011.

ISABELLA

"Why do you think she's calling?"

I don't know. A huge, hopeful part of me is hoping... pathetically... that maybe, just maybe, my mother misses me. That she'd suddenly realised the house was empty without me around. But who am I kidding? She probably just wants to know why I haven't returned from the university. She definitely wants to know why there's nothing cooked for dinner and maybe why the house isn't pristine. My duties.

"Are you going to answer it?" Chloe's voice slices through my thoughts. She's watching me with those intensely scrutinising eyes of hers. She already knows the answer.

I don't know. I watch the screen go off, the call timing out. I almost heave a relief sigh but stop when it starts ringing again. This time, it's my dad. I don't waste any more seconds thinking about whether I should pick up or not. I answer the call, pulling the phone against my ears.

"Issy?"

Wait, what? I pull the phone away from my ears to stare at the caller ID. Of course, it's Dad. My eyes are wide. Did my father hit his head on something?

"Dad?" I say.

"Isabella please come home. I know that your mother and I haven't been the best parents but we need you here, honey."

I frown, a deep crease forming between my brows. This is all very strange to me. Beyond strange. Since when do they ever speak this nicely? This softly? What's gotten into his head? Damn! I should really get back there and make sure they're fine.

"Dad, I can't..." I start but he cuts me off.

"Of course, honey. She said she will? That's very good." I hear my mum's voice in the background. "Tell her how much I love her. Tell her how I don't want her to leave. I'll miss my baby so much."

I hold the phone in my right hand, staring at it, like I'm trying to figure out what game my parents are playing with me. "Mum, Dad, are you both okay? Is something wrong? Look, if you're sick, if you need help, I'll call the doctor. Please tell me you're fine." I say, holding my breath and awaiting their reply.

"Issy, please, please just come back home. We understand that you have gotten into a fancy college and your parents are now too old school, dirty, poor and uneducated to be with."

My mouth falls open. "Dad, no... That's not what I think. That's not..."

"And we do get it if you have rich friends and a boyfriend who can help you out. We know we look shabby next to them. But we are your parents. Can you just leave us like that?"

I stare at my phone some more, completely tongue-tied. The more my dad talks, the more the guilt eats me up from the inside. I know that they've been worse than awful to me. I know what they are capable of. But no matter what. They are still my parents. And they are partly right. It feels wrong to just leave them to fend for themselves when I do know that they can't hold jobs and are functionally dependent on me.

The line goes dead... my dad has hung up. I lower the phone, faced now with a glaring Chloe who hasn't moved an inch.

"No. Don't start." She raises her hand at me, her glare getting stonier by the minute. "Tell me you didn't buy one of their bullshit lines?"

My shoulders sag. I can't actually tell her I did buy all of their bullshits. Because it isn't just bullshit. It's the truth, and guilt, and manipulation and it works every time. I just drop my phone and sink into one of Noah's sofas.

"Chloe, he's my dad and she's my mum. What am I supposed to do?" I plead, looking up at her.

"Don't give me that." She flares. "You think I don't have parents? You think my parents did half the things yours have done to you?"

I don't reply. I just listen. I know better than to cut Chloe off when she's mad, especially when she's right. And she looks terribly mad. She looks like she's about to launch into one of her protective, common-sense lectures. But then… I'm sure she knows that there isn't much she’ll say that will change the default setting in my head; You must help them.

"Bella, you are not going back there. Those people have brought you nothing but misery."

"They did bring me into this world," I whisper, weakly trying to defend the indefensible.

"To suffer!" She yells, stomping her foot twice. "Do not make me call Leo and have him talk some sense into your empty head. They abuse you physically, Bella!"

I shake my head. "It was just..." I try to count the instances in my head. "A few times," I mumble, and I know I sound pathetic.

"Listen to yourself, Bella. They drain you. You don't work and keep some for yourself. They take everything from you. You're their personal slave! I don't get it! Why do you still care about them when all they've ever done is make you feel useless and disposable?" She yells, throwing her hands up in the air.

"They are my parents. They are my family. That connection doesn't just go away." I reply weakly.

"Fuck Family!"

Now that's one word I'll not take from her. "No. You can't say that. Just because you said screw your family and turned your back on them doesn't mean I'll turn my back on mine!"

Fuck!

Not again, Isabella. You're always saying the wrong things. What is wrong with you today? First, Noah and then... Chloe?

"Chloe..."

"No. Don't." She stops me, with a slight raise of her hand. "I did this, didn't I? I told you about my past and now you use it to call me out and hit me where it hurts the most." Her voice has dropped to a low whisper.

"I'm sorry," I mutter, my head dropping. "I'm sorry, Chloe." First, I know how much it hurts Chloe to talk about her family. I know what a shitty and messed-up family she comes from. Using that line, was low for me.

"I'm leaving." She says and I'm up on my feet, rushing to stand directly in front of her. "Get out of my way." She deadpans.

I shake my head. "No. Please. Don't go. I didn't mean it."

"Why? Aren't you eager to go running back to your dad and mum?" She smiles, her face cold.

"I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm really sorry." I beg, breathing hard and trying to reach for her hand but she brushes me off. "Chloe, please..." My voice breaks.

"I think I have work to be doing. I think Leo is all by himself and he needs help at the Daily Grind. I need to work, remember?" She tilts her head. "Not all of us have parents to work for. I have to put myself first. And I think you should be doing more of that."

Chloe pushes past me and disappears out the door after she's said her piece.

I crumple to the ground and drop my head between my knees, wrapping my arms around my shin and I cry.

I fucking cry.