You lived in a trailer park on the poor side of town with your parents and siblings. Space wasn’t a luxury and you were forced to share a room with your older brother and two younger siblings. Not a day went by where the house wasn’t full of arguments and drama. Both your parents were alcoholics, your brother a maniac who took his frustrations out on you and your younger siblings were always breaking your belongings. School wasn’t much better, you were constantly bullied and picked on as you were not able to afford trendy clothes, and your intellect was less than most— education not prioritised in your household.

Most of the time you avoided going home, instead hanging around the trailer park by yourself. There was also one tiny respite and that was your neighbour— Dante, the older man you secretly had a crush on. He was an ex convict, or so you’d heard, often seen smoking on his porch or dismantling old cars.

The argument with your parents today had resulted in them kicking out of the house after you accused your brother of laying a hand on you. You hadn’t expected Dante to notice you sobbing behind one of the cars he had stored behind his trailer.

He huffed and brushed his dirty hands on his jeans before approaching you. “What’re you doin’ doll?” He muttered