When They Came [Under editing]

Chapter 10- Accepted

"She isn't even our daughter in the first place. She is adopted. You may tell this to her before killing her." These cruel words kept playing in my head like a broken record. No matter how much I kept wiping away those useless tears of mine, they did't stop flowing.

How can she say that? She doesn't care if I die? They wanted to get rid of me! Why did they adopt me if I was a burden on them? Did they never love me? All those trips to the amusement parks and the showering me with gifts and toys was just fake? Those dinner nights when they would ask about my day in school- it was for nothing? Was it all nothing but just a lie?

With my back pressed against the wall and my head resting on top of my arms crossed on my knees, these were the only thoughts that kept me company in this dingy basement.

There was a knock on the door before I heard Max's voice reaching out to me softly, "Jennifer, please open the door. I want to talk."

Wiping away the remnants of my tears, I reluctantly got up to open the door. As soon as Max laid his eyes on me, he frowned upon noticing my pathetic state. His eyes held an unmistakable reflection of dejected melancholy.

I tried to stay calm and keep my tears at bay, not wanting him to feel sympathy for me or pity me, but I just couldn't control them. I threw my arms around Max as I clung onto him tighly. He immediately held me back and let me cry it all out, ocassionaly rubbing my back whenever a sob would etch out of me.

"What will I do, Max? I have no where to call home now." I cried on his chest, feeling so hopeless and lost. I had been lonely for most of my life but atleast I wasn't abondoned then. But now? The feeling of abondonement by my own parents was something I could have never been prepared for.

Max was silent, most likely searching for the correct words. He moved his fingers through my hair gently, doing whatever he could to make me feel better.

We stood like that for a few minutes. Him just being there for me, to hold me and calm me down was oddly comforting. Somehow, his touch didn't feel foreign. If anything, it just brought to me a sense of belonging which I have recently been stripped off from.

"I can understand how difficult this is for you." Max started, voice nothing but as loud as a whisper.

"You know... you are like one of us now...None of us have parents. We never did." He shared in a small voice.

We pulled away as I looked up at him to see him wearing a sad smile. He brought his hand closer to my face to wipe away a stray tear before taking my hand in his. "Come. Let's go upstairs.. The others want to talk to you too.." I temporised for a moment before agreeing hesitantly.

Damien was standing near a window, looking out with his arms crossed when we reached upstairs. Liam was flipping through different TV channels while Zack was busy on his phone. As soon as they saw us coming, they all stopped doing whatever they were doing and gave their full attention to me.

"Are you alright, Jennifer?" Liam asked while switching off the TV. In his hazel eyes, he held a look of sympathy which I looked away from.

I nodded to his question, observing how Zack moved a little to make space for me on the couch. I was still scared of him but the soft expression he wore on his face made him much more approachable, which is why I sat beside him. Damien also walked over to us and sat down on the other couch.

"If that's how adoptive parents are, then I am glad we never had any." Zack suddenly spoke up, bringing everyone's attention to him.

"I am sure not all of them are like that." Liam replied though he didn't seem sure of his words.