Unbreakable

“Is everything alright in here?” Gran asks in her sweet little old lady voice.

Aiden slips his hand from around my neck to my shoulder. “Oh yes Evelyn, Laci and I were just catching up,” he says.

I can’t take my eyes away from the counter, and my body won’t stop shaking. “Lace are you okay?” Uncle Derek asks wearily.

A tear hits the granite, and I push out of Aiden’s grip. “Yes I’m fine, I’m just going to get changed.” I take off up the stairs, the tea kettle screaming in a way that I wish I could.

“Tum wait!” Stephen calls. I get up to my room, and lock the door behind me, but I don’t stop there. I run up the second set of stairs, and into my studio, pushing my piano in front of the door to keep intruders out.

I let out a blood curdling scream, and sink to the floor. My fingers pull my hair as I let out another one. “Why?” I cry. “Why are you back?” Hot tears fall down my cheeks. “I don’t want to live anymore if you’re going to be in my life,” I sob to an imaginary Aiden. “Haven't you hurt me enough already?”

“Laci?” Stephen says through the intercom. “Laci please let us in.” I look up, and see Stephen and Ashley in the window.

“Stephie,” I gasp, and run over to the piano. I grab underneath it, and push it away from the door.

Stephen and Ashley run through the door. Stephen scoops me into his arms instantly. “Oh Tummy,” he pulls my head into his shoulder, and holds me tight. “Did he hurt you?”

“My my neck,” I choke.

“Aw shit. Let me see it,” Stephen tilts my chin up to examine my neck, and I see AShley fuming in the doorway.

“Ashley please don’t hurt him, you’ll only make it worse,” I cry.

“How Can it get worse!” he exclaims. “When he finally kills you? No Laci I can’t let him touch you again.”

“Ashley you can’t make a scene. You’ll only make it worse. Please just go to Andy’s room, and talk to him, please,” I beg. Ashley is still pacing with clenched fists. “Ashley please,” I whisper. His gaze stays trained to the floor. I separate myself from my brother, and walk over to Ashley. I try to put my hand on his cheek, but he flinches away. “Ashley please look at me,” I plead. He flicks his eyes to mine, and this time I’m the one to flinch. I’ve only seen this much hatred in his eyes once, and he was actually telling me that he hated me. “Please,” I breathe. Something in his eyes shifts, and he takes me in his arms with so much force that the air gets pushed from my body.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you,” he cries. I pull myself closer to him, and take in his sent. “I’m so sorry that he hurt you again.”

“Ashley it’s not your fault,” I tell him. Stephen mouths something along the lines of ‘I’m going to go’ and leaves the room. “Here, let’s go sit down,” I lead him out of my studio, and push him down on my bed. “There’s no way you could have known what was happening in there,” I lay down next to him, and he wraps me in a cocoon of arms.

“Why do you just take it?” He asks. “Why don’t you fight back?”

“Oh Ashley, that’s something I’ve been trying to answer for myself since I was fifteen,” I sigh. Ashley responds by holding me tighter. “Ashley I’m so sorry.”

“Annalyse Diana O'Connell don’t you dare apologize for what that fuck face did to you,” Ashley snaps. “It is not your fault, do you hear me? It’s not your fault.” My head finds its spot in his chest, and I tune out the world. “It’s not your fault.”

Notes

Hey guys sorry it's short and crappy. I just feel like absolute shit. Thank you all so much for reading and commenting, it means the world to me. I love you all so much.