chapter 16

 “I’ll be here for you forever Adel”

Miloh told me as she held me in her arms. I was 8 at the time and she was the only one to know about what was going on in my house.

“It hurts Miloh” I told her as I rubbed my stomach and winced as my hand went over the bruise there. We were in the small hiding place in my backyard. It was a small cave like hole in an old tree.

“I know it does but you have to hold on and be strong. Freeze your heart and don’t let anyone in. it’s the only way to survive.” She said as her look became distant. She was thinking about how she had most likely frozen her heart after losing her family and being put into a house where she was treated like a slave.

“I don’t think I can Miloh. I love feeling emotions and enjoying life. I don’t want to end up like you; all cold and empty. I feel he would win if I did that.” She cringed at my words but she knew I was right.

“You can’t trust anyone or let anyone in Adel. Everyone will hurt you in the end and you will be left broken and alone.”

I shot up in bed breathing heavily as the images of my dream flashed through my head. It had been a flashback to the days when I was a child and new to this life. Miloh had been one of my best friends and I had trusted her with everything but as she had said in the dream. I couldn’t trust anyone because they would all hurt me and in the end I would be left broken and alone.

A single tear fell from my left eye as I recalled what had happened between us. After all we had been through she had gone and driven away everyone I had wanted to trust and get close to. When I had confronted her about it, we got into an argument that ended in her hitting me. She had hurt me and ran away only to leave me broken and alone. Since that day I froze over my heart and didn’t trust anyone as I had Miloh.

“Adel, do you want breakfast?” mother asked in a small voice.

“No I’m just going to head to school” without another word I got out of bed and got ready for school. I didn’t look forward to letting people see these bruises and my arm hurt as if it was being torn in two. It was most likely broken and I would have to go see Candice after school.

The house was quiet as a tome stone as was heading towards the doors and I suspected father was out visiting Candice. With my mother home alone the house might as well be a haunted house. She was more like a ghost wandering the world not knowing where she was meant to go.

Soon I would take her away and bring her back to life. I missed seeing that shine in her eyes and hearing her laughter filling up the room. But I couldn’t worry about that now.

As I walked onto campus, I noticed Rai’s car parked at the front of the main building. She had not doubt heard from someone that father had gone on a rampage last night. I wouldn’t hear the end of it if she saw me like this. So quickly I ran behind the nearest car just as she turned to look in my direction.

“Damn it” I muttered as I jostled my arm and cradled it against the chest in an effort to stop the pain.

“Adel, what are you doing?” Mathew asked from where he was leaning against the hood of Jane’s car.

I hadn’t noticed it was their car I was hiding behind. Had Rai heard him? Was she coming over to find me and no doubt drag me to the nearest hospital then the police station?

“I’m…I’m hiding from someone. So keep your voice down” I told him as I peeked through the window of his car to see Rai looking suspiciously at Mathew. I looked over to see he was looking at me like I was crazy and knew Rai had found me. I sighed and turned with my back against the car and sat on the concrete.

“What the…? Adel what happened?” Mathew kneeled next to me and touched the side of my face as softly as he could. The bruise had gotten worse over night and I almost screamed this morning from how ugly it was. I could have been in a horror movie.

“I…I got hit by a door” I looked down at the ground in shame at lying to him. It was hard for me to trust but after having the past brought back to me in my dreams last night, it just got worse.

“Adel that is bull and you know it. Who did this to you? Was it one of Scott’s boys?” Mathew was livid as he said this.

I couldn’t help but cringe at the mention of Scott’s name. Father had been enthusiastic about him last night. He had said Scott would have put me in my place and that he would have welcomed him into the family. It made me sick that my father would want that.

“Its not important Mathew just…please just get me out of here before Rai comes over. I really don’t want to talk to her.” I leaned my head back and looked into his eyes with a tired expression that held the weight of all the years of abuse. I was close to breaking and I could feel it because a human could only take so much.

“Come on get in the car” Mathew said as he stood and looked around the parking lot.

I didn’t know why he had a conflicting look that hovered over him as he did this. Why had I asked him for help? He didn’t need to be dragged into the havoc that was my life.

“You don’t have to do this. I’ll just go don’t worry about it” as I stood to leave Mathew reached out and took hold of my left arm which was the broken one. I nearly cried out in pain but held it in and just pulled it to my chest and turned to see the look of shock on Mathew’s face.

“Things aren’t all rosy around here Mathew.” I told him with an emotionless voice that sent chills down my own back. He seemed to ponder something before opening the passenger door of his car and motioning me inside. I would have declined but I could see Rai was coming over and hurriedly got in. Mathew jogged o the driver’s side and hopped in as well. As he turned on the car and drove out of the parking lot, I noticed for the first time in a long time, I trusted someone. But this would not go on like this because I could not let anyone in anymore no matter how much I wanted to believe I could. I was already broken and there was no fixing me.

The car was quiet as Mathew drove on and I wondered briefly where he was taking me but it didn’t really matter. He could be taking me to my death for all I knew and I couldn’t find it in me to care. I was already dead on the inside, might as well finish off the rest.

“Who did it?” Mathew asked in a deadly calm voice

“Leave it alone Mathew there is nothing you can do anyway.” As I said this I noticed I was giving away that this wasn’t the first time this had happened. I groaned because I knew that would cause him to cling to the topic like a leech. But before I could make amends he pulled in front of the pharmacy and I looked at him puzzled.

“My father can help you” his voice was cold as he got out of the car.

What had I gotten myself into with this family?