Hiraeth

ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛꜱ

No one was here today. I was alone in this big house all by myself. Dad checking out his businesses today and we'll be probably be gone all day.

There's bruises all over her body, her hair wild in all directions, eye bags underneath her eyes mostly from having trouble sleeping at night. She was looking at me. That girl was looking at me through the reflection. I don't know who I become.

I walked out of the random en-suite not wanting to look at myself any longer, fearing I would do something harmful to me. Stopping in my tracks when I spot a family photo. Romero, dad, mom and I smiling at the camera. Like a happy family, we were.

I throw the frame against the cold floor, watching it shatter into thousands of pieces. Everything just doesn't seem quit enough as i rumble through the wall that's surrounded by similar photos.

"Fucking bullshit!" I cry. "Everyone leaves me!" I tear a single photo of Beatrice and I's annual mother- daughter day. I repeatedly kick the wall beside me. Why did I do wrong?

I hear the sound off the doorbell ringing, hesitantly I got up, wiping my tears with my sleeve. Acting like I didn't just have a breakdown right now.

"Hello-" I stop. "Caden? What are you doing here?" He stands at my front door.

"You weren't at school today so I decided I should bring you, your homework so you don't miss anything because that would be super bad and than you'll get into loads of trouble and I don't want that happening to you or anything because no one deserves to be scolded-" he cuts off his ramble when he looks at my face. "Why are you crying?" He ask softly.

"I-" I try to wipe them away but he gently grabs my hand.

"Can I come in?" He questions. I nod, stepping to the side to give him room to enter. He walks in eyeing the shattered glass all over the floor.

"Kind of had a break down." I say but try to sound like it dosent matter. He nods, guiding me into the living room, his hand intertwined with mine.

"Can you tell me what happened?" He ask concerning, eyebrows furrowed. I stay silent, not wanting to burden him with my problems. "How about I tell you what happened with my life and you tell me yours?" He tilts his head. "That's why we both can help each other out." He squeeze my hand comfortly.

"After my parents gave birth to me they didn't want me, matter of fact they never even wanted to have kids to begin with. So my nana took custody over me and I lived with her since I was ten." He explained. "My nana is a huge part of my life even if she isn't here today with me, she raised me to be the best version of myself and I guess when she passed I hid that version of myself, that only slightly comes out. After she perished, I was sent to live with Mia and Joseph, my parents." He signs, tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want too." I assure squeezing his hand like he did to me.

"No it okay, I trust you." He starts to draw random shapes on my hand. "They were very competitive people hence why I was very competitive with you. They were also alcoholics, sometimes they would get drunk and beat me, well actually sober and drunk they would beat me."

I pull him into him a hug, Caden instantly relaxing into my hold. As I start to play with his hair.

"So when I turned eighteen, I moved out and when I turned that age, I inherited Nana's assists. I have enough money to last hundreds of life times." He signs. It's quiet for awhile before he continues, whispering. "Why did they hate me so much? Did I do anything wrong?" He sniffled.

"I believe that children are meant to have parents but not all mothers and fathers are meant to have children." I rub his back comfortably. His head nuzzled into my neck. "I don't know if you realize this Caden but you deserve the whole world and I think you haven't notice this which saddens me quit a bit because you are such an amazing person despite what other people tell you." I tell. "I know you are an amazing person because if you weren't I wouldn't be able to trust you and I wouldn't be able to tell you this."

He slowly pulls his head away and looks at me for a moment. "You don't even know how much you mean to me." He whispers. "No matter what you tell me Aven I just want you to feel comfortable telling me it."

"I guess you can say my life turned into shit, four months ago." I bit my lip trying to stop it from quivering. "I was at a charity house that was located near high mountains, as I was driving home my car broke down." Caden looks at me with a comfortable smile, which gives me reassurance. "Called Romero and asked for a ride so then he came and uh-" Tears starting to spill. "We were driving back home and a tow truck hit us and I guess he took more of the effect and the car spiraled off the mountain." I croaked. "I-I- he didn't make it Caden!" He runs a hand through my hair soothingly.

"It wasn't your fault Heaven." He assures. "Some peoples time just comes sooner than others, and you know what Heaven?" He cups my face.

"What?" I say softly.

"I know Romero is watching over you. He's probably telling everyone up there, 'that's my sister right there!" He tells. "I just know he's bragging to everyone about his amazing big sister." His words makes a smile light up on my face.

"Maybe your Nana and Romero are sitting around gossiping about us." He chuckles.

"Probably." He twirls a strand of my hair around his fingers. "Why were you gone for a month Aven?" He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"Remember when Beatrice, your parents, and you and I went out for a business dinner?" I ask. He nods. "You would be idiotic to not notice her competitiveness that evening." I sign. "When Romero died, she started becoming a raging alcoholic." I look down trying to hide the tears, Caden tilted my head toward him and slowly wiped the tears away. "She-" I groan. "Dad was away for businesses and well she would beat me to the point I would become unconscious."

"Where is she now?" He stares into my eyes.

"Prison." I slowly lay back against the couch. Caden follows laying his head on my chest. The both of us quietly sobbing as we hug each other.

I've come to the realization that I can trust Caden with my most darkest secrets.