LOVE, RUINS AND ASHES.

Chapter One

DEEP TROUBLE.

Lauren's POV.

Holding my cellphone with my left hand, and glancing at my reflection on the dead screen, I dabbed some concealer on my face with my other hand. Suddenly, the screen came alive. It was a call from Agnes.

“Shit!” I muttered under my breath and let out a deep weighed sigh.

I dropped my cellphone, and picked up the face mirror on the bed which I sat on. Hoping that I'd done a good job this time, I tilted my head to the side to confirm if the scar was still visible. Unfortunately, It was. In fact, it was as if I'd done nothing in the past ten minutes.

Meanwhile, the screen went dead for a few seconds, and came alive again. That was the third time Agnes was calling.

I'd given her my word to show up at her twentieth birthday party which was supposed to begin by 8pm, but it was past 8:30 pm, and I was still home. I could only imagine how furious she would be.

Nonetheless, I knew that I'd to answer the call, else she would most likely ignore me when next she sees me. I mean, it's not her first time doing so, but I just didn't want it to come to that.

With that thought in mind, I extended a hand and picked up my cellphone.

“Hello, Agnes, there's…”

“Where in the world are you, Lauren!” she yelled, her voice came from the other end of the line. “The party started about half an hour ago, and you promised to show up, but I still can't find you. Where are you?”

I closed my eyes, and drew in a deep, calming breath. If anything, I expected that reaction from her. But I couldn't blame her. For one, I'd given her my word that I would be present, so I could understand how she must have felt not seeing me after the party started half an hour ago.

“Agnes, there's something I need to tell you now.” I said.

“What is it?” she asked, with an edge to her voice. “Don't try to tell me that something came up because you already promised that you would clear your schedule to make it to my place tonight.”

“Yes, I said that.”

“So what in the world is going on right now!” she yelled. “Why aren't you here? Camille and Anita are here already. What's keeping you?”

“Agnes, you need to understand that…”

“You are about to give me an excuse right now.” she said, her voice as hard as steel. “You promised not to give any excuses, but that's exactly what you're doing right now. You never keep to your word.”

She hung up on me.

“Agnes… Agnes?” I called. “Damn it!”

I tossed my cellphone on the bed, and pushed my fingers through my hair. I'd picked out an outfit already, and even a heel shoe to compliment the color, I just needed to… I sighed.

In the meantime, I got up from the bed and walked up to my cupboard which was close to the window. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I glanced at my face.

“Why won't you just disappear already?” I muttered the words under my breath as I touched my face with a hand.

It'd been over seven years since I was involved in that fire accident, however the burn had scarred my face. I tilted my face to the side to get a better look at the scar. It made my skin appear like a crumpled piece of paper.

I'd tried to hide the scar by wearing a make-up, but it was still visible as though I did nothing.

“Argh!” I yelled, and smashed the mirror on the tiled floor.

It shattered. I leaned my back against the wall and buried my face in my palms as I began to sob. Before long, my mother stormed into my room.

“What was that sound, Lauren?” she asked, darting her gaze back and forth. “Did someone try to attack you?”

Would anyone try to attack me with the scar on my face? I'd been in five relationships in the past six months, but they all failed in the end.

Even Bryan who looked like he would stay eventually left because his friends laughed at him for being with me. How much longer until the scar completely ruins my life?

Meanwhile, she strode in, sweeping her eyes all over the place. As she found shards of the mirror scattered on the floor, she figured what had happened.

“Come on, sweetheart, you shouldn't be doing this to yourself.” she said, in a consoling voice. “You are getting all worked up because of the scar on your face.”

“Is that not enough reason to get myself all worked up?” I asked, my voice shook with tears. “People keep avoiding me because of this scar on my face and men won't stop rejecting me because of it too. Isn't it enough reason to get worked up, huh?”

“I have told you countless times not to concern yourself with what people say or do because of the scar on your face.” she said, taking my hand in hers. “We are humans, and it's in our nature to speak. So, people will always make ugly comments about the scar on your face.”

“You keep saying that.” I said, my eyes burning with tears. “However, you have no idea how I feel. No matter how much I try to explain it to you, there's no way you'll understand how it feels to have this scar on my face. It's killing me.”

“Look, believe it or not, I know how you feel.” she said, in a soft voice.

“No, you don't!” I yelled, my eyes glittering with anger. “You have no idea how I feel. Let's be honest here, if I wasn't your daughter, would you come any close to me, huh? Answer me!”

She fell silent.

“That's what I thought too.” I said, taking her silence for an answer.

“Lauren…”

“Just let me be.” I retrieved my hand from her and left the room.

“Lauren!” she yelled, calling me back.

With tears in my eyes, I stomped out of the house, got on the street, and found my way to Andrew's. It was the closest bar to my house, and the only place I could think of going to at that time.

As I arrived at Andrew's, I walked in, and sat close to the window. Buried in my thoughts, I turned and glanced out through the window.

However, my attention snapped towards the sounds of footsteps approaching. But as I turned my head, I realized that it was just me alone in the bar.

“Excuse me, how may I help you?” a middle-aged man walked up to me with an apron hanging around his neck.

“Can I get two bottles of liquor, please.” I sniffled, wiping my face with the back of my hands.

“Didn't you see that?” he said, bringing my attention to the 'closed' sign hanging on the door. “We are closed for the day, so please I'd kindly ask that you leave.”

He pointed towards the exit.

“Can I just stay here for some minutes?” I asked. “Just a few minutes, and then I'll be gone.”

I could understand that he'd closed for the day, and for that reason, he wouldn't want to take my order. But then, I couldn't return home knowing that I was supposed to be at Agnes's party, but I wasn't. The guilt would only eat me up.

“What?” he crinkled his face. “Allow you stay for a few minutes? And how is that even possible? I need you to leave now.”

His voice was as hard as steel. However, I remained on the chair.

“Didn't you hear me? Leave!” he gripped my hand and pulled me towards the door.

“Let me go!” I yelled, forcefully taking back my hand from him.

He lost balance, and hit his head on the table behind him. I gasped, my hands flew to cover my mouth, while my eyes widened in horror.

Before long, blood began to spread on the floor. I slowly went on my knees, blinking my eyes rapidly in shock.

“Are y–you alright sir?” I stuttered, my hands trembling as I tried to touch him.

At that moment, my entire body was vibrating to the thump of my heart. Just then, a young man walked into the bar.

“Dad?” he called, and I lifted my gaze to him.

As he found the middle-aged man lying still on the floor, the cake box which he carried with his hands, fell on the floor. My heart sank as a loud thud filled the room.

“Dad?” he called again, with narrowed gaze.

As we locked gazes, my skin crawled.

“What have you done to him?”