The Choice Of Us

The Past

LUIS

Hand once again holding my heart I moved up my driveway in disappointment rehearsing the words I wanted to say. The words that would assert the willingness I had to be there even if she saw otherwise.

And to tell her the truth of my past and the fact that though I returned to the place that was once another form of Hell for me, I wound up finding an angel that made being more open seem less scary. Cradling the gift in my hands wondering when I will finally give her. I was upset when I went to her apartment and found no one there. I had called her mother and even Rita hoping if she was with one of them.

Only to fall short when I didn't get the responses I was hoping for. A small part of me felt unsettled but quickly brushed off the worry to the side knowing that I was probably overreacting.

Taking leisure steps towards my door, perplexed was one word that could cover how I felt taking in the sight of a box on my doorstep. Looking around my eyes landed once again on the simple black box whose body had no labels on it making me grow suspicious since I hadn't ordered anything in the first place.

And suddenly I grew nervous.

Just open it.

It can't be that bad.

Except if I found something there I shouldn't. Pushing away those dark thoughts I shook my head to gain some encouragement to just open it and put my worst fears to rest.

Kneeling down, I took a deep breath and slowly opened the lid.

A sickening feeling crept up on me seeing the all too familiar gold handle of my father's old pistol staring menacingly at me, making me yearn to shrivel away at the memories that flooded back from all the times he threatened me with it.

To the time he took Tim's life with it.

Heart rapidly beating, a note was stuck inside the lid. With words painted across it making the rest of me freeze in horror.

You tried to bury your own...

Left us to rot whilst you ran off with your new family. No matter how hard you try the same blood in their veins will never be your own. You will always be one of us.

I immediately dropped the box as if it scorched my skin suddenly feeling antsy. My heart hammered painfully in my chest and I collapsed next to the box shaking like a leaf facing the torturous winds at what this all meant.

As much as I would take pity on my past coming to haunt me, the sound of my phone ringing caught my attention to find a picture of an unconscious Tiana lying on the ground with the words splayed below the image:

In the Hate we will prosper.

The device landed on the ground as I yelled out in anger and frustration. I've never felt so powerless in my life quite like this. After all that has happened, she had to get involved in my mess. I honestly thought those messages were just that.

As much as I tried to escape my father and all he represented it seemed he wasn't done with me yet.

And as I shook in anguish I realized, I don't think he ever will be done with me.

***

"I can't believe this shit happened," Rita whispered staring at me, choosing me as her new victim to her glossy eyes that trapped me, coerced me to see the pain and fear behind them as if mine weren't the same.

Tiana's mother was perched against the wall in my living-room sobbing quietly. I felt terrible for being the reason behind why her daughter was kidnapped.