The Tears I Shed For Him...

Chapter 28~ Just Stop While You're Ahead

CHAPTER 28~ Just Stop While You’re Ahead

                ~~All of my hate cannot be found~ I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming~ So you can try to tear me down~ beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming~~

—Thoughtless {Evanescence}

                “You’re lying,” I spit through clenched teeth, breaking the heavy silence that had settled in the room. Everyone turned to me, but I had my gaze fixated on Justin, unable to believe his impractical words. “It’s a kind gesture, but lying won’t get us anywhere.”

                Justin’s face hardened, his eyes cooling down beyond the freezing point, “I’m not lying, Elaine. I placed the money and drugs in your room because I thought it would be the safest place for them, and also because you would be the last place they would expect it to be.”

                His words were like multiple stabs to my heart. I would have expected it to be anyone else, but not him, not my Justin. His betrayal brought death and sorrow to my family, it ripped away the one I loved most from my life, it nearly got me killed.

                Aldana took a step toward him, seeing that I was too stunned for words and she cleared her throat. “Justin, you don’t have to do this. It wasn’t you, I know it wasn’t you.” Tears glimmered in her eyes as she reached for his arm.

                “Enough, Aldana, it was me,” he snapped, recoiling away before she could get close enough to make physical contact with him. “I only blamed Corona here because anyone would suspect him over me. After all, I acted like a victim too.”

                “You sick bastard!” I barked, glaring at him with hurt in my eyes, “how could you do that to me?! Do you not see what you did to me, to my family? My brother got killed because of you!” I nearly launched at him, but my father held me back. He had a stoic mask obscuring all features in his countenance, but the hardness in his eyes betrayed him. I knew that inside, he wished he could kill Justin himself.

                “Why did you do it?” my mother asked softly. I snapped my head to her, dumbfounded. For once her voice was held steady, with no sign of emotion behind the words, in fact, it sounded too casual for the situation at hand. “Why did you play victim that night? You didn’t have to if they were just there for their things. Why were you at our home in the first place, Justin?”

                Justin took a deep breath and steadied his gaze with hers, “I led them there so they can collect the stuff and leave. But seeing that they didn’t want witnesses, they planned on killing everyone there. So for the sake to keep me in the shadows, they gave me a flesh wound, took Elaine and killed her little brother. It was all part of the plan, and we knew that Corona was going to be able to find her, so that when she was brought back, she would be charged as guilty for having the drugs and stolen money in the first place.”

                My mother nodded, her face relaxed in the most serene way, “Give that statement to the detective, and free my little girl. Give us that at least, because I am tired of mourning.”

                Justin nodded once and let his eyes flicker to mine. They softened, and seemed almost apologetic, “I’m sorry, Elaine. I know that you’re hurting right now, and know that, I regret all that happened. But I don’t regret this; I don’t regret confessing. You deserve peace.”

                “Just stop,” I shook my head, my fists clenching and unclenching against the mattress, “stop while you’re ahead Justin. Don’t apologize, don’t regret, and don’t even look at me. I hate you. I will always hate you for doing this to me.”