Fractured

Chapter 14

One day. One day before my birthday. Two days of a phone full with missed calls from Rowan. Here I am standing outside our house, not ready at all to step in.

I open the door and walk in. Lord, it's quiet. I go to our bedroom and see him sleeping on our bed. He looks so perfect, free from the world. Suddenly his eyes open startling me causing me to move back and his arms to wrap around my legs. He buried his face in my legs causing his words to be muffled. "You do know I have no clue of a word you're saying right?" I say.

He pulls me closer making me fall on his body. He smells my hair and brushes it out of my face. "I'm sorry. I keep screwing up. I'm the asshole and the possessive one. I don't know what's wrong with me, but please forgive me?."

"Fine, only because I don't want us to fight the day before my birthday." I say smiling widely. His eyes widens before he grins and says "You're going to love my present."

"Hmm. I'll take your word for it." I said before giggling loudly because of him tickling me in the stomach. "I swear. I'll kick. STOP. I'll kick either intentionally or unintentionally." I let out gasping between each word because of the wheezes slipping out of my mouth. He finally stops.

                                                         ...

It's been a few hours since I put all my stuff away and have been reading Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi. God Aaron Warner and Kenji Kishimoto are the loml. I love Juliette too. To be her. My reading gets cut off when Rowan walks in the room. I don't even put the book away as I say "Yes?"

"Come on. Up. Get ready. We're going to see my parents."

I immediately put my bookmark in the book and my annotating book away. "I've been waiting for this moment forever."

"Well hurry up or it won't last long."

                                                                    ...

Once we reach this house I turn and ask him a question I forgot to ask when we left the house. "You never told me your parents lived in Italy too."

"I forgot. Let's go. Also don't sit next to anyone but me and unless I say you can go somewhere than go. Trust me, okay?" he asks

That's a bit weird but I said "Okay." anyway.

When we rang the doorbell an older male and female opened it with bright smiles on their faces. I could tell they were kind and good people. "She's even prettier in person." the woman gushed. "Indeed she is. Welcome back home son." the man said, causing me to blush and who is supposedly his father. "We won't be here for too long." Rowan said, making his parents frown but only for a second before letting a smile take over again.

As we came into the house his father led us to the living room. I felt my body being squeezed into a hug. "It's so nice to meet you." his mom said. "You too. Mrs.Clay."

"Nonsense, call me Laura." Laura said.

"My name's Daniel. But you can call me Dan or Danny." Danny said. I smiled nodding. I looked around and met Rowan's face. He smiled but his eyes hardened as he gripped my hand and brought me to the couch. His grip was kind of harsh. But I'm sure he's just eager to introduce me to each other and I'm pretty excited too so I feel his eagerness.

"Uhm before we introduce ourselves I'm going to go make some tea. Malia would you mind coming in the kitchen with me and helping." Laura says. I look at Rowan and he nods letting go of his grip on my hand.

I follow Laura into the kitchen to help her as she starts taking stuff out of the cabinets. I look at a frame with two girls in the middle, a guy at the side who I am assuming is Rowan and two parents who seem to be Laura and Danny. I pick it up not being able to help myself. They all look so happy and carefree from what is going on outside in the world. I feel Laura come behind me and point to the girls.

"Those are our daughters. Rowan's sisters. Her name is Claire and her name is Sofia."

"What happened to them?"

"Nothing. They don't talk with Rowan anymore but they still visit us sometimes. They have amazing husbands and kids." she smiles as tears form in her eyes.

"If you don't mind me asking, why don't they talk to Rowan anymore." I ask

"They just, they had their differences." she takes the frame out of my hand gently and takes my hands into hers. Looking into my eyes she says "Do you really love him?"

"Of course I do" I say confused on why his own mother would ask me that.

"Listen as his own mother I can't help but love him but as a person or a woman I despise him. I'm not sharing my reasons why, but if you love yourself and him you would leave. I'm saying this as the woman who knew him from before. You both can find happiness in other places or people, well at least you can. I know for a fact you can. You should leave now, before anything gets worse, if you truly want to be happy you'll know your soul and heart will want to be free." she says leaving me in confusion about why she talked about her own son like that.

She works in silence not asking for my help leaving me to ponder on all of this. There must be a reason, or specific reasons. Once she's done making the tea she asks me to pour it as she takes out a few snacks, of course I put the tea in.

"Shall we go inside?" she asks.

"Yes"

...

After getting to know each other and driving back to our house, I keep thinking about what Laura told me. I look over to Rowan and notice his tight grip on my wrist and steering wheel and how his jaw is clenched.

"Rowan, let go. Let go of my wrist. Let go, you're hurting me." He grips it tighter and I wince. I stare at him and whimper wondering why he's mad. He looks down and lets go and I immediately rub my wrist looking at the marks starting to form and sigh.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Why don't you text on your phone?"

"Huh?"

"So why didn't you tell me you were friends with an asshole that hates me again?"

I open my phone and check the messages, my eyes widening at the texts Quinton sent.

Are you excited for your surprise?

I miss you, ily.

What is your boyfriend not letting you talk to me now? lol

"I was going to tell you-"

"Save it for someone who gives a shit." I flinch at his hard tone. He slams the door and I realize that we reached home. As we enter he pours himself some beer and sits on the couch.

"So you're actually not talking to me?"

"Wow. Pathetic," I say when he doesn't. I go to our room getting ready to sleep when I see my phone light up with a few messages.

Emily

Happy Birthday, love. :) I hope you have a great day tomorrow.

Darren

Happy Birthday! Can't wait for you to see your gift! <3

Emma

I love you, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Quinny

Happy Birthday sweet cheeks. I hope you're not mad at me. You haven't responded the whole day. Can't wait for your surprise! I love you <3.

I text them all back and tell Quinton that I wasn't home which is why I didn't respond. After that I go to bed frowning at the thought of Rowan upset but smile that it's my birthday that fast.

A/N: I'm so egotistical even tho I'm not because I didn't even realize till I made this chapter that I made her birthday the same day as mine. FFS. So what do you think of this chapter and Rowan?