Guys Our Age (Wattys2017) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Chapter 45: Piece By Piece (Hannah)

The thousands of bricks my sister had stacked and caged around her heart came crumbling down the second our mother opened her mouth again.

Mason's mouth, currently hanging open in surprise, slowly began to shut as Hailey stared at our mother without any emotion. Recognition had only started to make it's way into Johnny's eyes. I felt as if my stomach had dropped and was sudden nauseated by the sight of my mother.

This was Hailey's night and she had walked in and ruined any confidence my sister had. The emotions stirring inside me didn't come close to the look on my sister's face; she looked as if someone had run over he repeatedly, then done the same to Mason.

"I think you need to leave." I stepped in the small space between my mother and sister.

"Excuse me? I'm your mother, Hannah. You can't talk to me like-"

"You stopped being our mother when you walked out on us five years ago." I snapped through my teeth, cutting her off, "Get out of here."

My mother jabbed her finger against my chest angrily, "You can't tell me what to do, Hannah. I will-"

"I suggest you get your hands off of her." Mason stepped forward.

"Or we're going to have to escort you out." Johnny finished, both crossing their arms in unison. Our mother looked back and forth between the boys, then turned her attention to me.

"Are you just going to let men fight your battles? What happened to the girls I raised?" she asked bitterly. I opened my mouth, but Johnny pushed me back and shook his head, nodding toward one of the judges a few feet away. I cleared my throat and took my mother's wrist, the boys at my tail as we headed for the exit of the building.

Once we were outside and out of the judges hearing range, I whirled around on my mother.

"What right do you think you have coming in and ruining my sister's night? Not a call, not a warning. You thought it would be perfectly fine to just walk in and destroy my sister's life all over again, right?" I pushed her away from me, "I told you to stay away, Mom."

"You hear all the shit lies your father feeds you, Hannah. You haven't heard my side to the stor-"

"I know Dad cheated, Mom. But that doesn't give you any right to abandon us." I jabbed a finger into my chest, "We were innocent in whatever bullshit game you were playing with our father."

"Han," Johnny shook his head, trying to grab my shoulder. I pushed his hand off and glared.

"I want you to leave and not come back. Is that so hard to get through your thick skull?" I growled, "You ruined my life already. I'm not going to allow you to ruin the little bit of hope that Hailey has at having a normal one."

I started to back away, but paused when I saw the look my mother was giving me.

"If you think about coming in again, I will have security escort you out." With that, I turned my back on my mother, took Johnny's hand and dragged Mason back into the building to find my sister.

*

I had promised myself to throw all of my problems aside tonight, to give my full attention to my sister and her artwork. But my mind was clouded with thoughts that all revolved around our mother. Even with Hailey beside me, showing each piece to me and explaining in detail what each was with a huge smile that didn't meet her eyes, I couldn't focus. The boys hung back a few steps, admiring my sister's work from afar, both still reeling in shock over how talented my sister really was.

"So, did you like them?" Hailey asked hopefully, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"No." I shook my head, "I loved them."