"Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear up your path."
~ Unknown

...♛...

Summer White

...♛...

Memory is a funny thing. Did you know it can be reconstructed by just the words of others? It can be done by using leading words, but sometimes you can trick yourself too. Being in traumatic situations can make you remember specific events differently than those who were in the same situation. Sometimes you'll remember things that never even happened and that's because that's just how your mind is wired to process trauma.

I know what happened yesterday or the day before yesterday was traumatic, but I swear I wasn't here when it happened. I wasn't in my apartment. As I peel my swollen eyes open, I groan. My body aches and begs for more rest, but I don't listen. Instead, I push the blanket off myself and sit on the edge of my bed.

My head throbbing with pain and parts of my face pulsating, it tells me that what had happened between Cole, Alec and I was in fact reality and not just a dream. I just don't know how I ended up back in my room and how is it all clean? I swear they had trashed the whole apartment. I look down at my clothes and I realize they're not the same either making me roll my eyes in annoyance.

When I hear shuffling outside, I stand up and make my way to the living room only to find Alice preparing for her shift.

"Shit, what happened to your face?" Alice questions.

"Nothing, I thought I told you not to come home."

"Yeah, for twenty-four hours. It's been forty-eight," she says. I try not to display the shock on my face, but my mind starts racing with a million thoughts.

"Shit, you didn't even wanna check on me to see if I was alive?" I question a bit offended.

"Of course I checked on you. You were breathing so I let you sleep. The guy also left a note saying that I should let you rest since ya'll got quite freaky as I can tell," Alice explains.

"Oh," I laugh awkwardly as my cheeks heat up. Alice must believe I'm into some kinky shit if she thinks my bruises are from sex. I don't know if I should be offended or appalled by her beliefs. In all honesty, I don't know what I like in bed with someone else since the only time I've ever been in bed with someone else is when I was raped. A part of me wants to venture out, but the other part still fears it.

"When did you get a new phone?" she asks.

"What?" I ask and she nods towards the counter where the latest iPhone lies. My old phone was the X which was years old. I groan knowing Cole and Alec must have taken my phone to extract information from it. Luckily, I have nothing on there and honestly, I'm happy they were nice enough to replace it. Not like I'll use it though because I'm sure it has a tracking device in there or something. "I felt like upgrading."

"So did you get plastic surgery on your face or did the guy have a beating kink?" Alice snorts teasingly. At least she's having trouble believing it's from sex and that slightly calms me. I don't want her thinking things that aren't true or at least things I don't think are true.

"Whatever you need to believe to stop questioning me about it," I huff.

"Someone's grumpy," she sighs. My stomach growls. "Someone's hangry actually."

"You're hilarious. Ha. Ha," I state rolling my eyes before I head over to the fridge to find something to eat.

"Okay, I'm heading out. Bye."

"Bye," I say, my eyes still focused on the task at hand. Instead of picking anything from the fridge, I decide to make some pasta. I open the cupboard to find the box of pasta. "What did you forget?" I ask when I hear the door open and close again.

"Nothing yet," I hear a man's voice answer and I freeze realizing who it is. Taking a deep breath, I turn around to find Kai Black standing on the other side of the island dressed handsomely as ever wearing another one of his black-on-black suits. My eyes travel down his chest to the file in his hand. When he notices me staring, he brings the file up and my eyes follow as he throws it on the kitchen island.

"Everything someone will ever need to know is here about The Summer White," he nonchalantly states.

Hesitant, I gulp staring between the file and his moon-like orbs unwilling to reveal any secrets. My record only goes as far as my adoption. Nothing more. There's no way he has found anything more than what the system knew.

"Kai-"

"Open the file, Summer."

"Kai, I'm-"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"I'm not opening the file. I know you. This bet was rigged from the beginning. I was never meant to win," I state. "Your life might be a gamble, but you, yourself wouldn't make a bet you knew you couldn't win."

"Fine, if you won't, then I will," Kai says hiding his irritation under his cold and distant demeanour. I watch as his large hand picks up the file, resting it on his opposite forearm as his hand opens it. "Summer White. Birthdate: unknown. Birth town: unknown. Birth year is predicted to be nineteen ninety-seven or eight. Found on October seventeenth, twenty-thirteen on the streets of Washington, D.C. by Officer James White now known as Captain James White.

Let's skim his notes... found a young girl sleeping on the street clinging to life... No signs of any parent or family and no identification... Clothes were ripped in places and wet from the rain... Breathing was shallow so an ambulance was immediately called. The doctor's notes reported multiple bruises, cuts and signs of torture, physical and sexual abuse. Dental records show no match.

