Bad Intentions (Book One)

Chapter 70

"Well look what we have here, are three missing children." Neil said to my mother as he walked in the room.

"Neil, please." She said as she ran over to me. "Leslie, are you okay?" She asked me.

"Of course she's not okay. When has she ever been okay? I think it's about time we talk about institutionalizing her. She clearly needs constant professional care." Neil said, causing Hopper to shoot him a dirty look.

"I don't think that's necessary." Hopper said as Max joined my mom and I.

"And your other daughter who has been missing all day. Along with my useless son. The chief here said he sent you home over an hour ago to get us. Then why did we only find out your sister was in the hospital twenty minutes ago from a phone call?" Neil yelled at him.

"I just wanted to see if she was okay." Billy said to his dad.

"Where the hell have you been all day?" Neil yelled at Max.

"She was out looking for me, so was Billy." I answered for them. "Please don't be mad at them, this is my fault."

"Is it your fault that Billy beat the shit out of a Harrington?" He asked me before turning his attention back to Billy. "What were you thinking a Harrington? Your fucking lucky he doesnt want to press charges. I'm not covering for you again. If he wants to press charges you will deal with it yourself. I am not uprooting my life again because you can't control your temper!" Neil yelled at him. "Because you can't accept the fact that your sister isn't in love with you!"

"Neil please." My mother pleaded with him.

"Shut up!" He yelled at her. "I know you have sick and twisted thoughts about her. You just can't expect that she doesn't have the same feelings for you. So you push every guy away that she likes."

I can't believe this was happening, Neil was going to kick his ass once he got home. I could see it in his eyes and by the look on Billys face he knew it too. Neil had no idea what he was talking about.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." I told Neil.

"Leslie you don't have to." Billy said to me and I knew he was wrong.

It was time.

"Billy may have been wrong about Steve but he was just trying to protect me. Then and now." I told them.

"What do you mean honey?" My mother asked me.

"Back in California with Thomas he wasn't unprovoked like they made it seem. We were at the party and Thomas pulled me aside. He said he wanted to talk but he didn't. He...he tried to force himself on me. He almost...he tried to rape me. I was screaming for help and Billy heard. He found him...that's when they got into a fight. That's why he attacked Thomas. And last night with Steve Billy was obviously wrong but he thought Steve had hurt me. He was just trying to protect me, like you tell him to do. Watch over his sisters, make sure we're safe and no one hurts us. That's what you tell him his job is, right?" I asked him.

Neil looked at me like he wanted to kill me for speaking up. Instead he clenched his fist to control his anger probably because Hopper was in the room.

"I need to go to work, can you three find your own way home?" Neil asked them.

"I have my car." Billy answered.

Neil didn't say anything else he just stormed out slamming the door behind her.

"He's a piece of work." Hopper said, causing my mom to recoil into herself.

"Billy a word." Hopper said to him.

I expected Billy to protest but instead he just got up and left with him.

"What happened?" My mom asked once they were gone.

I went on to explain to her what had happened which caused her to start crying. Which led Max to cry. A short while later Billy walked back in the room.

"We should get going, I'm tired." Billy told the two of them.

"Can I stay?" Max asked our mom.

"It's okay Max, you need to rest." I told her.

"I dont think it's a good idea to leave you alone after everything that happened." My mom said to me.

"I won't be alone. I have the doctors and nurses, plus if I get really lonely Steve is right next door." I told her, causing Billy to grind his teeth.

"If you insist, let's go home." She told Max. "We will be back in a few hours." She told me.

Max and our mom turned to leave but Billy did not follow them.

"Billy, are you coming?" My mom asked.

"Yeah, give me a second." He told her as he tossed Max the keys.

She caught them and grabbed my mom's hand and led her away.

"Let's go." She told her as she led her out of the room.

"Leslie, can we please talk? Please tell me how I can fix this." He told me in the saddest voice I ever heard from him.

I almost cracked, almost.

"There's nothing to talk about. You can't fix this Billy. I am telling you whatever was going on between us is over." I told him.

I could see him about to protest but I held up my hand to stop him.

"No, Billy I am tired and I want to get some sleep. Please leave." I told him.

He bit his lip to stop himself from saying whatever he was going to say. Then stood up a little taller and turned and walked out of the room. Once he was gone I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I looked around the room and I was now truly alone. Everyone was gone and I couldn't hold it together anymore. All the selfcontrol I had was used up and the dam inside of me snapped and I broke down.

The tears spilled and I was sobbing uncontrollably. I tried to calm myself but I couldn't. All of the stress of the last few days that I was trying to keep buried finally hit me. All the adrenaline had worn off and all the pain was pulsing through my body. The worst of it all was the realization that I had lost Billy. It was ridiculous after everything I have been through, but he was my safe place. The person I ran to with all my problems, the one who kept me grounded and helped me through everything. He was my person, the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with but now he was all gone. He was gone, after what I saw last night and in the vision there could be no future between us. I wasn't going to let him hurt me, or Max. I wasn't going to become my mom. I had to be strong if not for me, for Max. I was going to get her away from this fucked up family no matter what