CHAPTER 23: THE DECISION TO LEAVE

"Sarah, I don't know how much more of this I can take," Cecilla said as Sarah returned to the kitchen. Cecilia's voice wavered with frustration as she sat on the edge of Sarah's kitchen counter, clutching her phone in one hand and rubbing her temple with her other hand. The throbbing behind her eyes was a constant reminder of the sleepless night she had spent listening to the sounds coming from Sarah's bedroom. Sarah, standing across from her, sighed deeply, eyes downcast. She stirred her coffee, but it was clear her mind wasn't on the cup before her. She'd heard the frustration in Cecilia's voice many times before, but it didn't make hearing it again any easier. "I know," Sarah whispered, her fingers trembling as she raised the cup to her lips. Cecilia's lips twisted; her jaw clenched tightly. She couldn't keep watching her best friend live like this. The bruises on Sarah's skin and the distant look in her eyes were all too much. She turned her back, picked up her phone, and star