Two Of A Kind

twenty eight

Tessa's POV

Why the fuck is she looking at me like that? Is she mad at me for everything that's happened?

"How have you been?" I asked nonchalantly, I can tell she doesn't like me here, or maybe at all, but I really couldn't fucking care less. She forced a fake smile, taking off her coat and resting it on her forearm.

"Good." She replied. Was she at least gonna fucking ask how I've been? I roll my eyes but she didn't see it, she should've though.

"Miyah's upstairs if you want to see her." I said, walking back and standing beside Leo. I look up to see him staring down at me with worry, confusion, and a little anger. I grabbed his hand in assurance, resting it in mine.

"I'd rather not." She muttered under her breath, probably thinking I didn't hear it but I damn well did. I looked at her with anger, my nose scrunched and my brows dropped.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I raised my voice a little, but not giving two shits. Sorry not sorry. Aunt May looked back at me with a repugnant look. She took a small step closer to me.

"What's my problem?" She pointed at my chest. "You two drove my brother to insanity!" She spat, while Aria looked at us with the same look Leo had.

She's got some fucking nerve doesn't she. She'll be lucky I don't knock her unconscious right fucking now. 

"Us? We drove him to insanity?" I shoved her chest back. Call me disrespectful but if she's gonna lay a hand on me first, she better be fucking ready. "He's the one that put us through fucking hell and I'd be damned to go crawling back to his deadbeat ass." I shouted, anger washing over me. Please stay asleep Miyah, don't come see your bitch of an aunty.

She looked down and mumbled a bunch of incoherent words, only feeding to my anger.

"Speak the fuck up." I gritted through my teeth. If she was going to say something, at least say it aloud for fuck sake.

"It should've been you." She said lowly, "It should've been you." And then she walked over to the kitchen.

Sadness washed over me. She went as far to say I should've been dead? I felt nauseous.  My legs functioned before my brain did, and I ran out of the house with tears streaming down my cheeks.

Luckily their gates were still open. I ran right past them and turned left, pushing my legs to run for what felt like forever. 

"Tessa!" I heard Leo shout from a distance. I couldn't see where I was going, my eyes were getting blurrier by the second. I ran and ran, until my lungs and legs gave out. Turning every corner, running around every bush.

I suddenly stop at a park I've never seen before. Maybe Leo won't know it either. I sat down on the swings, memories of my fathers abusing flooding back to me. Memory after memory came back to me. From this first time he ever laid a hand on me, until the very last time.

I couldn't breathe. Did I really deserve to die? Was it supposed to be me? It should've. It was my fault after all. 

I dropped off the swing and onto my knees. Struggling to gain my breath, it was like my airways were closing. Tears streaming down my face while I reminded myself, It should've been me.

Why am I still alive? Aunt May was right, I shouldn't have went to that stupid fucking concert. At least my mama would've been alive.

I gasped for air, but none was passing my lungs. My sobs getting caught in my throat, urging to come out.

"Amore" Leo was worried. He found me. 

He dropped straight to his knees, cradling me in his hold. I felt safe. 

My sobs finally came out, and I screamed. Screamed for my mum, for my old dad, for my family to go back to how it was all those years ago. But it wouldn't fucking happen. It simply wasn't possible.

"I got you amore, let it out." He said softly, running his hands through my hair. I did everything I could to lash out my anger. I cried, screamed, punched, and swore, but it didn't seem like enough. Nothing did.

"It should've been me!" I shouted, my sobs breaking through. My voice shaky as the pain only grew inside. "She was right." My heart hurt, my soul hurt. I threw punch after punch right at his chest as he tightened his hold around me.

"Don't say that amore, you deserve the world and I want to be the one to give it to you. Your piece of shit aunty had no right in saying that, she's lucky I didn't lay a hand on her." He grew angrier as he went on. Only he would go from sad to angry in the blink of an eye. I looked up at him, my eyes bloodshot red. 

"I can't get the memory of him throwing me down the stairs out of my head. I can't get the scene of her dying in my arms out of my head. Why me? It was all my fucking fault." I broke as I let the tears fall freely. My sobs quickened, re-imagining my mother dying in my arms.

It was the worst moment of my life. Knowing I couldn't take the pain away from her, or maybe pulled the piece of metal out of her thigh without her dying of blood loss. If I could, I fucking would in the blink of an eye, but I was useless. There was no way my mama was getting out of death, and It was because I wanted to go to a stupid fucking concert.

I've never listened to one of Miguel's songs ever again after that day. I burned the album my mama gave me the previous Christmas, deleted all of his songs off my phone, and ripped the posters of him right off the wall.

"You've gone through so much amore but you're so strong. You can fall now, but tomorrow pick yourself up and walk with pride. Don't let what she said affect you forever, she hell isn't worth it." He explained, clenching his fists when mentioning her. My sobs calmed down and I grabbed my hand in his, seeing his eyes glisten. He was tearing up. 

"I'm so fucking sorry you went through all that fucked up shit. If I knew of you sooner, I damn well would've rescued you sooner." He vowed, his tear dropping freely. He grew vulnerable in front of me.

I cupped his face in my hands, pressing my forehead against his. My eyes hurt from all the crying, I could tell they were going to be swollen when I woke up tomorrow. I rested my eyes closed, as I heard him sniffle.

"I love you." I whispered. I slowly opened my eyes to see his dark green eyes gazing into my red eyes. I gave him a sad smile as he stayed stuck.

"You don't have to say it back, but I'm not going to hide my feelings from you. I love you Leonidas Ford." I said sincerely. I honestly didn't care if he said it or not, what could I do? Cry? I've done enough of that to last me a fucking lifetime. I would wait until the end of time for him. But I also didn't want to hide my feelings from him, and I shouldn't feel the need to either. We're together, I have nothing to hide.

I dropped myself into his chest, keeping my eyes shut. I felt a sudden tug at my hands, realising he's grabbing a hold of them. He pecks one hand after the other before looking down and kissing my forehead.

"I love you too Tessa Aniston." He said softly. In the midst of a breakdown, I couldn't help but smile.

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Chapter 28 :) 

Another step forwards for Leonidas and Tessa !!

I love you all so much <3