Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Forty-Three: Running

A choked gasp seized up my entire being. The boys were entering the kitchen at a leisurely pace. Xavier jerked to a halt when he saw Lila's face, grabbing her chin and making her face him. She brushed him off and went back to cooking, but that didn't mean that the boys weren't asking questions.

"Mom, what happened?" Xavier asked, worry crumpling his strong facial features. I didn't need to hear the answer.

I already knew.

"Something silly. Nothing you need to worry about, dear." Lila said with a fake smile, red staining her cheeks. I wanted to say something, anything but my mouth wasn't working. It was like my lips weren't in sync with my brain.

"Cut the bull. Did someone hit you?" Gabriel asked, turning his mother to face him. I was in the background, staring at the scene with horror splayed across my face. It felt like all the blood had rushed to my head, like the world was tilting. I only realized I was falling when Jaydon caught my arm to keep me steady.

He pulled me upright. The look in his eyes spoke volumes.

Fear.

"Ariel, sweetie, are you okay? You look a little... Green." Lila rushed, trying to get the subject off of the purple bruise on her face. I shook my head. Zander was by my side, his hand on my shoulder within a second.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered, my hand covering my mouth in shock. Lila cocked her head. At one point I was sure I would've found it adorable; I was simply too horrified with myself and my father.

Why did my life have to hurt everyone around me?

"Sorry for what? You didn't do anything wrong." Lila said sweetly, a comforting smile on her face. She had grown accustomed to me apologizing about the smallest things, even if she didn't like it at first.

"I should've told you. This is all my fault." I muttered, not able to speak loudly. I was afraid my father would come into the room and hear me. I was terrified of what he would do to me after that.

Not telling anyone was the one rule I had never broken. I didn't want to know what the consequences of what I was about to do, were.

"Should've told me what?" Lila asked, starting to look more concerned. She was frowning deeply. The sight was abnormal. Lila frowning, that is.

"He's a monster." I gulped. There was silence. Lila was still confused. After hitting her she still didn't see that he was a monster? How could she not?

"Who's a monster?" Kade asked, sounding protective as ever. I shook my head, gripping my hair with my hands in a tight grip. I felt the hair slowly tearing from my skull, but I didn't care.

I didn't care I was hurting because I was always hurting. Whether my father had beat me or he had suddenly appeared in my thoughts, ruining my day, I was always hurting because of him. But now others were hurting too.

Lila was hurting.

"My father! Can't you see? He's a monster and he's cruel and he's evil! You have to leave him while you can." I whispered frantically, pacing.

Zander had backed off at that point, looking at me like I was insane. Lila looked a little annoyed, but nothing over the top. Maybe she was mad that I was spilling her secret in front of the boys?

I know I would have been if someone was doing it to me.

"Ariel, what are you going on about? Your father is nothing but loving. We may have our spats but he's still a good man-" She started. I cut her off with a gasping scream. She looked at me in shock, almost like she was afraid of what had caused that noise.

"A good man? Are you crazy? He's the Devil!" I yelled, finally finding my voice. Lila put her hands on her hips, gazing at me with a cold look and pursed lips. It was obvious she wasn't getting my point.

"Ariel, that does not explain anything. What has your father done that could make him the Devil?" Lila asked sternly. I shook my head frantically, rubbing my temples with my fingers while pacing.

The boys had moved away so I had plenty of room to move.

Jaydon was standing in the back corner, cloaked with shadows.

"He killed my mother!" I shrieked, my lips trembling with fear.

It felt like this weight was brushed from my shoulders. I had told her. I had actually told her! I had told everyone! I felt like singing praises to anyone who would listen, praying and saying 'Thank You'.

"Your mother had an unfortunate accident. She tripped, Ariel. Your father had nothing to do with that." Lila growled.

I curled in on myself slightly.

What?

This wasn't how this was supposed to go.

"He pushed her down the stairs. She broke her neck. Lila, he's going to hurt you if you stay with him. You have to go... You have to leave while you still can." I whimpered, more hurt by her not believing me than I thought possible.
For once, why couldn't someone just take me at my word?

I looked at Jaydon helplessly. Help me, my eyes pleaded. He looked at his shoes, suddenly very interested in the nonexistent dirt he was pushing around with the tip of his sneaker. I choked down another sob.

"Ariel, that's enough. You're being ridiculous. I don't know if this is some type of cry for attention, but it needs to stop. Now." Lila snapped. I flinched at her steely tone of voice.

She never used that on me.

I could feel myself crumbling into nothing. Just like before I had met the boys and Lila and they changed my life.

I was back to the ashes of my former self.

"I'm telling the truth. Jaydon, tell them." I begged, my voice cracking. I hated that I sounded so weak, but I felt even worse than I sounded.

No one believed me.

They thought I was hoping for attention or was going crazy.

"Jaydon?" Lila asked, sounding more cautious than anything. I knew if Jaydon said something about my father treating him wrongly or treating me wrong, Lila would up and leave my father in an instant.

I didn't even cared if she took me with her. I just wanted her to leave. To be safe.

"I... I don't know." Jaydon mumbled.

My world came crashing down.

Jaydon denied everything I just said. Any case I might have built against my father had just turned to dust and floated away on Lila's cloud of anger.

And, for the first time ever, that anger was aimed at me. I hated the feeling.

"Ariel, what are you doing? Ariel!" Lila shouted, but it was too late.

I was already out the door, tears tunneling my vision. The door slammed shut behind me and I heard footsteps, someone calling my name, but I was already sprinting onto another street. I could hear footsteps behind me so I sped up.

I ran and I ran and I ran.

My thighs and calves were burning, my lungs screaming, and over all, my chest heaving from sobs that escaped my mouth. I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do. But I did know one thing.

I never wanted to stop running.