Breathe (Cheryl Fanfic)

Chapter 117

Author's POV
Simon sent Athena and Cheryl home so they could take a rest from that incident earlier. Eric stayed with his father insisting that he would like to watch and finish the show so he stayed. And him, he's currently sitting behind the panel with wounded arms as the acts perform. No one asked him why he ran off maybe because the show was still going on but he can sense them looking at him from time to time and it was annoying him.

They had a small commercial break so Eric ran to his father sitting on his lap while the other judges were all looking at him waiting for an explanation.

"What?" He said and they exchanged looks before Mel decided to speak up because she can't get anything with the rest of them.

"Why d'you run off like that? What happened? Why do you have bandages in your hands." Mel asked and at the same time his phone lit up signaling a message. He ignored the question and opened the message from Pete.

Its a picture

His blood starts to boil as he whispered something to Eric before looking up to Mel.

"What happened?" Mel whispered sensing Simon's rage.

"I have to take care of something can you please look out for Eric for a second. I just need to take some calls" Simon said as he stood up guiding Eric towards Mel and before Mel could say anything he was gone leaving Eric behind with her.

"Athena almost got hit by a truck" Eric whispered sadly but it was loud enough for the other judges to hear it resulting gasps.

This was supposed to be an amazing day for him but it was the opposite he's being neglected in some way and he was slowly getting mad at his sister for this. He was slowly realizing that maybe his parents love her more than him.

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As soon as Athena and Cheryl got home. Athena ran to her spot on the garden desperate to tame her voices. She was trying to recall what happened earlier. She sat down on the bench and curled up letting her tears fall.

I'm tired

She tells herself and somehow in the back of her mind she wishes that she should've just got hit by the truck earlier so that all of this will end. Maybe then life will be easier for her parents especially for her brother.

Cheryl took her time to breathe grabbing a glass of wine drinking it straight letting the alcohol burn down her throat. This day is so overwhelming for her and she doesn't know what to do with her daughter now that she's getting worse. She was close to death earlier and she can't get it off her mind.

What if Simon didn't caught her in time. The thought just sends goosebumps all over her body and it makes her sick. She downed another glass before her phone goes off. She glanced at it to see Simon calling so she answered it right away.

"Cheryl, have you seen the picture?" Cheryl was confused on what Simon is talking about. She drank another glass before taking a seat by the counter.

"What picture?"

"There's a picture of what happened with Athena earlier-"

"What!" Cheryl exclaimed. She was fuming. Her daughter was put into the limelight again and its making her blood boil. She doesn't deserve any of this.

"F*cking paps!" She's had enough and tired of the paps and with them harassing her family.

"I'm so pissed off right now Simon. First, our marriage. Second, they're snooping on our daughter. What's next Eric?! I'm sick of those bloody b*stards-"

"Cheryl, I need you to calm down-"

"Calm down, you expect us to calm down. When my daughter was about to get hit by a truck and is all over the f*cking internet! How am I suppose to calm down?" Simon was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He's not gonna lie that he's in the same state as her but at the same time he was partly blaming himself for all of this because if he didn't even asked in the first place none of this would've happened.

Simon waited for his wife to calm down by not saying a single thing. Cheryl didn't spoke after that but he can hear her heavy breaths on the other no line.

"Babe" Simon whispered but Cheryl didn't respond and it was his signal to talk.

"I reported the picture and made Pete delete it from the media. I'll take care of this darling. I promise." Simon's calm voice soothed Cheryl and somehow ease her anger but the way Simon's voice cracked in the end lets her know that he's. just keeping it in.

"And I'm sorry. All of this is my fault" Cheryl never did respond because a part of her maybe blames Simon too for all of this and her silence made Simon think that maybe he's right maybe its his fault.

"I'll take care of this. I'm sorry" And with that the line went dead. Simon didn't even gave Cheryl a chance to talk back maybe because the thought of all of this is his fault made his heart heavy and that he failed again sending him a step back again but he did took care of it and just put the thought in the back of his mind.

Cheryl sighed letting out a groan before drinking the wine in front of her straight from the bottle. She was getting tired to be honest, with everything that's been going on sometimes she just wishes to have a little break from it all. Its driving her insane how f*cked up their lives are in the moment and she just want to breathe.
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Athena stayed in her room all day just reflecting on everything. Lights are turned off and she felt like she was back on that attic. Shadows surrounds her, but she lets them take over. But its not doing her any good. She started to question everything maybe because she was so tired and exhausted of trying so hard every single day to pretend that everything's okay. That she can fight her shadows and the voices in her head. She's beginning to think that she's just a huge burden in the family. Never saw them happy for a while.

Her Mam, she knows she's struggling with her and maybe with her Dad too. She can see that but she never spoke anything about it maybe because she doesn't want to think about it.

Her Dad, never saw a true smile from him for a while now. She thinks its because of her too. He and mam are starting to have fights more than the usual.

Her brother, maybe Eric is starting to hate her. He should though because she thinks she's taking all the attention of her parents when he should be having it all. She feels so bad about it and with the fact that she broke a promise to him just earlier didn't help a bit.

She questions everything even her life. Why did she even lived when everything is falling apart right in front of her eyes. Maybe it was better if she died that night before she was found. Maybe she might have found her peace. Maybe her parents have moved on and everything turned out completely different. Maybe it was better if she's gone. She had her chance earlier, if she got hit by the truck then everything will change but no, the reality is her family is struggling because she's still alive and that makes her mad. So mad.

Thoughts? Comments?