The young girl was named Jane Doe until she regained consciousness about a week later. Took about two months for full movement and recovery. After numerous police interviews and investigations, it was deemed that the child had no family or name. She said that her parents died in a car crash when she was younger and her aunt and uncle took her in. She ran away a few months later because they were abusive and lived on the streets since. Does not remember where her aunt and uncle live.

Taught herself to read and write. Said she became friends with older kids who taught her stuff and gave her free books. Went by multiple names as she moved around. The last thing she remembers is being kidnapped by a group of men and doesn't remember much leading up to the discovery of her body in Washington, D.C.

The courts decided to put Jane Doe through the adoption system. Officer James and his wife, Celeste White who were housing Jane Doe up until she was adopted, decided to adopt her themselves after realizing that Jane Doe had become like a sister to their only daughter, Alice White and a second daughter to them. Jane Doe was then renamed Summer White and has been a member of the White family since twenty-fourteen.

Celeste White died in twenty-fifteen after getting hit by a drunk driver. The irony in that if I may add. Officer James White took a transfer to Chicago that same year after being unable to live in the same state he lost his wife in. White became captain after numerous gang busts. Daughters: Sumer and Alice White moved out from their father's home at the age of nineteen and have lived together in this apartment ever since," he finishes finally closing the file. Not realizing I was holding my breath; I finally release it.

He didn't find more. He doesn't know who I am.

"That's all?" I cock crossing my arms over my chest. 

"That was my reaction too. Wanna know why?" he says as he sets the file down on the counter. His large frame saunters over to me and I angle my head up to meet his eyes as he stands only a few inches away.

"Not really, but I know you're gonna tell me anyway so..."

"It doesn't mention anywhere in here when and how you learned to become a cold and heartless murderer," he cocks his thick brow.

"I did-"

"I have more blood on my hands than a serial killer at its prime, I know a murderer when I see one and you, Summer White or Jane Doe, are nothing less than one. As per the beating you willingly took by the hands of my colleague, it wasn't enough to fool me into thinking that you are just a helpless woman getting caught up in the wrong scene."

"I would like to say you're not a fool, but at the rate we're going, I don't think we'll know for sure anytime soon."

"I don't have time for your riddles, Summer. Do you know what this means?" he says moving even closer like a predator does his prey to assert his dominance.

"Enlighten me," I breathe.

"Four more days of freedom before you're mine," he says and I feel his large hand wrap around my waist. I gasp, my hands dropping to my sides taken off guard. I look down at his hand instinctively and go to take a step back, away from him but he has a firm grip holding me in place.

As if we weren't close enough already, Kai's arm snakes around behind me pulling my front against his. I place my hand on his hard chest trying to keep somewhat of a distance as I feel a little helpless. I could easily get out of this, but the proximity has blurred my mind.

"Are you nervous?" Kai teases.

"K-Kai," I swallow unable to meet the intensity of his gaze. What the fuck is he doing?

"Say it, Summer that you accept this loss and that you are mine," he commands. I look at him confused. A man's ego will never fail to disappoint.

"Don't involve my family and we have a deal," I state.

"Even if I do involve them, what can you do?"

"Kai, don't. You'll regret it. Promise me you'll leave my family out of it," I state.

"I don't wanna disappoint you," he claims.

"What did I do to you to deserve this?" the words slip out of my mouth before I can stop myself. Fuck.

"You pay a price for every mistake you make, Summer. The world is a harsh place."

"So what? I killed the people that worked for you and were probably murderers themselves in self-defence so you'll kill my innocent family to show me that the world is a harsh fucking place?" I spit, my eyes watering at this point. My body shakes unable to find a release for the rage boiling through my veins.

No response. He just stares at me with his cold, unforgiving eyes. Not a single regret in sight.

"Say something," I demand. Silence. It's haunting. He would kill them. "You're gonna kill them, aren't you?" When he doesn't say anything. My hands push against his chest forcing him to let me go and when I'm free, I lift my hand slapping him as hard as I can.

The blood rushes to my hand and it tingles as I bring it down to my side. I watch Kai's tense figure through my teary eyes, an unknown fear rising inside me. His head low, tilted towards the left, I notice the imprint of my hand developing on his cheek.

"You touch my fa-"

"Then what?" Kai grits, his eyes darker than I've ever seen them before as he brings his head back to face me.

