REMI HOOD

Chapter 20

Remi

"STOP LYING TO ME!" My broken-fist meets his jaw, hard enough to break a couple of bones.

My hand is pulsing with pain, a great tremor overtaking me as I fall against the floor slowly. Tears bleed out of my eyes faster than my heart beat with ugly foreign sobs escaping from me and choking on my own snot, I shatter into pieces. I grab my hair in fury yanking enough to hurt but fuck, did I care? No.

The mental pain in me overpowers the mere pain in my hand. My mind throbbing with emotion as my heart aches in agony. I feel like I'm drowning in the truth I've been waiting to know all my life. The truth...

Is what dad is saying really the truth? No... It doesn't make sense.

Does it?

I stare into his eyes fully aware he just saw me fall apart. His eyes are so different from my brown eyes. His eyes blue, dark like a thunderstorm, the heavy rainfall in his eyes showing grief and hurt but the flashing of lighting glint deceivingly every once in a while as if he knew he was deceptive.

I can't trust him, not ever.

"Get out." I say under my breath, breaking eye-contact.

"You don't believe me, but I understand," He says, voice full of tenderness and hurt. "How could you, after all I've had to do to you?"

Don't fall for it... Remi, I scold myself. He's just trying to manipulate you. Don't fall for this psycho's tricks.

"I SAID GET OUT!"

The door closes after him, leaving me with my thoughts. Is he telling the truth? Would mom really do something like that?

No... Not possible, but how would I know? I don't really remember her. I wail out in defeat, crying out all the tears that's left in me.

If only I remember what happened to me that night.

Will

I watch Remi's house collapse, the firefighters had managed to take out the fire but the damage had been done.

Finn shakes his head in sympathy next to me. "Remi is seriously unlucky."

"She's lucky to have us at least. We should go to her, she probably found out about the fire. She'll need us." I say to Finn.

Ryan jogs towards us. "I'm sorry, I know you both want to see Remi, but we found something in the house that I thought might interest you... Maybe one of you can stay?"

Finn pats my arm. "I'll stay. Give her my support, okay?" I nod my head in agreement.

I arrive at the hospital just as I see Richard getting out of the lobby. He looks a bit agitated, perhaps angered if I am able to get a closer look, though I only catch a glimpse as he speeds out of another door. I frantically try to catch up.

"Richard, I'm so sorry, I heard what happened, a-"

Astonishingly, when I reach the outside - where Richard went, I see nothing. Only trees. Did this man vanish?

Never mind, I need to comfort Remi. I quickly run up the stairs to the third floor, and at last, am greeted once again by 'Room 101' in bold letters on Remi's door. I take a deep breath, carefully open it and peer my head inside.

I panic as Remi is not in bed, she was told not to get up. I get inside only to be greeted by soft sobs and groans. Something in me snaps to find Remi on the floor in the corner of the room against the wall, hugging her legs tight, her head buried in sadness.

I slowly go towards her, the need to hug and comfort her taking over me. I plant myself next to Remi and I lightly touch her shoulder. She flinches between her sniffs, I quickly take my hand off her. What should I do?

Remi lifts her head to meet my eyes. Her tearful red and swollen eyes reflect her emotions, unsettlingly deep with sorrow and glinting with fury. Her beautiful eyes, colourless and joyless as tears stream down her face that is flushed and her lips dry from crying.

I quickly pull Remi into my arms. I know I haven't even known her for a long time, but I just couldn't bear to see her like this, it tears me apart. Her cries tug my heart, all I want us to take the sadness away from her.

We had sat in the position for about an hour, I didn't dare move as Remi had fallen asleep in between. I smile at her soft snores, her head still resting on my shoulder. Trying my best not to wake her, I carry her to the hospital bed and lay her. I also couldn't help but plant a kiss on her temple.

The house must have meant a lot to her.