I don't know how long I slept for, but when I woke up, the sun was already shining through my window. I stared at the dust particles dancing in the morning light, my head throbbing. My mouth was dry, and my stomach was queasy. I felt like shit. But at least I was home. At least I was safe.

I rolled over, trying to go back to sleep, when I almost had a heart attack. Ruby was lying next to me, her long hair spilling over my pillow. She was wearing the same sparkly dress she'd had on last night, and her makeup was smeared, making her look like a deranged clown. She was snoring softly, her breath reeking of alcohol and vomit. The covers were tangled around her legs, and she was holding onto her shoes like a lifeline. She looked terrible.

I pushed myself into a sitting position, trying not to disturb her, but she stirred anyway. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked at me, confused. Then, her expression cleared, and she groaned, rolling over and burying her face in the pillow.

"I feel like shit," she mumbled, her voice muffled. "What time is it?"

But before I could say anything, the front door slammed downstairs, followed by hushed voices. Enzo's voice was clear, but he was speaking in a language I couldn't quite understand. He sounded angry. I wasn't sure if he was talking on the phone or not. But then I heard my parents' voices. They were whispering too. What were they talking about? I didn't understand a word.

I looked at Ruby, but she just shrugged, her eyes glassy. She was hungover and out of it. I sighed and stood up, my legs shaking. I steadied myself against the bed frame and made my way to my closet, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. I quickly changed into them and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. When I got back, Ruby was still lying in bed, snoring softly.

I made my way to the door, opening it as quietly as possible. I crept down the stairs, trying to be quiet, but the stairs creaked and groaned under my feet. I winced, praying that no one had heard me.

When I reached the bottom, I paused, listening. Enzo and my parents were still talking. I crept closer, staying out of sight, and peeked around the corner. They were standing in the kitchen, their expressions serious. My mom was leaning against the counter, her arms crossed, while my dad was pacing back and forth. Enzo was standing beside the sink, his hands gripping the edge. He looked tense. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were narrowed. Whatever they were talking about, it was important.

Suddenly, Enzo noticed me and his eyes widened. He cleared his throat and quickly turned away, pretending like he hadn't seen me.

I frowned and stepped into the kitchen, my curiosity getting the best of me. My mom glanced up and her eyes widened. She pushed herself off the counter and approached me.

"Peyton sweetie," she said, her voice tight. "Enzo was just telling us about the sleepover you and Ruby had last night. Isn't that right, Enzo?" She shot him a pointed look, and he nodded, his expression unreadable. But I saw his fingers grip the edge of the sink a little tighter.

"Uh, yeah," I replied and raised an eyebrow at Enzo, who shrugged in response and averted his eyes to the floor. "We did. Is everything okay?" I looked between them, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Everything's fine, Peyton," my dad interjected, his voice reassuring. He shot a glance at my mom and then turned to me, his expression serious. "Your mom and I have some errands to run, and we'll be back in a couple of hours. Will you be okay staying with Enzo for a while?" He looked at Enzo, and something unspoken passed between them.

I nodded and glanced at Enzo, who was staring at me, his expression tense. "Yeah, I'll be fine," I replied, my heart pounding. Something was going on, and I wasn't sure what it was. But whatever it was, it wasn't good. I could feel it in the air. The tension was palpable.

My parents nodded and gathered their things. My mom kissed me on the cheek and told me to be good. My dad gave me a hug and a pat on the back. And then they were gone, the front door slamming shut behind them. I stood there, frozen, staring at the door. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

Enzo cleared his throat and moved away from the sink, his expression unreadable. "Well, uh, I'm going to go take a shower. You hungry? Want me to make you some breakfast?" he asked, his tone casual.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain. "No, I'm okay. I think I'm just going to go check up on Ruby," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. Enzo nodded and disappeared up the stairs, his footsteps fading away.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, for what felt like an eternity. Finally, I tore myself away and made my way back upstairs, my mind racing. What the hell was going on? Why were my parents being so secretive? And what was Enzo's part in all this? What did he know?

