Captured (A Modern Medusa Story)

CHAPTER 22: AVERISTA♥️

"Mama?"

I got off of Phoebe and she quickly sat up straight.

"Wait–Phoebe? Is that you?" Mama's eyes squinted in confusion.

Phoebe's expression changed to one of recognition, then bemusement, then back to recognition.

"Miss Halima?"

I couldn't even find the words to speak as Mama's eyes turned to me.

"What kind of stupid insanity are you trying to pull up on me, Avery?" Her gaze hardened on me.

"Mama–I can explain–"

"What's going on?" Phoebe pestered. "Is it your mother? Wait–"

"How dare you, Avery!" Pain was written all over my mother's face and I was at the point of passing out. "How dare you."

I was unsure of what to do anymore and I was more unsure of what pissed her off more — walking on me with a girl or walking on me with her boss's daughter.

"When are you ever going to have respect for my job?!" A hard slap landed my face, making it porcelain clear it was the latter that actually bothered her. She didn't give a damn who I was going out with as long as it wasn't her.

"Mama, I'm sorry," tears stung my eyes as I tried to form words in my mouth. "I–"

"You what?" She pushed me. "What more lies do you have to say to defend yourself?"

"I swear I had no idea who she was when I first met her," panic-stricken. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. If I knew she was the girl under your care, I swear I wouldn't have done anything. I wouldn't even talk to her! I'm sorry."

"You never keep your word, Avery. Ever since you were little, you were nothing but a mischief, bad luck, a promise breaker, and a walking curse. Just like your father!"

I was back in the past.

Pretending to be sick only to see the inside of that damn mansion. Look where I ended up with that . . . a freaking monster. Fell in love with a random blind girl and now look where it got me again — got caught trying to lay my mother's 'job'.

But that wasn't it. It was the pain portrayed in my mother's voice and face. It was too much to handle.

And for the first time, she had mentioned my father.

"Out of all the hundreds — no, millions! Of girls out there, you chose her? Her??" Mom pulled on my collar, shaking me as if I was possessed and needed an awakening. "Really Avery? Out of all these women, you chose to fall in love with my job? Are you kidding me?!"

"Miss Halima," Phoebe's voice cut in, pulling me back and taking my spot before my mother.

Mama looked taken aback by the action.

"It's not her fault," Phoebe defended, making me realize she had been observing and taking everything in. "I'm the one who approached her first. I made the first move. Let me be the one apologizing."

This was getting worse.

Mama's eyes looked between me and the girl. Anger and sadness were eating her up, and it hurt me even more.

"So you left me there worried about you so you could come to her? Is she the person you had been talking all about lately?" Mama asked Phoebe.

"I'm sorry, Miss Halima. I don't know why you're so against this but," Phoebe touched my mother's shoulder. "I really really like Averista. And I mean it. She's the only person who has ever made me feel like I mattered. Please don't hate on her."

A tear fell down from the corner of Mama's eye before she swapped Phoebe's hand away.

"Phebes just–" she sighed. "Just leave this place. Now."

Broken and broken again. I watched Phoebe nod before walking away and out of the door.

I reached out to stop the girl, but Mama immediately barged in. "Don't you dare. Don't even think about going after her."

Without another word, Mama stormed off to the bedroom, slamming the door shut.

I dropped myself on the couch, burying my face in my hands.

I had once again broken a promise. Why did everything have to go so wrong?

And why the fuck did Phoebe stand up for me with those lies?

Maybe Mama was right. That I was like my father, the man she had never even mentioned until today.

I was a mischief. A promise breaker, bad luck, and walking curse.

That last part was especially true.

I was a monster. I lived with a curse I could neither fathom nor untie. Maybe my father was cursed, too. Maybe this monster and the way I was acting was an inherited genetic disorder. A monster's breed.