Ethan Landry : Oneshots - Scream 6

Too broken

TW: Mentions of abuse and violence.

I used to believe I was too useless to be worthy of love. Growing up the way I did, with everyone in my family constantly reminding me that I'm nothing but a burden, it's hard not to think like that. That maybe they are right. Maybe I'm useless, only another mouth to feed for my already broke parents.

It took moving out, leaving that environment before I realised that it wasn't right. I call it 'environment', because that's all it ever was. It was never a home for me. I'm simply too broken for anything.

The old man who sat infront of me stared at me with empathy in his eyes. I signed up to therapy when I moved out. I would like to be myself again, not the scared child hiding from her drunk father. The strong women I believe I can become. Or atleast, that's the positive reinforcement that my therapist wanted me to practice.

"How have you been?" I broke the silence and smiled lightly towards the older man. He looked tired, almost like all his knowledge about the human psyche was sometimes too much to carry on his shoulders.

"I've been good, thank you for asking." He said, adjusting his glasses. "But we're not here to talk about me now. Tell me, what has been on your mind lately?"

I mean, what hasn't? I shrugged, not really knowing what would be the right answer. I had been taught when I was a child that I was not supposed to answer honestly when someone asks. Not to be a burden. Only smile and say that 'things are fine, thank you!'.

An hour later I was on my way out of the therapists office, when he spoke up once again.

"I want to help you, but you need to start believe that you also deserve to get help. Which you do, Y/n." He said, smiling. Not pressuring me, only reassuring. A good man. A kind one. I smiled and thanked him, before walking out of the door. I should get home, since it was beginning to get late. I walked with a high pace and took a sharp corner, only to crash into someone, knocking me to the ground.

I looked up from the ground and locked eyes with him. Ethan. We didn't really know each other all that well, but we have some common friends. Blackmore university, everyone knows one another. When he bumped into me, he was startled and his brown eyes widened in surprise.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't see you at all! Of course I see you now but I didn't see you when I walked into... You." He rambled, then suddenly remembered that my butt was still on the ground. He held out a helping hand towards me, but I ignored it and quickly got up from the ground.

"It's okay." I said emotionless, and pulled my jacket closer around my body. Ethan looked at me with his doe eyes.

"Y/n, right?" Ethan leaned his head.

"The one and only." I said in an attempt to be funny.

"You're roommates with Quinn, right?"

"You're right once again," I said, nodding. "I need to get home." I started to walk past him, but then he started saying something, which made me turn around.

"Uhm, I can walk with you to your apartment?" He awkwardly stood there, rocking on his heels. "You shouldn't be walking alone this late."

"Thank you, but I'm good. I'm just gonna-" Then I was interrupted when a too familiar old man walked up to me. I hadn't noticed that he was approaching before he called out my name. I had nowhere to escape and my blood turned to ice. His breath reeked of beer, like it usually does.

"Of course you're here." The man said, laughing coldly. "Talking shit about your family to your little therapist again?"

"Dad," I started and took a deep breath while crossing my arms across my chest. "I've told you that I don't want to meet you again. Just go home, get some sleep and leave me alone."

Putting up boundaries against the man who had abused me during my childhood was the hardest thing I had ever done. But it was necessary. The old drunk staggered, obviously not sober. Not that he ever was.

I turned my head against Ethan, who just stood behind me, looking quite out of place.

"Bye Ethan." I said in an attempt to get him to leave. I didn't want him to see how my dear 'dad' was acting.

"Wow, is that your boyfriend? I always knew you were a whore, like your mother was. Nothing I could have done would have saved you from her bad genes." Dad's words was like daggers to my heart. So casually cruel in the name of being honest, according to my dear 'dad'.

Before I could even say something, Ethan suddenly pushed the man into the alley. Ethan jumped him and straddled him. The brown haired boy was beating him up, giving out punch after punch. Then I saw blood out of my dads mouth. He was either too drunk or too weak to defend himself against the enraged Ethan.

"You don't talk to her that way!" Ethan yelled, delievering another punch. I blinked, frozen in place.

"Stop, you're killing him!" I yelled, making Ethan look over his shoulder against me. I had never seen this side of Ethan before. It was like he was a different person. His once doe eyes had turned cold and unknown. But seeing me somehow made him calm down. He started breathing heavily, obviously exhausted after beating up my old abuser. Ethan got up from the ground. Who the hell is this guy?

I looked down on my 'dad', he was still breathing. The old man quickly stood up and while swearing he ran away, simultaneously giving me a death glare. My gaze went back to Ethan. Then I saw his bloody knuckles.

"Are... Are you okay?" I asked Ethan. It was hard to feel empathy for 'dad' who had left me bloody before. In a sick way, watching Ethan beat him up felt like... Justice.

"I..." Ethan looked down on his hands. "You shouldn't have seen this." He tried wiping the blood off on his jeans. I carefully walked a few steps closer. Ethan observed me, but didn't move away. My brain was yelling at me to get away from this boy. He was obviously capable of violence, just like my dad. But for once, it wasn't directed towards me. I slowly took his hands into mine, they were sweaty and Ethan looked at me like I was the freak here.

"We should get those cleaned." I said, as a matter of fact. "Come with me, we can clean your hands at my place."

Ethan didn't protest, only quietly walked beside me. I had always believed I was too broken to deserve love. But now I know that I'm not the only broken person here. I glanced at Ethan. Maybe there is hope for me afterall.