I paused at the top of the stairs and listened, trying to hear what Enzo was doing. But all I could hear was the sound of running water. I sighed and walked to my room, closing the door behind me. Ruby was still asleep, so I sat down on the edge of the bed and put my head in my hands, trying to sort through the chaos in my mind.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching, and then a soft knock on the door. I looked up, startled, as Enzo poked his head in, his hair still wet from the shower.

"Hey," he said, his tone subdued. "Can we talk?" He glanced at Ruby and added, "Alone?"

I nodded and followed him out into the hallway, shutting the door behind me. We made our way down the stairs and into the living room, sitting down on the couch. Enzo sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his expression pensive. After a few moments of silence, he spoke, his voice low.

"Look, about last night..." He trailed off, and I could see the guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I never should've let you go to that party. It was a mistake." He sighed and shook his head, his hands clenched into fists. "It was a stupid fucking mistake." He looked at me, his eyes flashing with anger. "And that bastard almost..." He trailed off, and the fury on his face was so intense, it was frightening. "He almost..."

"I'm fine," I whispered, putting a hand on his arm. "It's okay." I squeezed his arm, trying to reassure him. "It's okay. Nothing happened. You got there in time. I'm fine." I could feel his muscles relax under my touch, and the tension in the room dissipated.

He sighed and shook his head, a small smile on his face. "You're tough, Peyton. Tougher than you realize. You're gonna do great things." He met my gaze, and the intensity in his eyes was overwhelming. "You're gonna do great things," he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Then, the moment was broken, and the spell was shattered. He cleared his throat and sat back, his expression guarded once again.

"Anyway," he continued, his tone casual. "I just wanted to say that. I'm glad you're okay, Peyton."

I smiled and nodded, grateful for the change in topic. "Me too." I paused, unsure of what else to say. The moment had passed, and the tension was gone, but the questions were still there, swirling in my mind. But now wasn't the time. Now, I just wanted to forget about everything.

 "So, uh, what do you want to do?" I asked, looking at him. "Want to watch a movie or something?"

"Am I dreaming or are you two actually getting along?" Ruby's voice rang out, and I turned to find her standing in the doorway, her expression dazed. "I must be dreaming. No way the Ice Princess and Mr. Anger Management could possibly be hanging out." She grinned and rubbed her eyes. "Anyway, you two have fun. I'm leaving but I'll catch you guys at school on Monday."

 With that, she disappeared, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. A moment later, the front door slammed shut, and the house fell silent.

I turned back to Enzo and raised an eyebrow. He shrugged and grinned. "Movie it is," he replied. "But I get to pick, and I get to make breakfast first."

"Deal."

With that, he jumped off the couch and hurried into the kitchen, his energy infectious. I sat back and watched him as he busied himself with preparing the food, his movements sure and confident. There was something about him that made him seem bigger than life. He was strong and brave and determined. He was loyal and protective. He was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

But there was also something darker about him. Something dangerous. He was violent and volatile. He was impulsive and reckless. He was unpredictable. He was like a hurricane, destroying everything in his path. And yet, somehow, I knew that I was safe with him. Somehow, I knew that he would never hurt me. Somehow, I knew that he would never let anyone hurt me. 

Enzo finished making breakfast, and we ate in comfortable silence. When we were done, we headed to the living room, and he picked out a movie.

I raised an eyebrow at the selection. "Tangled?" I asked, trying to hide my amusement. "Really?"

Enzo shrugged and grinned. "What can I say? I have a soft spot for Disney movies." He pressed play, and the opening scene began to roll. We sat back, side-by-side, and watched the movie in companionable silence. It was nice. It was normal. And, for a brief moment, everything was perfect.

But then, reality came crashing back down around us. The movie ended, and the credits rolled. The day went by, and the evening came. My parents still weren't home. Something was wrong.

"Enzo?" I asked, turning to him. "What's going on?" My voice was quiet, and my heart was pounding.

He met my gaze, his expression somber. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words never left his lips. Because, at that moment, the front door swung open, and my mom and dad walked in.