"I'm yours, Kai. I accept my loss. I will do whatever you tell me to fucking do but do not hurt them. They are innocent. You and I both know I am here only because of them. You tell me to kill, I'll kill, you tell me to sit, I'll sit, you tell me to strip, I will strip, but the second you hurt my family, that all goes to hell."

Before I can react, Kai closes the distance between us again grabbing my arms with his tight grip. I wince at how hard he squeezes my arms and look up at his demon eyes as we stand chest to chest.

"Let's get one thing straight, I call the shots here so I'll do what I want. I can make you kill, sit, strip and more, with or without your family. Get that through your head. You're in my world now and I'm gonna throw you off this high horse.

You had me for a second. I actually believed you were this innocent little girl that was getting caught up in the wrong scene, but you're not and we both know I'm right," he spits coldly snatching any bit of hope I had left. "You won't admit it to me now, but I'll make sure you do once you're officially mine. Seven days to know you and seven more to break you."

I remain silent unable to find the words I'm looking for. Every word that goes through my mind, I double guess. Who do I be? The Summer White I was born as or the Summer White I was adopted as? It's an internal fight between the two and neither seems to be winning right now. I don't wanna let the new Summer go, but the old one is starting to despise this helpless act I've been putting on.

"Okay," I reply bringing forward a look of confusion on his face.

"Okay?" he repeats curiously. After, what feels like forever, he finally loosens his grip on my arms and lets me go.

"I'm up against a man's ego. I'm not stupid enough to stand there and argue with it. Do what you need to do and I'll do what I need to do. Agreed?"

"Agreed," he nods after about a minute of thinking. My eyes finally dry, and I nod satisfied.

"Now, eat something I'm sure you're hungry after sleeping for forty-eight hours like the dead. You might also want to enjoy these last four days of freedom that you have left."

"Same goes for you," I state again taking him by surprise as his eyes widen just slightly at my level of confidence before his smug look returns.

"Goodbye," he says and I watch as he takes his leave. Once the door slams shut behind him, I turn around to grab the box of pasta that I was going to make before. My hand turns white holding the cupboard as anger rises inside me, unable to find a release. Deciding I'm not that hungry anymore, I choose to fulfill some other priorities first like making sure my family stays alive.

I head to my room and get dressed to go out while making a list of things I have to do. My number one priority is making sure Alice remains out of harm's way. I'm worried about dad's safety too, but he is an experienced cop and I doubt Kai will go after him. The weakest link is Alice and she needs to be kept safe. The only way I can ensure that she stays safe is if she's not in this state at all so once I'm done getting dressed, I buy a one-way plane ticket to Washington, D.C. where she can live with our family.  

I pack her stuff quickly throwing random pieces of her clothing in a suitcase until it's full. On my wrist, I strap on an old-fashioned watch because I can't carry my phone around with me. I call a taxi and head downstairs once it arrives. After placing the suitcase in the trunk, he drives towards Alice's workplace. Once we're there I head inside and tell the driver to wait for me.

"Alice," I grab her arm stopping her midway and the food she's carrying almost topples over, but she steadies it. Her blue eyes look at me confused.

"Summer? What are you doing here?"

"We gotta go, Alice. Now," I order. Alice wiggles her arm out of grip as her eyebrows knit confused. I watch as she heads over to a table full of guests and she sets their food down apologizing for my behaviour.

"Summer, what's wrong? I can't just leave. I just got here," she whispers. The restaurant is quite loud and full of guests, most of them discreetly eavesdrop on our conversation.

"Alice, I don't have time to explain everything right now. I just need you to listen to me, please," I beg to display urgency through my voice.

"Okay. What do you want me to do?"

"I bought you a one-way ticket to Washington. Go live with family for a bit and finish school online."

"What about my job?"

"Quit."

"What's going on, Summer? Is this because of what happened the other night?"

"I need you to trust me, Alice."

"Summer, you're not making this easy."

"I know, but this is all I can tell you right now."

"Fucking hell, Summer," Alice shakes her head annoyed at the little disclosure of information I'm providing her. Even then, she starts untying her apron and heads behind the counter to talk to her manager. I wait a few minutes before Alice comes back out, her face red with anger and frustration. She doesn't even stop to look at me as she passes by instructing us to go. I follow behind her and tell the taxi driver to open the trunk. Alice stares at me both shocked and surprised gaping.

"Grab the suitcase, I need to pay him," I tell Alice. She huffs frustrated but complies as I head to the driver and pay him the amount I owe.

"Thank you," he says and I nod just before he drives off.

Alice already has my car turned on so I take the driver's seat and quickly pull on my belt before driving.

