Between Love and Hate

Serious Accusation

*Kane's POV*

When I drive onto campus and turn down the road that leads to Violet's dorm, she looks over and says, "Where are you going?"

"To your dorm," I tell her. How does she not know where we are?

"I know. But why aren't we going to your house?"

"You want to come over?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you weren't feeling well."

"I'm feeling a lot better now. Besides I know this sounds stupid but, I miss you. Even though we were so close, it felt like you were so far."

"It doesn't sound stupid. I feel the same way," I turn the car around and head to the frat house and park outside.

Basically the minute we make it into my room, Violet jumps on top of me and I make no move to stop her. I need this just as much as she does. I crave her touch just as much as she craves mine. Two days being so close without being able to touch her was hard on both of us. I can't believe I even considered just dropping her off at her dorm.

We spend most of the afternoon in bed, and when dinner rolls around, I order some food and we eat sitting on the floor wearing nothing but blankets. Violet has this weird aversion to eating on the bed that I don't quite understand, but if it makes her happy, I have no issues with the floor.

A couple of weeks later, we've fallen into a very familiar pattern and it seems like everything is going much too smoothly. I have never in my life been this happy but there's this little voice in the back of my mind that can't help but feel like we're just in the eye of the storm.

One Saturday, we're in my room playing video games, which I sometimes regret teaching her because she's gotten good enough to actually beat me now, when Violet's phone starts ringing.

I pause the game and she groans and rolls her eyes before answering. She puts it on speakerphone so I can hear too.

"Hey Mom."

"Hello Violet. I was just calling to see if you've made any plans for thanksgiving?"

"Um, no not yet," she answers carefully.

"Okay, well you're welcome to come here if you want, so just let me know, okay?"

Just then we hear a voice in the background, "More wine Mrs. Owen?"

"Yes please. Sorry, what was I saying?"

"Who was that, Mom?"

"The new housekeeper, Elena."

"What happened to Veronica?" Violet asks her. But I have a feeling in my gut that I know exactly what happened to her.

"Apparently she was-" she pauses and then whispers, "an illegal."

"So, you had her deported? That's kinda messed up," Violet says, cringing. I don't hear the rest of the conversation. My ears are ringing and my stomach is tied in knots. I could have maybe ignored it with Lana, but now Veronica too? There's no way this is a coincidence. I'm so zoned out I don't even hear Violet hang up the phone. I don't hear anything until I feel Violet's hand on my cheek, forcing me to look into her eyes.

"Kane, what is going on?" She asks, eyes full of concern.

"Nothing," I say quickly. Too quickly.

"Don't bullshit me. This is about Veronica isn't it? You had the same look on your face when we were talking about Lana last time. Was she deported too?" She asks, eyes widening.

I shake my head and say, "I don't think either of them were deported."

"What? My Mom just said-"

"Your Mom is a fucking idiot," I say, a little too forcefully and she flinches back, "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"Kane, tell me what's going on here. This whole thing is really starting to freak me out," she says, turning to face me on the bed and placing her hands on my knees.

"I think he killed them," I tell her.

"Who?"

"My father," I watch as a thousand different emotions cross her face in a split second while she attempts to understand what I've just told her.

"Kane, that's a pretty serious accusation. I mean I know what he did to you was awful, but do you actually think he's capable of murder?"

"I know he is."

"How?"

"Because I've seen him do it before." I see her face pale and her eyes widen with fear.

"Explain," she whispers.

"He killed my mother right in front of me."