Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 17 - Backstory

Flashback
Third POV

Hugo was 6 and Axel was 12. Their mother came back home and started hitting him...again after a few round of alcoholic drinks.

Axel yelled frantically as he took Hugo in his arms, "Mum!" "Stop it!" "You're hurting him!"

Axel looked over to Hugo who had bruises from the hits from his mum and held him tightly in his arms protectively. Hugo was confused why his own mum was hurting him and he didn't know why this was happening. But nonetheless he was frightened by this.

Axel tried hard to protect Hugo only for him to get hit by his mum.

His mother yelled pulling Axel aside as he went to hit Hugo again, "Get out of the way you imbecile!"

Axel shouted as he tried to get his mother out of the way and he went in front of Hugo to protect him, "Mum!" "No please stop it!" "Hugo and me aren't doing anything wrong please stop it!"

Tears were coming out of Hugo's eyes and Axel's eyes rolling down their cheeks.

Their father Garrick came in to see his wife and their mother trying to hit their kids.

He growled as he took Hugo and Axel in his arms, "What in the world is going on here!" "Why are you hurting our kids!"

She screamed as she tried to push him out of the way, "Get out of my way!"

He warned as he looked at her dead in the eyes seriously with a stern look, "No you go now!" "Otherwise I'll gladly have you leave and never hurt our kids again!" "Don't you dare touch Hugo or Axel like that again!"

She scoffed as she slammed the door on her way.

Garrick turned to Hugo and Axel as he hugged them both tightly and kissed their foreheads, "I'll always be here for you." "I won't let that happen to you two again."

After his mum left them. Their father left empty, he would always say to them he was glad she left them because she wouldn't hurt them anymore. But deep down he is sad because he really loved his wife.

Garrick doesn't express his emotions properly but his actions spoke louder than his words. To express his love for his kids. He would always try his best to look out for Hugo and Axel, especially to make Hugo believe he is there for him.

Hugo is too blind to see that his dad still loves him but shows it in a different way. Once Hugo got older, Axel explained to Hugo what happened with their mum. During that time, he thought, 'I don't need to hear the reasons why she left, but it's enough to know that she didn't love me.'

Present
Hugo's POV

I woke up sweating from that flashback, I could feel myself crying from that feeling. Not loved. I felt useless, unloved. It still haunts me no scarred me to this day.

I looked up to see a figure in the dark as she asked concerned, "Hugo?" "Are you okay?"

I realised that I was still in Sofia's hotel room. It was Sofia. She came closer to me and saw my tears on my face. She instantly wrapped her arms around me, I cried into her chest taking in her warmth and comfort. She squeezed me tighter as I cried.

I said between sobs as I kept myself in her chest, "I-I a-am u-useless a-and I-I w-wasn't e-enough f-for th-."

She smiled softly as she ruffled my hair rubbing my back, "Hugo don't say that you're an incredible person no let anyone else tell you otherwise." "You're not useless to anyone."

Once I stopped crying, she pulled away from the hug but stayed close to me.

She gently grabbed my hand as she leaned her head on my shoulder, "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine with me." I nodded. She smiled as she squeezed my hand, "All I can say is that I'll be there for you."

We stayed like this for a minute before I realised the time was. It was the sun was about to rise.

She smiled as she walked to balcony. I walked out with her. We stood in silence, comfortable silence taking in the sunrise from the beautiful view.

She smiled softly as she was about to walk back inside to make breakfast, "I'm going to change and make pancakes."

I asked her as I turned to her slightly, "Sofia can I ask you something?"

She smiled as she turned to me, "Sure what is it?"

I explained slowly as I looked at her, "I-I want to do something but I don't know whether it's the right thing to do."

She advised as she smiled brightly, "Just go for it and see how it goes." "You never know how it might go once you do it." "It might actually turn out... great."

Soon she went inside while I stood out in the balcony still. I called my Dad. I've been thinking about calling him but haven't yet.

It started ringing. He picked up.

He greeted, "Hello champ."

I greeted, "Hey Dad."

I explained as I tried to shake out my nerves, "Dad I have this girl and I don't know how I feel towards her." "And I don't know why I feel this weird feeling towards her."

He thought before answering, "Champ maybe you love her."

I froze in denial. I quickly denied as I shook my head, "No no no." "I don't."

He said simply, "Mm okay you like her?" "At least?"

I answered honestly to him and to myself for once, "Y-yes."

He said, "Well whoever that lucky girl is." "She'll be happy to have you."

I smiled as I looked back on Sofia, "Trust me Dad I think I'm the lucky one."

I was about to hang up on the call when Dad suddenly said, "Champ."

I said, "Yeah Dad?"

He sighed as he explained, "Champ." "I know I don't express my emotions anymore but all I know is that I want the best for my sons." "You and Axel." "All I want is the best for you and Axel." He added as he said sincerely, "I try my best to show him and you that I love the both of you." "I love you two so much."

I didn't know to say. But for the first time, I believed him.

I smiled slightly but he couldn't see it.

I asked incredulously as I felt happy tears coming from my eyes from him saying that, "Y-you really mean that Dad?"

Dad answered honestly as he said, "Of course son I love you and Ax so much." "Don't ever doubt that."

I thanked him as I smiled, "T-Thank you Dad." "For everything."

I ended the call and went back inside to change. I sat down with Sofia and we had breakfast together. Once we washed the dishes away. There was a knock the door. Me and Sofia thought it was Emma and Felix. I decided to open it and saw.....

Author's note: thank you everyone who has got this book to 2k crazy wow. Hehe also who do you think will be behind the door? Get your guesses in the comments below.