The Guarded One ✔

BONUS CHAPTER

Laura's P.O.V

I tapped my fingers nervously against the table, waiting for my sister to join me. I'm usually the disorganised one but with three kids under the age of six, Caroline has become fashionably late.

"Sorry!" Caroline cried, quickly dropping to the seat across from me. "Johnathan took the girls to the fair and I had Jason and he was throwing up all over me—"

"It's fine" I assure, "I managed to get a few drinks down"

"You drink too much, Laura" she sighs.

Like I haven't heard that one before.

I laugh, looking up at the sky above. The morning sun is shining bright, warming my skin.

When I look at my sister, I see a woman who is lost. She looks like me at this moment.

That is never a good sign.

"So, how you been? Well...Besides the whole puke thing" I lowered my bottom lip.

"Johnathan's cheating on me" she blurts out.

My eyes widen in fear.

Johnathon pinned me against the wall, putting his hands on my waist.

He was different.

It wasn't out of affection or passion, like it used to be. He was angry and lustful with the intention to get back at my sister.

"Get your damn hands off me, Johnathan" I ordered.

"Or what?" He smirked, "you going to tell your sister on me?"

"W—hat?" I stutter.

"Hell, it's not the first time, I don't know why I'm so surprised" she looks down at her drink, with her eyes welling up with tears.

"What?" I repeat in confusion. Suddenly she mumbles something under her breath. "What?"

"I said..." Caroline's voice breaks when she looks up at me. "He's gotta kid in San Francisco"

I jolt my head back in confusion.

"I don't...understand" I admit.

"While we were separated, he spent the night with Isabel Wilson and she got pregnant...And now he's with some young thing...He doesn't know I know..."

I gulp down hard.

"I'm sorry Care..."

She puts her hands behind her head, now with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Things are getting so dark in my head, Laura" My sister weeps.

I freeze.

Caroline pulls at her blond hair, clenching her jaw and sobbing.

That's my big sister.

The girl who taught me to paint.

She taught me to cook.

She's my best friend.

I furrow my brows "W—what do you mean?"

"I don't know how long I can do this...I don't think I want to be here any more"

I sit there silently, knowing well what she was admitting to me.

How am I supposed to respond to a confession like that?

I gulp down hard, "are you still taking your anti-depressants?" Is all I think to say.

"They don't work" she lifts her head from the table, wiping away her tears.

"Caroline" I roll my eyes, "we've talked about this"

"I stopped taking them weeks ago because they just don't work" Caroline argues, "nothing works, nothing on this earth makes me want to stay here any more"

I inhale deeply.

My heart pounds inside the chambers of my chest. My blood freeze cold as fear washes across my body.

"What about your kids, huh?" I raise a brow, "do they make you want to stay?"

"They'll be just fine without me" she rolls her eyes, "I'm no good for those kids, Laura"

"That's bullshit and you know it" I argue.

And that's all I say.

What more can I say?

She pays for both our meals and we leave the restaurant.

"Can you give me a lift home?" I ask.

She nods "yeah"

We jump into her car, with Caroline the in driver's seat.

Road works are seen throughout the street, we take a detour on a quieter road.

Big trees sit along the bend.

Cars begin beeping behind us, ordering us to speed up.

Why is she going so slowly?

I look over to my sister to find her wide-eyed and crying again. She steps on the accelerator with full force, now going passed the speed limit.

"Slow down" I order.

I see the give way sign too late.

"It's a give way!" I scream just as she enters the interaction.

I turn my head quickly to face her, which is when I see the semi truck. My head goes through the window with half my body out of the car.

The rest is blank.