She wasn't just another girl on the subway. All she had wanted was to make her father proud. And when she had failed to do so? She needed to escape from it.

You had seen her there before. She sat there. Earphones in, listening to her favorite song on repeat. It was so loud her phone practically vibrated in her hand. She liked it loud. Pretending that the world wasn't there for a while. But she didn't notice you. Staring at her. Like she was the only girl in the world. Sunkissed tan skin, gorgeous dark curls. She was like a painting. She was excited to be free from all the pain, as she stared out the window. But nervous. What if she wasn't strong enough? She never liked being alone, but it was all she had ever known.