💫GISELLE💫

"Lets go!" I felt someone pulling me in the opposite direction, but I couldn't turn to see who It was. There was so much going on around us, the night was dark, no longer lit by the flames of the bonfire. Once we were out of the crowd, I was able to see his face.

"Oh my God. Angel?" I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him close after seeing his bruised face.

"I'm fine. You should see your little friend though." His laugh was like a villain who'd defeated the hero for the first time, victory rumbling through his throat as a certain evil was displayed in his grin.

I could tell he had been waiting for that moment. I knew right away, after looking at the satisfaction in his gaze that he was booking on Roman showing his ass so that he, in response, could show his teeth. And that's exactly what he did. Could I blame him? Of course not. But, when all you want is to have a good time and enjoy a night out with your friends, and it turns into a brawl because your boyfriend had it out for a guy, it isn't as hard to look past.

"Are you okay baby?" On the ride back, Angel placed his hand on my leg, caressing me gently.

"Yes. Why'd you have to do that?"

"When you're disrespected, I'm disrespected." Angel huffed. "If we're going to be together, you have to understand that I'm not tolerating bullshit like that." Angel looked over at me as he drove.

I let out a loud sigh, trying to conjure up the words scrambled in my head. We weren't together. We were just in a crazy misunderstanding only hours earlier. I felt uneasy as the words left my mouth, but I had to express how I felt.

"I don't need you to defend my honor. I don't—"

"Listen. I'm a man. Certain things are unacceptable. I've always let you be yourself and do your thing, but this isn't up for debate."

"So are you going to beat the crap out of everybody who does something you don't like?" I sassed, turning my lip up in disgust.

"Giselle, let it go."

"No! Stop fighting with people. Don't you remember what happened the last time?"

"Giselle."

"Angel." I snapped.

Silence.

The rest of the ride was quiet. The echoes of my loud and erratic heartbeat rang in my ears as I tried to calm myself down. After five minutes or so of no luck, I decided to turn on the radio. The Weekend's, Too Late, smoothed out the vibe quicker than I could plead. I shut my eyes and let the words, "It's way too late to save our souls babe", circulate throughout the confined space. It really was too late. We were so deep inside  a whirlpool of madness and love and everything in between. I knew that Angel would do anything for me, and I for him. What scared me the most, sending goosebumps waving across every inch of my body, was that I had no idea how to remain in control.

"I'll do anything to protect you." Angel finally spoke. I peered in his direction, watching as he focused on the road. "Anything." He growled.

"I know." Speaking lightly, no longer feeling the urge to fight with him. I convinced myself that it wasn't worth arguing over.

"I just don't like when you fight, Angel. Like, I really hate it." I sighed, wanting to stand my ground and not let anyone walk all over me, detouring my feelings for the sake of theirs. I was on a roll, standing up for myself and finding the Giselle that I felt comfortable being.

"Okay. I'll try to stop. For you."

"Really?" My eyes lit up, lips spread into a smirk, I grabbed his hand, holding it in mine.

"Really." Angel smiled back at me, leaning over the center console to plant a kiss on my cheek.

Unable to bare the joy simmering inside of me, a light fidget distracted me from my achievements. I'd just stood up for myself. Something I was not comfortable doing when it came to alpha males. Something I tend do stray far away from with people like my father and Aaron. What took me by surprise was how it came so easily. How could something so rarely done and that caused the greatest discomfort come to me as easily as breathing? I was growing. That's how. I was coming into this new version of me that felt powerful and assuring. These behaviors and feelings weren't something I was ever use to doing or witnessing as a young woman. Growing up, I'd always seen my mom conforming to the wants and needs of my dad and even my grandfather. It was a trait I'd picked up, secondhand, and until moving away for college, I never saw a reason to hate it so much.

It had to be one o'clock in the morning, after climbing off my balcony, sneaking out to party with Aaron and his friends. I'd gotten caught when I pulled open the gate to the backyard, unable to stop the loud screeching of the rusty hinges.

"Where the hell are you coming from?" My dad sat at the edge of my bed as I passed over the threshold of my backdoor.

Completely startled, I reached for my chest as I took in a shit ton of air. "Dad?"

"Where have you been, Giselle? It is after midnight and, here you are, sneaking into this house like a common delinquent.

"I—"

"You, what?"

"I'm sorry, dad. I just went to hang out with my friends."

"Have you been drinking?"

"No."

"Smoking?"

"Dad, no." I motioned towards him, causing him to stand to his feet.

"Give me your phone." Hand out, my dad stood there, waiting for me to hand it over.

I tried to send off a text to Aaron first, but when he realized what I was doing, he charged at me and snatched it from my hands, sending my phone flying across the room and me backing into the corner like prey,  and defenseless.

"What are you doing?" My mom burst through my bedroom door. Her eyes immediately found me, scared in the corner.

"Honey, did you hit her? Did you touch my baby?" My mom charged at my dad.

"No! I didn't fucking touch her. She barges in here after midnight and your first thought is to come protect her?"

"She's my daughter."

"I don't give a damn what or who she is. You disrespect my house, you open up the door to be disrespected."

"Calm down!" My mom yelled at him.

"Don't tell me to calm down. This is MY house. MY rules. I will be respected by all  means."

I hadn't said a word as they stood in front of me, going back and forth. All I could think about is why my dad was so upset. Why was he so set on making a big deal? It wasn't like I was doing anything bad. I was just hanging out. And why was I only "her" daughter? Why was my mom so adamant on defending me as "hers", while my dad only cared to make a point? It never dawned on me that I should've been grateful she was standing up for me at all. Because even though it started well, her true nature kicked in, and it was all my dad's way from there.

"I'm sorry. I'm just—" That strong woman that I knew turned timid, overpowered by the force known as my father.

"Sit down", he demanded, pointing at the bed, staring at me from where I stood.

At first, I thought he was talking to me, but when I moved towards my bed and watched my mom take a seat in the place he'd pointed, I was almost stunned to see her falter from her strong will. Head lowered, I ached inside watching my mother become so small. Was obedience and submission the way of the woman? Was that my place just as it was hers? Everything I did came from her. Every attitude I owned was from this woman I'd grown up admiring and imitating. Was bowing down to a man and letting his word and authority out way my own the life I had to look forward to? If she did it, so would I, because my mother was a wonderful woman with a fabulous life. She was well-educated, loved by many, had all that she could ever ask for, and my father made sure our lives were provided for with top notch quality.

"I will not tolerate ANY form of disrespect in MY house. I work hard to make sure each one of you have all the luxuries in life that I am capable of affording. ME! Therefore, what I say goes. Am I understood?"

"Yes, honey." My mom answered, eyes lowered, shoulders slumped.

"Am I clear?" Now his eyes were burning a hole through me. Was I supposed to bow down to him the way she did? Is that what was expected of me?

I looked over to my mom, who nodded, approving of my obedience. Disgust roamed every inch of my face as biting my tongue put a bitter taste in my mouth. Back up against the wall, I finally met with my father's eyes. The eyes that held so much hate and bitterness for me. I'd always felt the burn of his resentful gaze. I just couldn't understand why his energy towards me was never that of love and care. So, I spent my life bowing down, being obedient, and being overshadowed by whatever my father and, eventually, any man wanted and needed. 

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***Author's Words****

It's been a while since we had a Giselle flashback.

Now you are able to take a look at the root cause of her personality and how it came to be...

What are your thoughts? 

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