Obliviate My Rebellion {Book 3}

3. Guilt and Lacey's breakthrough

Everything seemed hazy as I went in and out of consciousness. I was aware of Hollie screaming, and watching Sam restrain her from running. I heard sirens wailing, and I could feel Lacey's tears dripping onto my hair.

I watched as the ambulance came, and sat us in the back to be examined. I was given something to withheld my panic, so that was how I sat, numb and still under a large blanket.

"Here." Lacey sat in the back of the ambulance next to me, a hot chocolate in her hands. "I thought you needed a drink."

I looked sideways at her. She hadn't killed me yet, for causing the death of her mother. She was just sat next to me in frayed clothes, her expression impassive as she drunk from a water bottle.

"I'd rather have something stronger."

"That's why I put vodka in it." Lacey said. "What, you think this is water?"

She nudged my side. "Go on, it won't hurt. It'll make things better, actually."

Lacey didn't look any better after downing half of her vodka, but I swigged some of the laced hot chocolate. Alcohol infested chocolate shot into my system, leaving me with the sweetness of chocolate but the burning taste of alcohol.

"Why haven't you killed me?" I asked Lacey quietly. "It's my fault she's dead."

"Jesus Christ, stop drowning in your self pity!" Lacey snapped. "It is not your fault. It is my bastard of a Father's fault, so if you wanna blame anybody--blame him."

She proved her point by swigging from her bottle again. "She wanted it this way, you know."

I didn't need to ask who she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"When Sam took us out, mum guessed he was going to try and kill you." Lacey said in a dead voice. "She wanted to save you. I wanted to be the one, you know. That's why I ran into the house first, to try and stop her."

"So she died on purpose." I whispered. "She was willing to die for me."

"She always was." Lacey said, not looking at me. She swigged again. I wondered how much she had drunk. "Ever since she took you in, all those years ago."

"She would do the same for you and Hollie."

Lacey shook her head. "It was different with you. She would do the same for her real kids, sure. But she had orders from Lily Potter to protect you, no matter what."

I nearly dropped the cup. "What? My mum?"

Lacey nodded. "When you came to us, there was a letter from her in there. Saying your memories were gone for your own protection, that we should treat you as our own. Then Lily asked mum to promise to protect you, even if it caused her death."

"Why would my mum want that?" I said, feeling sick.

"I don't know exactly." Lacey said. "But Lily said that you were important in stopping the war. That nothing would change if you were dead. So mum agreed. I don't think she ever thought she'd have to go through with it."

"I'm sorry." I blurted out. "It's all because of me."

"Don't apologise to me." Lacey said abruptly. "Apologise to me when that bastard Voldemort is dead."

"I'll do that."

Lacey looked at me side-ways. "You're not going to try and kill him, are you?"

I shook my head. "No. I've... been in a bad place, Lacey. A dark hole I can't escape from. But I've seen the light. Revenge is dangerous, and I almost got you and Hollie killed today."