Hearts We Mend To Break (Book I)

.52.

💫GISELLE💫

WHEN MY PLANE TOUCHED DOWN, my stomach flared up in knots. I was nervous to see Aaron, after avoiding his calls and being extremely short with him. Taken over by the fear of my parents being no shows, leaving me stranded at the airport after promising to pick me up when my plane landed, I rubbed my sweaty hands against my jeans. I loathed the idea of me being so many miles away, while Angel sat in Florida alone for the holidays. Wishing I could've stayed with him, but understanding that that wasn't realistic, I fidgeted with my suitcase as I stood on the sidewalk.

"Mom!" I shouted, leaving my suitcase on the curb and running in her direction. I embraced her tightly, feeling like I hadn't seen her in years.

"Oh God! Look at my beautiful girl. You look amazing, Star." She boasted, spinning me to get a better look. "Hassan. Come on. Get out of the car and have a look at our baby." My mom called out to my dad.

I peered around her, trying to get a first glimpse at my father since twelfth grade prom. When he stood tall, dark, and handsome, I made a check on my list of theories. He was healthy. He didn't look like he was sick or dying. Good. He smiled his crooked smile, the one that was always planted on his face when he was questioning my feelings towards him. He seemed completely washed over with guilt. Probably from standing me up.

"Hi dad." I greeted him softly.

"Hi dad? That's how you greet your old man now?" He howled, scooping me up in his long, strong arms and squeezing the dear life out of me.

We spent more than enough time holding up traffic, embracing each other. The one fear I had of returning home seemed to have turned out better than I expected. All I could think of during my four hour flight was if my parents would actually be there to receive me or if they'd leave me waiting, watching car after car pickup their loved ones; hugging, embracing, showing all the love I deserved while I waited an endless amount of time for no one to ever show up. I replayed nightmares like that over and over as anxiety took over my subconscious. And then, to my surprise, it went nothing like that.

"Are we having family over for Thanksgiving? What are our plans?" I asked from the backseat of my mother's G-Wagon.

"We are hosting this year. We're expecting more than just family."

"Mom?"

"Star, don't start."

"So, we're not doing the whole 'family gathering' thing? We have to turn this into business, yet again?"

"I don't hear you complaining about how this 'business' is funding your college career. How you spend as you please with that damn card. You never complain about that part."

I didn't say anything. The manipulation and gaslighting never ceased to make its way into our disagreements. Instead of entertaining their insults and attempts to make me conform, I sat in that lonely backseat, watching the lights flash by as we made our way to my childhood home. Every sigh that escaped my lungs filled my space with my harsh reality. Why must I be so optimistic, giving people who have let me down chance after chance to prove my perceptions of their character right? Why must I torture myself, accepting the treatments I was subjected to from birth? I should've stayed my ass in Florida.

I took out my phone, texting Angel, Max, Zack, Sevyn, V, and Loki. They'd all made it to their destinations safely. Loki went on to complain about his lonely, empty mansion and absent parents. He and I were so much alike, and I was sad it took so long for me to figure that out.