...a young woman's awkward silence... "It's not a big deal. I tripped..." ... "It's nothing. Really. I shut my hand in the car door." ... "Oh. I'm fine. I bumped a can of soup out of the cupboard. It hit me in the eye." ... silent hours in her room, silent walks home; alone, staring off in space out the window, starting at the slightest sound...
...a small street in a bustling city... Deling City... Traffic sounds invade the silence as a young woman and young man walk side by side toward a three-story apartment complex. The young woman has short straight brunette hair with a mass of silver streaks throughout. Her face is solemn and shadowed with a slowly vanishing bruise on her right cheek. Scars and scratches have faded with the years, hidden now by always used make-up. The young man has short-cut blond hair and a brooding expression of withheld anger. He wears combat boots of black and military issue slacks and a shirt of dark blue. A gunblade is holstered at his side.
The pair halts outside the entrance of the apartment building. The young man faces the young woman, who continues to stare at the road at her feet.
"Let me go up with you."
She shakes her head. "It's okay."
The young man motions to the third story. "It's late. He's gonna beat you around."
She raises sorrowful and dead eyes to the entrance of the building. "I'll be fine."
The young man rubs at the back of his neck and releases a quick breath. "Damn it, Ahndra, finish your studies at Garden. It'll be a helluvalot safer than staying here." Ahndra remains quiet and lowers her gaze to the ground again. The young man clenches his jaw. "I swear, if that damn drunk hits you one more time, I'm gonna rip his arm off and shove it up his ass."
Ahndra looks up. "Don't. Please."
The young man motions behind him. "Then come with me to Balamb Garden. Headmaster Cid'll enroll you first thing! You won't need to come back here; ever!" He stretches his arms and hands toward her, ignoring her flinch. "I'll loan you some money, so you can get some clothes and shit. Hell, Headmaster Cid'll probably give you some things. But you have to come now. If you don't..." The young man straightens and releases a deep breath. "Ahndra, If you don't, he's gonna kill you. I know it."
Ahndra focuses on the door again. "No. He won't." She steps toward it. "Bye, Seifer."
Young Seifer Almasy watches her enter the building with an expression of helplessness.
Ahndra walks softly and stealthily up the stairs to the third story, missing the creaky boards she knows so well. She treads down the long hallway with the torn carpet and peeling wallpaper with growing dread, her mouth going dry as nausea works its way into the deepest pit of her stomach and soul. She swallows hard, eyes focused on the furthest door.
She halts in front of it, pulling a single key from her pocket and biting her lower lip as she slips it into the lock--
The door is yanked open, light from beyond is shadowed by the massive frame. She cowers back as her wide-eyed gaze focuses on the heavy-lidded eyes of her father. His breath smells of stale beer and cigarettes. A pornographic movie is heard in the background, the moans and groans heightening Ahndra's dread.
"You little whore!" He grabs her arm and drags her forward. "What're you doin' out this late? Workin' the street for drugs? Blowin' each money-lovin' dickhead that puts his hand up your legs!"
He throws her forward ahead of him, keeping a vise-like hold on her hand as he slaps her hard across her face. She doesn't make a sound as blood drops from her broken lip. He slaps her again, so hard she drops to her knees.
"Yeah, that's right, you sex-hungry bitch. Get in the position." He begins to unfasten his belt. "I'll give you what you want!"
Ahndra stares up at him with sorrowful eyes. "Daddy, please..."
He cuffs her hard. "Don't 'daddy' me!"
She chokes back a sob, and he grabs her up and throws her across the room toward her bedroom. "Get in there!" He follows after her, pushing and shoving at her trembling form. "You want it so bad, I'll sex you up."
She bites back a whimper as he shoves her forward onto the bed...