"Flights in an hour," I tell her. Alice blasts the heat and looks at me, her mouth wide open once again.

"Did you tell dad?"

"No, not yet. He won't care."

"He's gonna ask why I decided to move back all of a sudden."

"It's temporary so you can just be like you missed Grandma and Grandpa."

"Did you even tell them I'm coming?"

"No, you can surprise them."

"Summer, you're being so passive. What the fuck happened?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about."

"Have you seen your face?"

"I can feel it too which is a good thing actually," I say and my remark isn't taken well as Alice scowls in response. She turns her head towards the window and crosses her arms over her chest trying to make her anger towards me clear. I sigh shaking my head in response as I keep my eyes focused on the road.

I don't wanna tell her. I don't think she can handle the truth of who we've gotten ourselves involved with. She's going to blame herself for this situation and I don't know if she'll ever be able to forgive herself for it. I know it's not her fault completely. I don't blame her for any of it actually because she never told me to pull the trigger. I did that myself and so I'll handle the consequences myself too.

It'll be hard to convince her otherwise, but keeping her in the dark is also hurting her. I grip the wheel tightly as my knuckles turn white. I have to tell her because she's not gonna listen to me otherwise. She'll try to find out the truth on her own and I can't have her getting in trouble as she snoops around.

"It's Kai Black," I word.

"What?"

"The men I killed the other day worked for Kai Black and he found me. He says I owe him two lives and a hundred thousand dollars. Since I can't repay the debt, he gave me seven days before I go to work for him. There are only four days left now."

"Are you joking?" Alice stares at me in disbelief. I shake my head no.

"Wait, Black...? Is he related to Nicholas Black?"

"Kai is his younger brother."

"Summer, what the fuck!"

"What?" I question confused as to why she's yelling.

"How are you so calm?"

"You know everything about my past. This doesn't faze me, Alice," I try to assure her even though I know I'm disappointed with life since it's bringing me back to the place I tried so hard to never go back to.

"Aren't you scared?" Alice's voice becomes soft.

"I'm scared that you might get hurt because of me, but other than that, I'm not scared of anything. Nick couldn't keep me in his hold. His little brother has nothing on me, Alice."

"This is my fault."

"No, it's not. Life works in weird ways and I guess this was just meant to be."

"No, Summer if I had just listened to you and I just had let Callum go-"

"It's not your fault, Alice. I was born in this. I'm not scared and nothing is going to happen to me that I won't be able to handle. Do you trust me?" I look at her as a stray tear falls down her cheek. I clench my jaw turning my gaze away unable to watch her cry.

"I trust you," she sniffs sitting back in her seat as she stares out the window again.

The Summer White I was born as died at the age of fourteen. That Summer White was born in Los Angeles, California on February 14th, 1998 at 8:02 pm and at 9:05 pm the same night, her mother, Hope White died due to complications during the delivery. Her father, Xavier White was devasted because Hope left behind not only their newborn daughter but also three boys: Vincent who was seven, Anthony who was six and Dean who was five.

As Summer grew older, she realized that she wasn't born into a normal family. She was born into a family of gangsters who played a major role in the trafficking of drugs in America and even had connections overseas. She was the only and youngest daughter of the White Dragons.

Vincent and Summer never got along. He blamed Summer for their mother's death. He was cold and relentless always using training as an excuse to torture Summer in numerous ways.

Anthony was protective and caring. He wasn't as hard on her, but just enough to make her stronger.

Dean was the nicest and the most caring. He was overly protective especially when it came to guys, but no one understood each other better than Summer and Dean understood each other.

Her father, loved her not only because she was the identical copy of Hope, her mother, but because she had the same light in her eyes that gave Xavier something to fight for.

Yet, when Vincent hurt Summer in the name of training, her cries and agony weren't enough for anyone to make him stop. She needed to know what pain felt like so that she was prepared for what the world had to offer to those who belonged to The White Dragons.

The irony in that was that she was never allowed out of the house without security guards or her brothers. She hardly had any friends and all she ever did was stay at home and train. She was also homeschooled so she did do homework as well, but other than that she had a strict schedule from the age of seven and even a diet plan.

She was locked in her little world without even knowing it, but for her, it was perfect because that was all she knew.

The day she turned fourteen, everything changed. She was snatched from the world she knew and forced to live through the pain Vincent tried to make familiar, but the pain she felt then was pain no one could have prepared her for. Sadly, not even Vincent because Nicholas Black is the devil incarcerated. A vessel for the devil, Nicholas made the myths seem like child's play.

