Misfits (#2)

33.

Violet.

I was desperate to see Ev before I leave for France tomorrow night. There's no other explanation asides from the fact I'm way too reliant on his company. I want him when he's not with me.

But I've been careless. It's catching up to me now, even after waiting at my desk or by the window most of the day for him. The manor's been doing well without the sounds of screaming or arguing for a while, until tonight. It's Grayson, and it's mom and they've been at each other's throats for hours now.

Everest can't see all of this. He can't.

Grayson only instigates her this much when he's drunk and I'm not sure if it's true but mom claims to have ceased drinking since Sage cut off any supply to liquor. Grayson freely drinks outside or at parties, uncaring of trying to be sober.

I don't know what the argument's about but it's never-ending. Sage and Azure aren't at home either. Occasionally, Sage takes our youngest brother along when he has business and today was one of those days.

I was hiding alone until a familiar knocking sounds out on my window. My hands are shaking, my pulse is erratic and I know with one glance, Everest will realise something's wrong.

But unlike all the other times I've pushed him away, or run from him, this time's different. There's a deep part of me that wants to open that window and collapse in his arms. I hate the sound of screaming and I am so goddamn tired of it always returning.

God, everything's been so good lately. Why today? Why today, why today, why today.

I'm not getting rid of Everest because mainly, I don't want to. Apprehension is still thick in my bones. If he walks into my room, he'll hear the shouting and he'll worry for me.

He never admits it but I know that he can tell - that I cover up the scar on my jaw. Light makeup does the trick and sometimes, he'll try and ask me but I'll divert. All he knows is that it was an accident, like I told him when we were on the poolside that night.

Everest wants to push. He wants to know why I hide so much. It feels like I'm now met with confrontation and there's no way of running from him.

I try and think but there's only one thing I can possibly come up with. It's stupid and it's gonna make me look insane but now that Everest's been privy to a lot of my stupider thoughts, I feel less insecure. I hurry over to my bedside table, pulling it out before walking over to the window.

It's nearing summer and it's freaking raining nevertheless, the weather always tempestuous around here. It dowses Everest who crouches on the slanted roof with his hood up.

I grunt as I lift the window and without saying a word, I yank him towards me and pull the thick earmuffs over his ears. They cancel a lot of noise out. Everest looks at me like he's scared I've lost my mind.

"Hi." I say, not realising that I'm half-leaning out the window and the rain pelts down on me too. It spills in the air between us, the sky a deep grey and the trees behind us a deep green, enriching the atmosphere with that unique, dewy scent.

Everest pushes back his wet hair, "Hi."

It's only now that I realise what's settling into the very fabric of my bones. Relief. That he's here because as much as I want to hide it all from him, if mom were to hit me tonight, someone would protect me. It's not until that relief hits me that I also realise how scared I was.

I swallow down the emotion rising in my throat and let Everest crawl inside. A glance over my shoulder ensures that my bedroom door's locked-

I'm lifted up by my thighs. My only option is to close them around Everest's lower back, my hand pressed to his chest in shock.