ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴠɪᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ sᴀʟᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏

❝The pressure keeps building up as I try to distract myself. But ultimately fail. 
I look around at the empty shell of a home, once so full of life...
And I wonder where it all went wrong...
Where did those harsh words come from? 
When did those fists form? 
When did hate become our new normal? And love turned into a beautiful memory? 
When did that blade become so mesmerizing? 
When did our lives fall apart around us, as I desperately try to catch the broken pieces? 
But just end up with arms full of scars, 
And shards of your past mistakes.❞

-Alexandra Archer, "Forgotten over time"

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓

There was an almost constant buzz of sound in our house. Whether it be the amusing arguments started by Fin about who ate the last cookie, the protests of Aaron when he loses a game or the lulling sounds of Alex's acoustic guitar; all in all, the house was always alight with life. 

Except on the occasions when we're all in the same house as her. 

I was very careful to try and encourage the twins to have as much activities as they like so they could be out of the house the most out of all of us. And persuaded Aaron to spend time with his friends or to sleep over at their place.

But I cannot be prepared for her odd hours of sensibility where she's sober enough to remember she had a house and children. It was then when she took whatever guy was with her and made our lives living hell. 

And I knew that tonight was one of those as soon as I saw her beaten up dark blue car in our parking lot. 

My hands shook slightly as I hastily opened the door. Panic making my heart beat against my ribcage in urgency. I sprinted up the flight of stairs, taking them two by two, finally getting to our apartment, I struggled with fitting the keys in with the excessive shaking of my hands. 

The first thing I noticed was the silence that spoke to me in volume. Scanning around for any sign of life, I saw the door of the kitchen open and a warm light coming from within. 

Walking carefully towards it, I opened it slowly, cautious not to make too much noise. 

My muscles tensed up, ready to spring at the sight in front of me; my mother sitting at the dining room table with my brother at the other end. She was smiling sweetly at him but it turned into a scowl as soon as she saw me standing there in the doorway. 

Not paying her much mind at the moment, I looked over at my brother, inspecting him from head to toe. Catching my stare, he sent me a reassuring smile that made me relax a little. 

"What are you doing here?" I directed my stare at her angered form, my voice cold.

"This is my house, girl. You better remember that before you even think about disrespecting me," she spit back at me. 

I bit my lip, trying to keep in a bitter and dark laugh, "It seems like you can't even remember that yourself on your best days, mother."

She stood up abruptly, making the chair fall behind her. Hiding my flinch, I looked at her in eye, not having any intention to back down with my brother in the room.