WOUNDED

CHAPTER 30

I dedicate this chapter to I don't know her but she always reads and votes. Thanks so much.🤗

Enjoy!❣️

AZ
Song: Issues - Julia Michaels

The closer I get to the house, the more the warm rays of sunshine brush my swollen face, reminding me that yesterday is over and today... it's a new day with new shit, it's own shit, different shit but shit all the same.

I don't know if Gramps is up yet or if anyone is. It's barely 6am and I don't have the intention of drawing attention to myself. I really don't want to see anyone right now; I saw enough people yesterday to last me a week. I really just want to be at home... alone.

Carefully, I scale the fence and jump down into the yard. The dew on the grass makes it slippery and I nearly fall, I'm weaker than I was yesterday and I just need to rest, no school for me. The last thing I need is to be in Nabit's math class.

"Scaling the fence to get into your own home?" A voice asks. It's Gramps.

I didn't even see him, though he was sitting on the couch on the veranda. I'm still mad at him.

"Where were you Azinwi?" He asks as I climb the stairs and walk into the house.

"Out." I reply and I hear his footsteps following me.

"In the middle of the night? I was worried sick about you!"

"Oh you were?!"

"Where did you go?!" He demands angrily

The Happy Birthday banner that was hanging across the parlour yesterday is now hanging from one side. The ballons have slackened and there are pieces of confetti all over the floor, red cups everywhere. Generally, the living room is one big mess.

I look left and see Tabitha putting a tray of food into the fridge.

"Azinwi, I'm talking to you!" Gramps yells and I turn around and face him.

"I took your advice, I was with my friends, celebrating my birthday..." I answer heading up the stairs.

"Couldn't you invite them over? To be with the rest of us? Wouldn't it have been better that way? To be with the rest of your family and friends? " He asks and I stop in my tracks.

"Those aren't my friends! I don't even know those people! I was literally choking in this house with all of them around! I couldn't be here and pretend like everything was fine..."

"Did you know that Shura shouldered all the expenses? She took care of everything just to make sure you had a happy birthday, to make you feel loved!"

Shit, I didn't know that. I didn't know it was her money. Why would she do that for me? I honestly feel bad right now. But then again...

"I didn't ask her to! Besides any money she has is what you gave to her!" It's true.

"Seriously? That's what matters to you? Not the sacrifice? Is that all you have to say? You aren't sorry for making her feel like she wasted her time and effort?" He sounds disappointed. Well so was I yesterday.

"I didn't ask for any of it, I'm not sorry, not at all. She really shouldn't have bothered." I answer honestly and he shakes his head in response.

"I did not expect this poor behaviour from you Azinwi. You didn't even consider the repercussions of your actions. You put yourself at risk, sneaking out the window, scaling the fence?! Where did this come from?" He shakes his head.

"I told you, I needed to go somewhere, where I could breathe..."

"You should apologise to Shura and Bryana for yesterday."