SINS (Completed)

HARD DECISIONS

The darkness slowly gets darker and stifling by the minute. I feel like running away but every part of my body feels numb. There is a periodic beeping in the background, much like an ECG machine. A gradual panic begins to grow inside me.

Eventually a faded sound enters my ears from a distance that I try to grasp on to. I look around in the darkness, the metallic smell of blood hitting me suddenly. Just on cue, I hear a gut wrenching shout.

Hardin.

The smell intensifies and a coldness starts seeping into my body. There's a muffled cry and scream in Hardin's voice saying the same thing over and over.

"Let her go!"

I wake up with a jolt, in a mess of sweat and nerves. The night lamp glows in my room and it's so eerily quiet that I turn on the AC to hear it's soft whirring.

I plant my palms against my face, breathing deeply. As I think back of the dream I can still remember Hardin's voice vaguely. It strangely sounded like him from that night when he was trapped with Brit. But I don't get why I had to dream of it. That too with an ECG beep.

It's probably because I've been thinking about everything he had said all day today, even as Lily and I prepared for the pageant tomorrow. And because of the way he left, without giving me a clear answer.

I fall back on the bed and look at the clock reading 12:30 am. Which means it's Brit's birthday. I debate on calling her to wish, but then there's high chances of Hardin being with her and I have just had a weird dream about him, so I decide against it.

I'll wish her in person tomorrow.

***

Hardin

"Make a wish!" Trevor chirps beside Brit as she smiles the widest smile, looking back at the more-than-necessary huge cake Angie baked for her herself.

But I guess that's her way of expressing her love. She has been more of a mother to Brit than Mum herself.

I watch Brit bend down to the candles with closed eyes, just as Trevor captures a close up from the side. I chuckle. He is so whipped.

She has a small smile on her face with the soft glow of the candle light shining on it. She looks so angelic, just like the tiny piece of a dimsum she was on her fifth birthday as she cried for half an hour because I stuffed her face in the cake.

I see this girl and I see my world. Well, she and-

She blows out the candles with a laugh and Trevor pops a balloon above her head making confetti fly all around. Angie jumps a little beside Brit and I smile.

"Ohkay first piece, you ready to fall second on the priority list, HS?" Trev claps his hands haughtily while I roll my eyes.

"In your dreams, Matthews. She knows who's first." I declare raising my chin a bit higher, making Angie shake her head fondly at the three of us.

"Technically, it should have been Dad, but I guess that's out of the question."

I look at her, cutting out the piece with a sad, humourless chuckle and my heart writhes in a roar of anger and sadness.

The room enters into a state of silence and awkwardness.

Even if I do forgive that shit head of a man for everything he did to me, I will never forgive him for stealing away Brit's father and her happiness of being in a complete family.

I quietly walk over to Brit's side, Angie moving back to make way for me and take my hand out of my pocket, throwing it around her shoulder.

I let out a deep sigh and Trevor looks at me expectantly.