excited, she starts to clap her hands. It makes me giggle. She is so sweet.

"That's great, mom. I can't wait!" I smile. She has no idea how true those words are. I can't wait to get out of this place. And what is better than going out of the country to go to Europe? And to Italy, that is just a dream come true.

"Me neither. We are going to see Rome, Siena, and Florence. And of course, there is also time to go to the beach or lay down and relax by the pool. Four more weeks, sweetie. Then it's you, me and dad, in the sun." She smiles and focuses back on the TV.

Four more weeks, Ana. Be strong. Just four more weeks.