Scarred

Chapter 28.

Theo

I tense my jaw defeatedly, recounting on everything that has happened in the last five months. Recounting on the fact that I left this place with verified vexation in my heart for the two people that lived here; attempting to close my snowed eyelids every night on the sometimes wet, sometimes cold pavement, and feeling an unmissable amount of hatred that caressed my body with tormenting heat. I thought I knew what had happened, but I didn't even know the half of it. Now, I'm hoping my burning body is enough to break me from this entrapment, and give this joke something to dwell over as he takes his last, painful breath for what he's done to the two most important people in my life.

For the rest of what feels like the longest day of the year, I try to battle sleep by attempting to release myself from his hold on my feet. But, he manages to detect my resistant shuffling, which results in a blow to my face. The exact same one he gave to my mother, whose deep slumber makes me acknowledge how tired she is from living this life for so long. Pain fills my heart, as I look at her and wonder how she dealt with the fear of his wrath, and the fear of not being able to speak to me, and see how I am doing.

With the curtains drawn to infinity, my body is the only thing that can detect that it is nighttime, and I feel myself back to the situation I am all too comfortable with - having just one sip of water to warm up my tired mouth, for just a second before it returns back to the dry, tasteless feature that I loathe.

Eliza

"Morning, honey," I hear my mom say with excitement in her voice, as she walks into the room. "I have some good news." She sits down next to me, but I ensure I focus my attention on the gray wall, just like I have been doing for the past nineteen hours.

"So, I have a friend that works over in a hospital in Connecticut, and she told me about this really good burn center they have there. With the best surgeons, and the best resources."

My ears flare up as the recognition of what she is saying washes over me. "A burn center?"

"Yes. It's the best place to receive treatment for... What happened."

"In Connecticut? I'm not doing that," I whisper.

"What?"

"I'm not going there."

"Eliza, this is for you."

"Are you sure it's not for you? Why do I need to go to a burn center in Connecticut when I can just go to one in Manhattan? They do have ones in Manhattan, right?"

"Well, yes but-"

"But nothing. Don't act like we both don't know what this is really about, mom."

"It's about you getting the best help and care immediately, Eliza."

"No, it's about you not wanting me to see him. Or be with him."

"This is not about Theo."

"Yes, it is. You hate him. And you hate the fact that I love him." I feel tears rising to my eyes, but I feel too weak to wipe them away.

"No, what I hate is you sitting here crying, pretending that you're angry at me for wanting the best for you, when really all you're angry about is the fact that you waited here all day yesterday for him to come, and he never did."