Once Upon A Bet

/22/ Falling apart

WARNING: this chapter might be triggering if you're not comfortable reading depressive thoughts and actions. I will put a little recap in the begging of next chapter in case you skip this one, so don't worry about missing part of the story. Read at your own risk

Dedicated to Gems-And-Other-Craps, for all the lovely support so far <333

"Miss." I barely heard George's voice as I stared the pool before me. The neat, stable water almost white against the darkness of the rest of the backyard, and with my unfocused gaze it almost looked like it was shining. The water was cold around my feet, a good contrast with the suffocating heat soaking the air, and the butt of my shorts was a little wet from sitting on the verge of the pool for this long.

And the silence... it was one of those deafening silences that hurt. It made the pounding in my head almost matched the vivid void in my chest. A hole so painful I not even the bourbon bottle I'd borrowed from my father's office managed to numb -and it was way stronger than the wine...

"Miss Novella."

"Mhm?"

But I deserved it, right? If my own family -the only people forced to have my back and be there for me- hated me, there was no way I was allowed to have peace of any kind. Who would bear with me on their own will if not even the ones obligated to wanted to? If even I couldn't bear with myself?

I was a disappointment.

A burden.

A shame-

"Nova." I flinched when George place a hand only shoulder, finally snapping me out my little trance and lifted my eyes up at him. Only then I was away of the tears sliding down my cheeks nonstop, but barely manage to focus on the buttler's elderly, concerned expression. "Miss, are you okay?"

"Perfectly." I wiped my teary face with the back of my hand, even knowing it would be a mess in seconds and turned to stare at the calm, empty pool. My pool, practically, since I'd been the only one using it... My father never got time and my mother would rather swallow acid than be spotted 'childishly lazing around' -as if anyone would catch a glimpse with the huge fence around the estate.

So it'd always mine to use, always neat, ready to be jumped into, but no one has since a couple years ago. Dalia'd been the last person invited here, after that I moved away and now I had no one to call -not like they would come if I did. And swimming by myself was just depressing...

Well, get used to it.

"It's already past ten, miss." spoke again George, standing a few feet behind me and not knowing if it was okay to get closer or nor. Always the stupid etiquette, treating me with formalisms... as if he hadn't known me all my life. As if he had to keep calling me 'miss', erasing any possible familiarity. And he only 'cared' because he was paid for it. "You've been out here for too long."

"Are my parents home yet?" I couldn't keep the tremble from my voice and it made my chest squeezed at each word, our last encounter repeating over and over in my mind.

"Not yet, miss." he answered quietly and my lip trembled as I fought back a new wave of tears. "But you know how these dinners are. They stretched and-"

"At what time do you think they'll be back?"

"I, um, I wouldn't know, miss. Based on last events... Maybe in an hour or two."