His Blame, Her Liberation

The stench of stale beer and sweat hung heavy at the post-game party, a ghost from a life I thought was behind me.

I stood in a quiet corner, trying to disappear as the music vibrated through the floor.

My ex-boyfriend Liam' s best friend, Kevin, suddenly plowed through the crowd, his face stark with raw panic.

"Ava! You have to help. They took him!" he screamed, his words a horrifying echo of a past I' d desperately tried to escape.

He begged me to rescue Liam from the black van, reminding me of all the "stuff" my dad taught me.