15. Now

Iwatch her as she sleeps. I have always loved watching her. The way her brow crinkles, and she scrunches her nose. She looks so peaceful. I remember when we would watch movies together, and she would fall asleep on my shoulder before we were even halfway in. She felt safe and comfortable with me then, and I miss those days.

I press play on the video I paused and grab the bag of chips next to the mattress I have on the ground. Cat’s smiling face greets me as she presses a kiss onto my cheek. We had just won the homecoming game, and my girl was there on the sidelines, cheering me on.

“You were amazing, Rexley,”she tells me as Nick zooms the camera closer in on us. I wrap her in my arms and spin her around before kissing her hard. Ronnie scoffs and fluffs her hair as Kelly jumps on Adam’s back.

“Whoo, let’s get this party started,”I shout to the awaiting crowd and take Cat’s hand. She looks up at me with love, and I pause the video on that frame.

“I remember that day,” Cat whispers from her cage. “It was my first high school party, and I was nervous. I had fought with my dad that night before leaving for the game. It was the first time he warned me about you,” she laughs, shaking her head. “I told him he was wrong. I should have listened,” she mutters under her breath, and I clench my fists.

“Daddy’s perfect little girl,” I sneer. I am so sick of the hypocrisy. “But I changed that. I showed you who you really were, and I was the one condemned for it. I was punished and locked away. All because I tried to set you free,” I roar and watch as she flinches.

I chuck the remote at the TV and don’t even blink when the screen spiders. The cracks run along her porcelain face, and all it does is further prove my point. The perfect little doll.

“Get comfortable pet, because you and I are meant to be. Soon, you will see what I’ve always seen.”

“What’s that?” she croaks through her tears. Ugh, crying again. I glance her way with a grin and shrug.

“That you’re mine.”