Broken//5sos ✔️

16.

i walked inside to see mom sitting on the couch with tears in her eyes.

"what does he mean i don't know the whole story?" i spoke firmly.

mom looked at me with sad eyes before sighing.

"you don't know the whole story. it means exactly what it means. he isn't as bad as i painted him." mom spoke stiffly.

"you told me he was abusive. was he really? you told me i shouldn't have a relationship with him because he's abusive." i spoke completely shocked that this was even being discussed.

"he wasn't. he was a good guy. he just couldn't handle my mental health and i didn't want to lose you so i painted him as a terrible person. i'm sorry charlotte." mom spoke as tears rolled down her face.

"you're fucking with me right? how could you?" i spoke softly as i backed away from her.

"baby no please i'm sorry. i won't lie again." mom spoke as she stood up and slowly walked towards me.

"you just did." i mumbled as i turned around and started to run away.

i got down the driveway before luke caught up to me and grabbed my wrist tightly.

"don't do this. don't run away. it will only make things worse." he warned as he held my arm tightly.

"all i ever do is run away, so just let me." i spit out as i struggled to tear my arm away.

ashton bent down in front of me and looked me dead in the eyes, "stop. think about what you're about to do. this isn't right. luke is telling you the truth so just calm down and come back inside." ashton spoke firmly.

i gave him one final look to let me go and saw luke wasn't going to let me go, so i gave up and nodded stiffly.

"thank you." ashton sighed as he walked back inside with me.

he directed me to the couch where michael was sitting with my mom who was sobbing into his shoulder.

"baby it's okay. she's right here." michael spoke softly as he directed mom to look at me.

"b- "don't apologize just explain." i spoke coldly as i stared at her.

michael stood up and dragged luke and ashton out of the room. calum was already upstairs. he wasn't very comfortable with the situation, but who would be?

"your father and i had no problems in our marriage until your grandfather died. he was my best friend and i could never recover from it. i started cutting and some days i just couldn't get out of bed. he tried to help me at first, but the more he tried, the worse i got. it was terrible. he didn't leave us, i left him first. i distanced you and i from him and made you believe a lie which i shouldn't have and i'm so sorry." mom whispered.

"i just didn't want to lose you. i know you would have picked to live with him, why shouldn't you have? i was a mess. i wasn't a good mother and i'm still not." mom finished as tears poured down her face.

"i wouldn't have left you. i just wish you told me the truth about him. i wish i wasn't so rude to him. i wish i could have known him as more than the man who abused my mother." i spoke firmly.

i didn't have any tears left to cry.

"i understand and i'm sorry. no amount of apologies will ever be enough." mom whispered softly.

"you're right." i spoke back as i stood up and walked away.

i went into my room and locked the door before sinking down to my knees and sobbing.

i felt so hopeless. mom probably felt worse, but i felt like my world was ending.

i felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

calum: i hear you. i'm sorry. do you want a hug?

i unlocked my door and walked over to calum's room and i didn't even have to open the door before he pulled me into a hug and let me cry.

"you're going to be okay love."