Broken

• Chapter 138 •

"What?"

Mom shakes her head. "This isn't permanent. It's just for the next few months until our trip..." she forces a smile.

Dad clenches his jaw and looks down at the floor. "Look, Minty... We just need a break from each other right now, doesn't mean we don't love each other. We do," he looks back at mom with a pained expression.

She blinks, her nostrils flare as if she's trying to keep from crying, "Yes. We do. Very much. But um, this break will be good for us. We just—we feel like we're going to kill each other if this keeps progressing."

I clench my jaw as the anger bubbles up in my chest, "So that's the message you wanna send out? To just quit when shit gets tough? What the fuck is even wrong with you guys, huh? What is wrong with you, mom?"

Mom's eyes widen and dad's face pales, "Clementine... This isn't your mother's fault—"

"Yes, it is!" I snap, "You always try! You always try," I tell dad before turning to mom. "You're the one who has changed, mom. You've changed a long fucking time ago, and you won't admit it. You won't let go of what happened, and you let it consume you! Since when have you become so damn cold? You used to be so warm and kind and non-judgemental, you've let paranoia control you, you're a completely different person, now. How can you not see that?" my chest heaves.

Mom clenches her jaw, "Your father and I are having disagreements. This has nothing to do with the past, nothing at all! Yes, I changed, Clementine. I stopped being so damn stupid. I started opening my eyes to how people actually are, who they really are. I used to want to see the good in people, but now I want to see the truth. And that is all to protect you. So what, if I've changed? It's for the better. And your father, I'll always love him, always. You and him are everything to me."

"See people for the truth? Is that why you've been treating Ashton like utter shit? Because you think he's anything like that FUCKING monster?" I bark.

"Clementine, please just calm down," dad tries to stop us, but mom narrows her eyes at me.

"Exactly! I don't know if you've exactly opened your eyes, Clementine, but your father was not a nice man. He didn't do nice things. He too, had a sob story and a shady past, and he turned out to be a CRAZY FUCKING SERIAL KILLER!"

I step in front of her, "I know that my father wasn't a nice man, mom. Jesus. I fucking know that. You don't think I know that?" my voice wavers as tears threaten to leave my eyes. Memories swarm in my brain. Dad seems as confused as ever.

"Clementine... What happened?" dad's voice breaks.

Mom snaps out of her trance and shakes her head, "Nothing. I'm leaving, now. Clementine, this discussion is over."

I clench my jaw and stare her in the face, "That's great. I'll be in my room, ignoring both of you until you've come back to your senses. And you especially, until you stop being in denial and let go of the past. It happened. It sucked. Move on. The hell do you think I did?" I sneer before storming to my room and slamming the door shut behind me.

I press my back against the door and sink to the floor, my face falls into my hands as I let out soft cries. How could they be so selfish to split up? I know this isn't dad's idea, and I'm so damn angry at my mother. How could she ignore the truth that's staring her straight in the face? How can someone live like that? She's got two babies coming.

I shake my head and pull my phone out, dialing Ashton's number.

"Hey, you."

I sigh in relief hearing his voice, "Hey... I miss you."