Under My Skin

~ Chapter Eight ~

"I'm gonna let go."

We hung up a curtain in the back so we could all eventually change. I was in the front, my eyes messy with tears that had fallen an hour ago.

My mascara running down my face and my hand clinging onto the inhaler like it was dear life. My other hand was preoccupied in Kieran's whom refused to leave me alone even for a second.

"Alright Em it's your turn." Athalia informed us. I went to go back only for his grip on my hand to tighten keeping me in the front.

"Kieran it's 2am I'm tired and uncomfortable and I'm so fuc-" he interrupted my frustrated rant. "You can go back if you let me come with you. I'll close my eyes." He promised.

Normally I would argue and call him a pervert, but I'm done with this day already. The car stopped abruptly making me almost slam my head into the dash. I would have to if Kieran hadn't held his arm in front of me.

His muscles flexed when he restrained me to the seat. The veins popping out noticeably on his tattooed arms. Along with his scar in which he's had since he was born.

I unbuckled my seat belt taking myself from my seat and to the back. Kieran followed after me telling Scorpius to take the wheel. I sat behind the curtain, my friends just on the other side of it. The van started up again yanking us back onto the highway.

He turned away from me his eyes closed even though he hadn't even been facing me. I stripped from my dress all of the bruises still painting my dark pigmented skin. Kies back muscles flexed as he leaned forward.

I studied how his shoulders tensed and how his head almost brushed the roof of the van. I wondered what would've happened in the restroom the other day if he hadn't walked out or if I had stayed in bed the first night we stayed in California.

Would things have been different? Would he keep dreaming about me? Would he have kissed me in the restroom the other day? "Kieran..." I whispered. He moved his head to the side. "Turn around." I told him. He turned around immediately being faced with my body the only thing covering me was the black bikini.

Which was too skimpy, too small, and showed too much. His eyes trailing down every part of me. He didn't look surprised or disgusted but he looked as if he was concentrated. I crawled across the van to him, straddling his lap my hands went to his face. Our eyes only on eachother.

"Ember...I don't have the willpower...to stay away from you anymore..." Kieran slowly stumbled over his own words. My breath had hitched in my throat.

"Kieran, find the willpower." I demanded lifting myself from his lap throwing on one of Scorpius's long t shirts and a pair of shorts. I stepped through the curtain, taking my rightful seat at the front and sitting beside Scorpius with a grin.

"What's got you so happy?" Scor wondered. "Oh just a little payback, that's all." I reassured taking his free hand in mine. Kieran appeared from the back of the curtain his eyes darting to Scorpius's hand in mine and then to the smirk playing on my lips.

My phone rung in my bra seconds later. When I took it out the name Papa Bear came up on the screen. It was my dad. "Hi daddy." I greeted while putting the phone up to my ear.

"Hey pumkin!" He spoke through the phone. "Is everything alright?" Everyone went quiet trying to listen in on the conversation. "Oh yeah everything's fine, I just was wondering when you'd be home. I miss you." My father reassured.

"We should be back home in a couple hours, 7 hours at the latest." I informed him through the phone. "Alright I'll be up and ready to see you when you walk through the door." He told me and I could tell he was smiling, and so was I.

"Alright I'll see you then, I love you daddy." I sent him a kiss into the speaker. "I love you too pumkin." The phone line went quiet as the call ended. "Everyone try and get some rest." Athalia told us.

"Yes mam." I saluted her. "Sweet dreams guys!" Lilah cooed. "Love you, night!" Bella announced next before lying down on her pillow. We all said our good nights before passing out. Scorpius driving while the rest of us slept off the last couple hours of shit.

"Daddy!" I sobbed. My father came running down the steps of the mansion to the driveway. I was on the hard concrete ground my knees and hands scraped after I had just fallen off my bike.

"Awww it's okay pumkin." He reassured picking 6 year old me up in his arms and kissing my forehead. "I don't want to ride my bike anymore." I cried out. My father kissed my palms gently blowing on the scrapes before smiling lightly at me.

"Pumkin if you give something up first try without giving it another shot you won't experience any of the good things in life." He always knew how to motivate me. "Come on let's try again, okay?" He questioned setting me to the ground.

I nodded my head in agreement getting back on my white bike which had streamers on the ends of the handles. I peddled off wobbling but I never stopped because I knew my dad was holding onto the end of the bike keeping me safe.

"I'm gonna let go." He warned me. "No!" I pouted my big green eyes widening. And with that he let go and I kept going. He cheered me on until I finally stopped and let my bike drop running back to him and throwing my arms up.

He threw me up holding onto me by my sides yelling. "Yeah Emmy!" Then someone shook my shoulder waking me up.

"Em we're back home." Kieran informed me. I nodded and look at the clock in was 7:43 am. I left my bags in the car running inside to see my dad. I opened the door, my eyes searching for the comfort of my father but instead I found the complete opposite.

My dad was lying in a pool of his own blood, lifeless on the carpet. A gunshot wound to his head.

I let out a deafening scream, falling to my knees at the door. The agonizing pain shooting through my limbs as my hand rose up to my mouth shaking just above it.

The parents came running down the stairs and my friends jogging into the house all stopping once they saw him.

"Daddy!" I cried out so loudly and so painfully it made every single person in the room cringe. Mister Riddle had tears welling up in his dark eyes as he felt my father pulse.

He faced me, shallowing harshly. "I'm so sorry Ember..." he turned away from me.

I'm so sorry Ember.
I'm so sorry Ember.
I'm so sorry...