What's the most terrifying thing a stepparent has ever done that made you realize they weren't who.

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My mom married my stepdad Rick when I was 14. He seemed perfect at first - charming, successful, always bringing flowers and taking us on nice vacations. My mom was so happy after years of being a single parent.

But I started noticing things when they'd been married about six months. Rick would make comments about my appearance that felt weird. "You're developing into quite a young woman," or "That outfit is very... flattering on you."

My mom would just laugh it off. "Rick's just being sweet, honey."

When I was 15, the comments got worse. He'd find excuses to hug me that lasted too long, or brush against me in the hallway. When I told my mom I was uncomfortable, she got defensive.

"Rick loves you like his own daughter. You're being dramatic."

But I knew something was wrong.

Last month, my mom went out of town for her sister's wedding. Rick was supposed to drive me there the next day, but that morning he said we should "spend some quality time together first."

I was in my room getting ready when he knocked on my door.

"Maya, can I come in? I want to talk to you about something important."

Something in his voice made my skin crawl. "I'm getting dressed. Can we talk downstairs?"

"This is private. It's about your mom."

Against my better judgment, I opened the door. Rick pushed his way in and closed it behind him.

"Your mom and I have been having some problems," he said, sitting on my bed. "I think you're old enough to understand adult relationships now."

I stayed by the door. "What kind of problems?"

"She doesn't appreciate me the way she used to. But you... you understand me, don't you Maya?"

He patted the bed next to him. "Come sit with me. I want to show you something."

Every alarm bell in my head was going off. "I'm fine standing here."

Rick's expression changed. The fake nice guy mask slipped completely.

"Maya, I've been very patient with you. Very kind. I think you owe me some gratitude."

"Gratitude for what?"

"For taking care of you and your mother. For giving you a nice life. For being the father figure you never had."

He stood up and started walking toward me. "I think it's time you showed me how much you appreciate everything I've done for this family."

I backed toward the door, but he was blocking my path.

"Rick, I want to go downstairs now."

"No, I don't think you do. I think you want to stay here and have a grown-up conversation with me."

He reached out to my face and I jerked away.

"Don't do ITTT!"

"Maya, don't be difficult. This can be easy or it can be hard, but it's going to happen either way."

That's when I knew I was in real danger. I grabbed my phone and ran into my bathroom, locking the door.

Rick started pounding on it. "Maya, open this door right now! You're being ridiculous!"

I called 911 with shaking hands.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My stepdad is trying to... he's scaring me. I'm locked in my bathroom and he won't leave me alone."

"Are you in immediate danger?"

Rick was still pounding on the door, now yelling about how I was "ungrateful" and "asking for it" by wearing shorts in my own house.

"Yes, I think he's going to hurt me."

The police arrived within ten minutes. I heard Rick answer the door, suddenly back to his charming self.

"Officers, I think there's been a misunderstanding. My stepdaughter is having some teenage drama..."

But when they came upstairs and saw me crying in the bathroom, they took it seriously.

Rick was arrested that day. When they searched his computer, they found hundreds of photos he'd taken of me.

He'd been planning this for months.

My mom came home to find her husband in jail and her daughter in protective custody. At first, she didn't believe it.

"Rick would never... you must have misunderstood..."

But when the police showed her the photos, she broke down completely.

Rick pleaded guilty to attempted assphault. He got eight months in prison.

My mom and I are in therapy together. She feels guilty for not believing me sooner, for bringing a predator into our home.

"I thought I was giving you a father figure," she cries. "Instead, I put you in danger."

The hardest part is that Rick fooled everyone. Our neighbors, my teachers, even my mom's family thought he was wonderful.

I'm 17 now and still dealing with the trauma. But I'm also proud that I trusted my instincts and got help when I needed it.