The Red Bow [Chaelisa]

36. Take my breath away

A/N: double update for certain someone who asked earlier;)

The Honda Accord was parked in front of the old Park home without a hint of gentleness. Chaeyoung skidded with the car and had barely turned off the headlights, got down, slamming the door hard and walking quickly into the house determinedly with a frightened Alice in pursuit. The house was dark and the blonde woman barely bothered to place the lights, then she crossed the room and went up the stairs, skipping the steps and heading straight for Rosalie’s room.

"Rosie, I don’t think …"

Alice barely finished speaking and Chaeyoung opened the bedroom door with all her strength. Rosalie was in her same position as always, half sitting with her back against the headboard, her eyes fixed on the TV screen and the comforter covering her body.

Chaeyoung stopped in the middle of the room and stared at her mother for a while, wondering how she could lie so long with something as serious as the subject of Lisa.

“Mother,” she called and was not intimidated when Rosalie looked at her. “Did you know that Lisa exchanged letters with Dad?"

Unlike Alice and Jules, Rosalie had no reaction. Her hands remained trapped in the comforter and her emotionless eyes studied her daughter. Alice entered the room and stopped beside Chaeyoung, then Rosalie nodded.

"She’s a good girl.“ the woman said and Chaeyoung rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you already told me.“ she replied with sorrow. “Where are the letters?"

At that very moment, a sound of a car engine appeared on the ground, drawing the attention of the women in the room. Chaeyoung approached the bed, her eyes already red and filled with hurt she felt from the people she trusted the most all this time.

"Where are the letters?" She asked again and more firmly in her voice. Rosalie turned her face slowly and pointed at the wardrobe. “Are they in here?“ The blonde asked to open the first door and Rosalie nodded again.

"The box.“ the woman instructed and Chaeyoung saw the only white box in the corner with a sticker on the lid written “Don’t open.”

Carefully, Chaeyoung picked up the box on her lap feeling like she was holding her whole world and walked over to the bed, sitting with her legs crossed. When Jules took off the cover, Jules appeared at the door and stood static beside Alice, wide-eyed, tousled hair and uneven breathing.

"Stay where you are.“ the blonde warned without taking her eyes off the cake of cards held by an elastic band. Her heart barely held up in her chest and left her whole body on alert.

The three pairs of eyes were turned to Chaeyoung, and Chaeyoung was stuck in the letters. What surprised her the most when she took the letters was what she found below, forgotten over time like a piece of her life put in a box. Nobody dared to say anything when the blonde took another pack out of the box, this time a pack of Polaroid photos. Photos that she knew very well. With a sinking heart, Chaeyoung took the first photo and analyzed it. Lisa and she lying on the ranch lawn, Lisa had her eyes closed and her nose wrinkled while Chaeyoung kissed her neck and with her right hand held the Polaroid. The second photo was the first that the blonde took of the Thai. It was in Chaeyoung’s room the night took her to dance in the bandstand. In the photo, Lisa had her hands in front of her face hiding from the photo. The third photo was Lisa playing the guitar with Chaeyoung just behind the chin against the Thai’s shoulder and her distracted expressions, this photo had been taken by Jennie in one of the many times they met.

(Play on the song William Fitzsimmons & Priscilla Ahn – I don’t feel it anymore)

That famous upset stomach and Chaeyoung’s fast beating made her jump for the cards. Ignoring the other presence in the room, the Blonde took the first letter out of the envelope and began to read, thus allowing her tears to fall.