She was in his hold for seven months before she escaped. She wasn't who Nick brought in anymore. He didn't let her be the Summer that The White Dragons made her be, he moulded her in such a way that no one, not even herself, could recognize who she was anymore. She had no plan once she escaped besides that she would run far. Far away as possible from the world she was born into because what she had seen in the last year and the things she had done to survive was something Summer couldn't handle to live through or be an accomplice to for the rest of her life. 

It was a fire that killed Summer White along with a few other girls. She was dead. She was free to roam the world and find peace as someone else so the nameless stray soul went far away as possible from Los Angeles until she somehow ended up in Washington, D.C. Her body left as the by-product of the year prior with scars and her mind weak from the limitless abuse, she closed her eyes on that street ready to accept the fate every human is destined to face one day: death. But death never came. Officer James White did. He saved her. He brought the lifeless body, hardly clinging to life and prayed until the little girl healed.

The nameless girl didn't want to go back to where she came from. She lied, making up the most believable story so that things would work out in her favour. They did. Everyone believed her. Officer James brought the little girl home and she stayed with his wife, Celeste and his daughter, Alice who was the same age as her.

Alice had an outgoing personality despite her past and she was able to connect with the nameless girl showing her that life is more than the pain we go through. The two became best friends and as James and Celeste watched their relationship flourish, they knew that adopting the nameless girl was the best decision to make. She got the name White again and then James and Celeste gave the nameless girl the opportunity to choose her first name.

She thought a lot about it. What was the right fit? She asked. But after thinking for a long time, she realized that no matter what, she is Summer, the biological daughter of Hope and Xavier White. Even though she had never met her mother, she loved her and still wanted to keep her close. She didn't have anything besides the name that her mother and father had chosen, so to keep her biological mother close, she chose the name Summer. If there weren't enough coincidences already, Alice suggested that since Summer doesn't know her real birthday, they should celebrate her birthday on February 14th of every year because that's Valentine's Day, the day of love.

The day the daughter of Hope and Xavier White, Summer White died was the same day the daughter of James and Celeste White, also Summer White was born. I am the daughter of James and Celeste White and I have been since I was fifteen, but it feels like that daughter is slowly fading away, struggling to stay afloat as Hope and Xavier's daughter returns to fit into the world she's getting sucked back into because of Kai Black.

"We're here," I announce as I pull over right in front of the airport's entrance. Alice and I exit the car. I open the trunk and take out the suitcase for her. "I emailed you the tickets and e-transferred you some money. There's an ATM inside so withdraw some cash and call me when you make it home, okay?"

"I don't wanna leave you," Alice says, her eyes wet with tears.

"I know," I engulf her in a hug. Feeling her warmth, I take in a deep breath knowing that she is the reason I'm alive today and is the same reason I'm fighting to live even if it means I have to work for Kai and go back to being the Summer White I hated. As long as I know she's safe, I will keep fighting to live because I'll always protect her. She saved me and now I can do the same for her.

I rub her back trying to console her.

"Make him pay for everything his brother did to you, promise me," Alice whispers into my ear. My eyebrows knit confused as I part from her and stare at the serious look on her face. "Promise me," she urges.

"I don't want revenge, Alice."

"But if life is bringing you back to where it all started, Summer I want you to take the opportunity and give that little girl that they killed, the justice she deserves. She deserves peace too."

"Alice, you don't know what you're asking for. To get revenge, I have to become one of them, to be Summer White, the merciless by-product of Nicholas' abuse and torture."

"You reap what you sow, Summer. Show him that his demise is his own creation," she states coldly as her hand rests on my shoulder. I see the pain in her eyes. She wants to live through me. She knows she can never get revenge for what had happened to her because no one could ever find them, but she knows I can get revenge for what I was put through and wants me to take it unapologetically.

I wanted revenge before, I used to tell her but I grew out of that because of her and the love my family had to offer. I was happy, but now it's all slipping away. Alice feels it and is facing it, but I've been avoiding it.

I lied when I said I wasn't scared. I am. I'm scared of being merciless again. Of taking more lives. Of the bloodshed and chaos. I'm scared of losing this life and of losing the two people I love the most.

"I believe in you," she says when I don't respond. Her hand slides off me and I watch as she grabs the suitcase and heads inside the airport.

My eyes are wet with tears, and when I blink, they slide down my face and my heart beats loudly against my chest knowing that Alice has taken with her, her sister's soul and left behind the Summer White everyone is going to regret ever bringing back.

A/N:

Which Summer do you like
better the new or the old?