Chapter 22

Angelina's Point of View:

I was sitting on the couch in the T.V room, wearing my blue shorts and white tank top. It was the summer when I was fifteen years old. I was watching a re-run of ‘Family Guy’ on my own when suddenly I heard the front door open.

I stiffened and pressed the mute button. The room fell silent and I heard heavy footsteps from the other room. Who could it be? I thought as my heart rate accelerated at the thought of having a murderer or thief in my house.

“Angelina,” a gruff voice called out and I immediately recognized my father’s voice.

Why was he here? I haven’t seen him in months! And his voice was so scary it sent chills up and down my spine

“D-dad?” I stammered as I turned off the T.V and walked to where I heard his voice come from.

I switched on the lights in the kitchen where he was and I gasped when my eyes landed on my father. His clothes were crumpled and his eyes were unfocused as he stumbled across the room.

“You—” he started and I wrinkled my nose at his alcohol breath. That is when I noticed the bottle of beer in his hand.

“Dad…” I started “A-are you okay?”

“It’s your fault!” he screamed, shoving my shoulder and I immediately fell to the ground. A surprised yelp escaped my lips as I landed on the cold tiled kitchen floor.

I looked up and saw the hatred and anger in his eyes. I started crying and calling him, hoping he would snap out of it and sober up.

“Dad,” I whispered for the seventh time and that is when he raised the empty bottle in his hand. I immediately placed my hands over my head and shut my eyes. Seconds later, the green glass bottle of beer hit my arm.

I screamed in pain as the glass cut my arms. I looked up at my dad in fear and rushed out of the house. I kept on running till I was far enough from my house and my father. Tears rolled down my cheeks and my bleeding hands shook. Suddenly, blackness surrounded me and everything was gone.

I gasped as I sat up. I looked around frantically and my racing heart slowed slightly as I realized that I was in the green tent. I looked down at the scar on my arm and a few tears rolled down my cheeks. How could my own father do this to me? Does he even remember it? It’s his fault I’m afraid of anyone who is slightly drunk. It’s his fault I force my friends not to drink at parties.

“Are you okay?” I jumped when I heard someone’s low voice.

“Yeah,” I whispered back to Drew without turning around to face him because I didn’t want him to see that I was crying.

I kept my back to him, trying to stop my tears. He didn’t go back to sleep like I expected him to do. Instead, he sat up. I turned my head to the other side hoping he wouldn’t see my face. He sighed and turned my head around so I was facing him. He froze when our gazes connected, his hands still holding my face.

I then dropped my gaze and removed his hands from my face. I didn’t want him to see me weak like that. I felt so vulnerable and tired. But I couldn’t go back to sleep after a nightmare like that.

I felt his gaze on me but I didn’t want to turn around. I stood up quickly, making sure not to wake Nate up. He sleeps like a rock anyway so I shouldn’t worry much. I slipped on my shoes as fast as I could and bolted out of the tent.

I walked to the lake and sat down with my back to a tree. I looked up at the starry sky as images of that night flashed in my mind.

My heart jumped in my chest when I heard footsteps approaching me. I knew it was Drew. I just wished he hadn’t come. I didn’t want to tell him about that night but I know that he could easily convince me to. At this point, I wasn’t feeling strong enough to make him stop asking.

I felt him sit down next to me but I didn’t look at him. I had a sense of déjà vu but I knew I would be the one to pour my heart out this time, not him.

He stayed silent for a few minutes and I was grateful. He kept his gaze on me and after a couple of minutes, I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked up for the briefest second and I was trapped. I couldn’t look away from his hypnotizing blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked and I was finally able to look away.

I stayed silent for a bit trying to summon some strength but it was impossible.

“You can tell me,” he whispered softly and when I looked up in his eyes, they were warm and soft making me want to spill everything – everything about that dream. And that’s what I did.

“It was two summers ago. I was home alone – as always – and around midnight, my dad came home drunk. He started screaming and then he pushed me and hit me. After all that, he hit me with the bottle of beer. That is where I got that scar from.” I traced my fingers lightly above the scar on my arm.

“I was so scared that night. That is why I don’t want my friends to drink and that is why I’m scared of anyone who is drunk.”

Tears were spilling down my face as I thought about if I did the right decision by telling him this. This is one of the tiny parts of my miserable life. That was something I haven’t told anyone yet – except for Nate and now Drew.

He stayed silent for a long time and I started regretting my decision. I probably shouldn’t have told him. Just as that thought crossed my mind, he held my arm in his hands and slowly trailed his fingers on the scar. I finally looked up at him and saw him staring intently at my arm.

He lifted his gaze to my face when he felt my eyes at him. I was surprised when I saw anger in there. He stared at me for a while, different emotions flashing in his eyes.

Finally, he pulled me into a tight hug. That is when my tears started spilling again and I got really mad at myself for getting so emotional.

“I’m sorry I got drunk that night at the party. I’m sorry he did that to you. I’m sorry you had to go through this. I didn’t know he was like that,” Drew whispered.

“H-he wasn’t like that before. He’s just a broken man,” I explained my voice slightly shaky.

“That’s no excuse. I can’t believe he did that to you,” he said, more to himself.

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago,” I said, trying to convince him but I wasn’t even convinced myself so I don’t think it worked.

“Is he better now?” he countered.

I thought back of all the times he came home drunk after that time. I would run out of my house or lock myself up in my room crying and praying. Thank god he hasn’t done that this summer though.

“No,” I whispered quietly, my voice breaking slightly and I winced.

He pulled me tighter and my tears slowly stopped. He pulled away and looked into my eyes as if searching for something. I struggled to hide some of the immense pain I was feeling.

“You know you can trust me with anything, right?” he finally said, knowing that there was a reason why my dad was like that. But I wasn’t about to open that box. This much is enough.

