“You’re coming home. Now. I’ll fucking lock you in that house till you rot—”
The old man steps in front of me now. “Celleste, you need to leave. She is safe here.” Ski's eyes are pleading as he begs my mother for her mercy. But he will find none.
My mom’s eyes turn vicious. “I'm not leaving without her, she is my daughter and she is only seventeen. Should I call the cops and report you for kidnapping, since I assume she has been stayinghere?” She waves her hand around, and a sneer blankets her face, as if this place is beneath her.
No. No. No. She can’t do that to Ski. But she is right. I am still only seventeen, a minor. And he is an adult who has been letting me stay, but it doesn’t matter what my story is. He would be in trouble.
“Stop, Mom. I’ll go.” I unwrap my apron and step out from behind him.
As I make my way to the door, my head down, I can’t even stand to look up and see everyone staring. All eyes on me. A light revealing more than I ever wanted people to know about me.
A warm hand grasps my wrist, I feel his presence before I even look at him. I would know his touch anywhere. “No, Leo. You can’t go with her. Please.”
“It’s okay Ev. I’ll be okay. I’ll see you tomorrow at school. I love you.” I whisper it, but my mom is close to me, her grip wrapped tightly on my other wrist.
“Oh, isn’t that just fucking sweet. Didn’t I see something recently about your eighteenth birthday, Everett? Did you know fucking a minor is rape? Should I get the cops involved with you too?”
She is relentless, vicious, merciless. But I won't let her ruin him like she has me.
“Let me go, Ev.” I beg him with my eyes and command him with my voice.
His eyes are sharp, dangerous. “Never. You want to take her from me, Celleste? I’ll report you to the police for all the shit you do to Leora. Just fucking try me.” His voice is deep, deeper and meaner than I ever thought possible from my sweet Ev. But no matter whatemotions fill him, what threats he makes, he needs to let this go. I won't let her hurt him.
“Ev, stop.” I warn him away.
A large hand comes down on Ev’s shoulder, “Listen to her, son. There is a reason Leora and I have not reported Celleste. Trust her.” Ski nods at me. He knows I can handle her. I’ve survived this long. I can survive just a little more.
Ev’s grasp releases, and my mother drags me away. I can’t look back at him. I won't. I can be beaten, belittled, choked, burned. But watching the fear in Ev’s eyes as I leave, it would break me. But I do catch Gage's eyes, they are narrowed in on me. I can see in his eyes, he isn't upset with me. It's more like he is thinking, his wheels turning, trying to solve the puzzle that is my life. Before the door shuts, he nods at me. He understands.
We get to Mom’s car, and she goes to the driver's side. She stumbles and has to catch herself on the door.
“Mom, let me drive.”
She looks at me for a moment with accusation, like I’m going to try to run away again.
“Come on, Mom. You shouldn’t be driving. You can get in first.”
She decides to let me, and I send up a prayer. I was not too keen on driving with a drunk person and possibly dying.
I drive us home, and when we get in the house, it’s a mess. It looks like she didn’t clean a single thing while I was gone. There are dirty dishes everywhere, clothes thrown about, take out containers litter all surfaces in the living room, and the trash is more than overflowing.
“Clean up this mess, and I’ll deal with you tomorrow. I’ve been out looking for you all fucking day. I’m tired. And don’t you think about running again. I’ll fucking shut that old pedo and that stupid shop down so fast. You understand me?”
“Yes, Mom.”
I’m up till two in the morning cleaning, and when I finally crash on the couch, I am out in seconds.
By the time I wake in the morning to get ready for school, I am dead. I can feel the exhaustion in my bones. I just want to cover my head and sleep the entire day. But then the covers are ripped from me.
“Get up. The house is a fucking mess. Looks like you’re going to miss school today.”
What? It was spotless when I went to bed!
I sit up and look around.
She trashed it.
How did I not hear her? I guess I slept deeper than I thought.
