My Fault

Eden’s Point of View

I felt so dizzy with everything, the confrontation, the cold, the fear and the worrying that now settled in me as I thought clearly about everything that Theron said to me while we were in the library.

Could Thorne be cheating on me?

Theron seemed to know certainly that he is… I mean what could he gain by lying to me, but I was also aware that both brothers hate each other.

I don’t know why though.

But Theron could be doing this as a means to get revenge.

I know just how important sex is for most young men, being impatient and aggressive when they are denied is also common, but between two people who claim to love each other?

Like Lola said, that isn’t normal.

And as much as I would like to make excuses for Thorne, his actions today in the hallway makes me realize that there might be a little truth in what Theron was saying.

He is probably only hanging around me because he wants to conquer me… to have me… to get in my pants.

A man who loves me wasn’t going to hurt me like this, with his silence, with his negligence.

Fuck, Eden, don’t be fucking stupid.

Just as I approached the front gate of my house, I felt a sudden rush in the coldness of the air, it was a little harsher now, and goosebumps prickled against the surface of my skin, as I turned back slightly, glancing over my shoulders.

My eyes watching nervously, flickering across the empty streets filled with parked cars at each side of the road.

I felt something ominous watching me in the darkness.

But there was nothing in sight, I clutched my bag strap tighter and pushed open the wooden door of the front gate to my house. The lights were on, and from the corner of my eyes I could spot father’s car parked at the side.

A small dread twist in my stomach, realizing that I might have to be strong at least once more before the day finally ends.

“Where is Evangeline?” Father’s voice boomed with worry as I approached the front door, I stood there for a few minutes contemplating whether or not to go in.

“She went out on a date; she told me she would be coming home a little later tonight.” Iris answered, my hands decided faster than my brain as I opened the door, my eyes snapping towards the green eyes of my father.

His face was crumpled—he seemed clearly unsatisfied with something.

“And you? You’re just coming home now?” Father asked as he snapped the magazine in his hands shut. “Where did you go? Have you began whoring around?”

That was quite harsh, coming from my father, but I don’t act offended, because I wasn’t—he usually says the meanest things when he is agitated, but I am not sure if he meant them.

“I had library duty, and the rain.” I said briefly before turning on my heels heading for the stairs.

“You have no manners.” He huffed again, and I clutched my hands tightly.

He was already mad about something before I came home, he is just looking for the perfect dumpster to pour out all his frustrations on. “The rain stopped almost an hour ago, do you think I am stupid or something?”

I sighed deeply, wondering if he wanted me to kneel or something.

“Or you just used the excuse to hang out with some loser boy.” Iris added with a snicker.

I glared at her.

“It’s okay if Evangeline is out there on a date with God knows who, and is coming back home later at night.” I started. “But the world is going to end just because I am an hour late?” My eyes snapped back towards my father, because guess what he is not the only one who has had a shitty day.

My day has been hell too.

I was molested by my boyfriend, who has been giving me attitude for nearly a week now, all because I refused to let him fuck me, and then I was basically harassed by his older brother who is a psychopath.

I stayed the library the entire time with my heart in my mouth, because I wasn’t sure if he was going to kill me or not!

“You didn’t come to pick me up, father, you haven’t done that in a week now.” I accused pointedly. “How do you expect me to get home in the rain? I am sorry if I don’t have the power to magically teleport, and I had to walk.”

“Who was it that claimed they don’t need my help earlier this week?” He asked curiously, getting out from the chair. “You didn’t want to ride in my car to school, what should I do? Get on my knees and beg you?”

I opened my mouth, a wave of curses, storm of words and protests building in my throat, but nothing came out, in fact I didn’t care about it anymore.

“Give me the bus fare then.” I cocked an eyebrow at him. “You can drive your little princess anywhere you want, as long as I am able to take the bus it will be fine.”

“You are asking to be abandoned now, don’t come crying in the future counting all the things I should have done for you.” Father sneered and I snickered.

“Is this what you’re going to tell mom when you die and meet her again,” I asked boldly this time, glaring straight into his eyes. “That the only child she gave to you, begged you to abandon her and so, you did.”

Something flickered in his eyes.

Hate… anger… bitterness…. resentment?

I don’t know, maybe a mixture of them all, but the next thing that happened threw me off my feet, a sharp blow, from the back of father’s fist struck my cheeks powerfully, swatting me to the ground like I was a fly.

The world around me flashed in a blur at first, then a single ring in my right ear echoed in my head, and that one side of my cheeks became hot, so hot that I thought the part of my face was burning.

“Fuck.” I cursed when I felt the sharp metallic taste on my tongue, I bit myself so hard that I bled.

Pain surged through me, making everything even worse.

“How dare you.” He neared me, eyes narrowed, he reached for me, grabbing my hair. His wicked fingers yanking my hair from their roots, pulling it without remorse or conscience.

“Ah.” My body jerked forward, twisting along with the pain I felt in my scalp.

“How dare you speak about my wife with that filthy mouth of yours.”

“She is my mother.” I reminded him, I felt thick liquid flow out of my nose, I hadn’t had those nose bleeds in a while, and now, I feel so light headed, like he cracked a part of my skull.

“The one that you killed.” He growled, nose flaring and eyes reflecting his malicious rage. “How many times do I have to tell you not to mention her name ever again?”

My eyes darted towards the other end of the room, locking eyes on the golden clock, some part of me trying to escape this monster in front of me.

Trying to tell myself that it would be fine, and I just have to endure it for a while, for years, I had made excuses for him, tried my best to ignore, to forgive and to forget.

But that didn’t mean I wasn’t hurt.

My eyes flickered back to father, his face blurred in the tears in my eyes, I stared hopelessly at the figure in front of me—one I didn’t recognize.

And I wondered if he truly believed it was my fault that she passed away from birth complications while she had me.

What daughter would want to kill her own mother? I am most affected by my mother’s death, and I think it’s disrespectful to her memory that I had spent the entirety of my childhood wishing that I was the one who died instead.

“Everett,” Iris’s voice cut through the death glares we both exchange, and I think I lost, because I blinked, desperately trying to blink back the tears that welled in my eyes. “Please calm down—she’s bleeding.”

“I don’t care.” Father’s breath was ragged and heavy against my face, and veins tightened in his neck, before he flung me to the ground, my breath came out in panicked sobs.

“You’re eighteen years old, find and job or something—I don’t fucking care what you do.” He hissed. “I will not be taking you to school, or picking you up from school again, neither will I be giving you any money for the bus fare. Walk to school or stop going to school.”