In the Arms of You | ✔️ | EDITING

Chapter 19: Goodbye

Going home is something I didn't want to do. I knew I had to face them, but the thought of it scares me.

As I walk through the front door, Mack is standing in the living room with his usual smirk on his face. He did something, I can tell because he looks satisfied.

When I turn my head I see my father. He was so pissed you could see the steam coming from his ears, you know, like the cartoon characters do whenever they get really angry.

He then holds up a picture. The picture of me and Zach. "I told you, Lena, if you didn't stay away from him then I would tell dear daddy. I mean what better time to show him this than now? It looks like you've been in enough pain today, why not cause a little more." Mack spoke proudly.

The next thing I knew, I was being thrown against the wall, punched, kicked, being cut with various sharp objects. It ended around midnight, which I was thankful for that it was over.

I really didn't want to drag myself to my room, but I did anyway, every painful step I took was worth getting to my room that night.

Once I reached my bed I fell asleep, not caring if I was bleeding onto my sheets I could always change them later. I fell asleep that night curled up into a ball.

All I thought about was how I wanted this life to me over, that one day, they would just end me, but knowing them, they most likely thought that would be the easier way and I didn't deserve that.

o-0-o

The next morning I woke up to pain in my body. I ignored the pain the best I could, even though I wish it would go away. It was Saturday, which is a good thing and a bad thing for me.

A good thing because I don't have to run into Zach or Iza, knowing I'd most likely yell at her for telling someone, especially Zach.

A bad thing is because they can do whatever they want to do with me on a Saturday, usually, Mack is the one to hurt me on Saturdays considering our father is mostly out getting drunk on Saturdays to pay attention to me.

As I walked over to my bathroom to change out of the blood-stained clothing I wore to bed last night, my phone began to go off. I quickly grabbed it and answered it.

"Hello?" I spoke to whoever was on the other line.

"Hi Lena, it's Diana." her voice rang in my ears.

"Oh, hey Diana, what's up?" I asked her.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come over today, you know to get out of the house type of deal." She asked. It took me a minute to respond.

"Sure, I'd love to come over Diana. I'll be there around 2, considering that I just got up and need a little time to get ready." I told her and she replied with a small chuckle.

"That's fine dear. see you then." and she hung up the phone call with me.

It was around 12:30 when I had gotten up this morning. I quickly got dressed in an oversized burgundy sweater along with a pair of black leggings and my old pair of beaten up converse.

Once I was done getting dressed I headed to the bathroom and applied makeup to my bruised up face and neck. I did the best I could to cover up what had happened, even though Zach knows about it, doesn't mean he told his mom about it.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 1:45 pm and it would take me at least 15 minutes to get to their house. I quickly headed out the door, trying to make no noise as possible, I didn't want to wake them.

They always like to sleep late on the weekends, which I must say, I'm very grateful for.

I took my time to get to their house. As I approached the house I remembered everything that had happened there while I was staying there.

Memories I wanted to keep, and others I wanted to forget but couldn't. I knock on the door and Diana appears there with a smile on her face.

"Hey sweetie, come on in." She said stepping aside so that I can come in.

"Hey, Diana," I said to her.

I was really hoping Zach wasn't here, I don't think I could take it. No I know I wouldn't be able to take it without melting down.

As we walked into the living room I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Please don't be him. Please!

I froze. It was him and all of his god-like glory. "What is she doing here?" He asked in an angry tone. Diana looked at us, noticing the tension.

"Both of you. Follow me to the living room." She snapped, and we both jumped to obey. No way was I going to disobey her, I don't know what would happen.

All three of us ended up in the living room. Diana took a chair and moved it in front of the couch, which is where Zach and I had to sit, unfortunately.

"What's this all about mom?" Zach asked as if he was in pain. "And why is she here?"

Diana looked at Zach with a stern expression. "I invited her over and that was before I noticed the tension between you two when you saw one another."

Zach rolled his eyes. "And that still doesn't answer why I'm here." He pointed out.

"I want to know what's going on between you two. I also want to know why you two are ignoring one another like the plague."

My breath got caught in my throat as I stiffed. I couldn't get her involved, not with this. This was supposed to be my baggage to carry, not anyone else's.

"I'm not really ignoring him, it's more like he is ignoring me and avoiding me like the plague," I said.

Zach turned to look at me. "I'm on the avoiding you?" He said and laughed.

I was totally confused. "You're the one who lied to me! You've been avoiding the truth and pushed off ever telling me a single damn detail!" Zach said looking at me as if I was stupid. "Yeah, okay then. I'm so the one avoiding you."

I was about to argue back with him when Diana spoke up. A question I hoped to never answer for anyone.

"Lena, why is there a bruise on your cheek?" She asked with worry in her voice. I stiffened. She and Zach both looked at me. I knew Zach knew the truth, but I didn't want to bring his mom in and him in any further.

"It's nothing, I just slipped and hit my cheek on the counter last night." I lied straight through my teeth. Zach looked at me with an expression I couldn't pinpoint.

Diana looked at me with disbelief on her face. "That doesn't look like a normal bruise Lena. It looks like someone hit you."

"N-No, no one h-hit me," I said and started to stutter a bit, trying to hold back the tears and suppress the memory of last night.

The night everything fell apart.

She then gets up and goes to the kitchen, and returns with a wet washcloth. With a swift motion, she whips the makeup off my cheek. She looked at me in horror at what she saw. "Lena, explain to me now, who has been abusing you?"

I cried. Tears slipped out of my eyes faster than I could blink them away. "I can't do this," I said in a whisper. "I just can't."

I looked up, my vision a bit blurry from the tears up to see Zach and Diana giving the same expression in my direction. Worry and guilt.

"What are you talking about?" Zach asked, his green eyes boring into my brown ones.

I looked at them both before I began to speak. "I don't want to live anymore. My life has fallen apart, there is no reason for me to live. No one cares for me, it started before all of this happened. It was going on long before my mom had died."

Diana had tears in her eyes. "Why, Lena. Please tell me why you want to die. I want to help you." She implored.

I looked at them both in the eye before saying one final word.

"Goodbye."