“Thank you,” I whispered and his left arm went up to my cheek and he wiped away my tears.

Right now, he was being a loyal friend. He was being the friend I needed and for that I was grateful.

I woke up the next morning in the green tent but this time, Drew’s arms were wrapped around me, not the other way around. I smiled slightly, feeling a bit happy. I glanced at my watch and my eyes widened when I saw that it was already 12:38p.m. I sat up quickly and looked to my left where Nate was supposed to be. He wasn’t there.

Why didn’t he wake me up? I thought and as I was getting up I saw Drew sitting up as well.

“Morning,” he mumbled.

“It’s already noon,” I answered, slipping on my shoes.

“What? It is?” He asked, just as stunned as I was.

“Yep,” I answered, thinking how cute he looked with his slightly messed up hair and his sleepy eyes.

We walked out of the tent just in time to see Nate running towards us, dripping wet.

“You guys are finally awake!” He grinned when he spotted me.

“Why didn’t you wake us?” I asked.

“I tried but you wouldn’t budge and Mia didn’t let me wake you again.” He shrugged and I raised my eyebrows at him. I don’t even remember someone trying to wake me up. I guess that’s what happens when you fall asleep at 4:30a.m.

 “Oh,” I answered “But we won’t be able to do anything today.”

“It’s okay. We all went for a swim besides we’re too tired to do anything more.”

I felt slightly guilty for sleeping too much but my friends didn’t seem bothered at all. And I was tired as well because of the hike yesterday.

“Monkey!”

“Jumping!”

“Chocolate!”

We all gave Liam a weird look. We were playing charades and Jack was trying to make us understand but he was failing miserably. He sucks at charades anyway but we’re still winning.

 I gasped when I found the answer.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes!” I exclaimed and Jack did a little victory dance when we won this round.

I high-fived him as he sat beside me again. Drew, from the other team, picked a piece of paper. He frowned when he saw the name and I smirked.

I had to laugh when Drew struggled to imitate Cinderella. It was so hilarious seeing him twirling around and batting his eyelashes like a girl.

“Girl!”

“Teenager!”

“Princess!”

Only three seconds were left and the opposing team was still far away from the answer. They guessed the first word and the last one. ‘A’ and ‘story’ but they wouldn’t guess the Cinderella part.

“Time’s up!” Liam said happily and Drew scowled.

“Come on guys! It’s Cinderella! I just twirled around and embarrassed myself for a whole minute and you didn’t even guess that!”

They all started laughing at him as his cheeks turned slightly pink. He sat back down with a huff and crossed his arms over his chest. I rolled my eyes at his attitude and picked a paper.

‘Wish you were here’ – song.

I scowled at the paper. Let’s just hope I can do that. Mia smirked at me as if knowing which paper I picked.

After a lot of jumping and waving like a mad woman, my friends found the answer five seconds before the time was over. I smiled smugly at Mia who stuck her tongue out at me.

“We should probably get going,” Nate said reluctantly and I nodded. It was 6:00p.m and the sun was slowly disappearing.

We had already packed our bags and took down the tents so all we had to do was carry our bags and walk back to where our cars were parked for the past couple of days.

I didn’t want to leave the forest but I knew I would be here again next year. No matter how many times we’ve come here, I’ve never gotten bored of it.

Each year, we get new adventures. I think this year’s hiking was the best of them all. Well that’s what I say every year so next year I will probably say the same thing.

Lee hugged Mia and gave her a sweet kiss that made me smile. Liam did the same thing to Tia and my grin widened. After hugging each other and saying our goodbyes, the brothers and I got into my car and drove back home.

“Did you guys have fun?” I asked as I drove back home.

“Yeah,” they all said simultaneously and I smiled.

“That’s good to hear,” I replied while turning on the radio. I mentally thought about all the stuff I took with me and hoped that I haven’t forgotten anything there.

I didn’t notice how much I missed my house until I got there. I sighed contentedly when the cool water of the shower hit my back. When I went out of the shower, I could hear the brothers fighting but I didn’t hear what they were saying. I rolled my eyes at their usual bickering and put on my clothes. When I was done combing my hair, I went downstairs to deal with that fight.

“What’s going on?” I asked “You’ve been fighting for over fifteen minutes!”

They looked at me and when they saw me, they all shut up and put on blank looks.

“Nothing,” Drew was the first one to answer.

I raised one eyebrow at him.

“It’s stupid,” Lee said, avoiding my gaze.

I rolled my eyes at him, not believing a single word they said. But I didn’t insist on knowing, it’s probably something personal.

I turned on the T.V as I sat down on the couch between Liam and Lee. I finally settled on an episode of ‘The Simpsons’. That show is the perfect pastime.

“You smell good, like strawberries” Liam suddenly said.

“Uh thanks,” I said, laughing slightly.

 “Shut up Liam!” Drew growled “You have a girlfriend now! You can’t flirt with Angelina anymore.”

“You’re one to talk.” Liam rolled his eyes at his brother “You do that all the time.”

I saw something flash in Drew’s eyes and I glared at Liam for talking without thinking. Liam’s eyes immediately flashed with guilt.

“Andrew I didn’t mean that…” Liam started trying to fix what he just said.

“No,” Drew said, dropping his gaze “You’re right.”

“No he’s not,” I interjected “You were like that but you’re not anymore, okay?”

He looked a bit surprised but he didn’t say anything else.

“She’s right,” Lee agreed with me and I sent him a quick smile.

Drew nodded but he wasn’t convinced. I saw the regret and pain in his eyes but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to make the situation worse.

He’s not a bad guy anymore and I hope he sees that.

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Hey! :)

Sorry I couldn't upload this yesterday; I had tons of stuff to do!

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Anyone has his/her birthday soon? :)

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