Chocolate Covered Strawberries [Remus Lupin]

𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

Chapter seventy-nine; End of suffering

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Because of the shock from hearing Mrs Pearson's voice at the door, Jasmine dropped the possessions in her hands and they fell back into the box. Her mind quickly began making up excuses but what left her mouth was almost laughable. ''Nothing.''

She widened her eyes and tried to cover up the box with clothes as she turned her head to the door. Mrs Pearson gave her an unimpressed look but she didn't move an inch, only leaned with her shoulder on the door frame. Jasmine remembered that half a year ago when she was home for the Christmas holidays, the two of them were in the exact opposite positions. Jasmine was at the door and Mrs Pearson was by her dresser, closing it as if she was hiding something. Was she hiding this box? And if she was hiding it, it must be really important thus interesting Jasmine even more.

When Mrs Pearson raised an eyebrow, the question she asked still unanswered, Jasmine debated what to say. But instead of answering, she asked a question of her own. ''What is this?'' She revealed the wooden decorated box.

Mrs Pearson's eyes moved to the box and back up at Jasmine, though her expression didn't change. She finally moved into the room. ''What are you doing outside your room? How did you escape? Jasmine, if your father finds out –''

''I don't care about dad right now!'' Jasmine raised her voice. ''I was just searching for my wand, which he had no right to take away from me, and I came across this box. It's the same type of box you gave me for my birthday with the ring, I figured it was a jewellery box.''

''It is a jewellery box.'' Mrs Pearson said and stepped even closer to the dresser, trying to seize the box away.

Jasmine moved it behind her back and out of her mum's reach. ''Then why isn't there any jewellery inside? What is all this? I've never seen it.''

''It's nothing.'' Mrs Pearson tried again and reached for the box but Jasmine took a step back.

Hurt washed over her face at the determination of her mum to get the box back. She slowly shook her head. ''You're the last person I thought would hide things from me. And I've had it with the secrets and people hurting me because of those. Mum, please don't play dumb, we're supposed to stick together in this household.''

If Mrs Pearson was offended by any of what Jasmine just said, she didn't show it on her fac. She merely stared at her daughter in silence and it looked like a silent debate was going on inside her head. Jasmine waited for any kind of reaction out of her, but her mum continued to be stoic.

Against her better judgment, she confronted her about another thing. ''I know dad hits you.'' She whispered.

Mrs Pearson at first thought she heard her wrong. She did a double-take at her and once she recognised the saddened expression on Jasmine's face she took a step back from shock. Jasmine was sure her mum was thinking that she hid it well. And as Mrs Pearson tried to argue her point, Jasmine put her hand up.

''Please don't lie. Not to me. I see the signs, I see the bruises on your arms that you so desperately want to hide with your long-sleeved shirts. I see the pain behind your eyes every time after it happens and I see you wince every time dad raises his voice or addresses you in a different way. I know all of this because he hit me too. And not just once.'' Jasmine gulped down and blinked the tears away.

An alarmed expression formed itself on Mrs Pearson's expression. ''David hit you?'' Her voice broke midway through the sentence. ''Where? When?'' She raised her hands to cup Jasmine's face while her eyes flickered everywhere to see any sign of anything wrong with her.