𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙶𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚘

"Happy birthday," Emmaline beamed as she walked into my room. The six-year-old walked over to me. "It was yesterday, right?"

I nodded. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, and I winced involuntarily as pain shot through my back. Her face fell as she backed up from me.

"What's wrong?" she demanded. I pulled my knees to my chest and hid my face in them. She looked concerned. "Is it okay if I pull your shirt up, Rora?"

I nodded, feeling defeated. She pulled the back of my shirt up, gasping at what she saw. I could hear her swallowing a sob.

My five fresh wounds had been bandaged up by my mother. But the other seven were still visible. Three from my third birthday, four from my fourth.

He started on me earlier than Aaron. I'd never been given an explanation as to why. I was just told I was too sensitive.

"Your dad did this?" she asked through tears. "How could he do that to you?"

"Em, you can't tell anyone," I begged, my eyes wide with fear. "He'll kill me. Please, please, don't tell anyone." She nodded, putting my shirt back down.

"You're going to be okay," she promised me, kissing my cheek. "I'll protect you. I won't let him hurt you again. I love you, Rora."

"I love you, too," I replied, smiling gratefully.

Ella and Aaron both came running in, the two of them laughing about something. Ella's smile faded when she saw that Emmaline was crying.

"What is it, Emmaline?" Ella asked, running to her.

"Don't tell her," I begged Emmaline. Aaron's face filled with understanding as he realized what was going on.

"It's okay, Rory," he promised. "Ella already knows." Ella gasped, kneeling in front of me.

"It was your birthday yesterday," she realized, her eyes filled with sorrow.

I nodded, hiding my face in my hands. The three of them fussed over me, making sure I was okay. I didn't like the pity.

"I'm fine, leave me alone," I grumbled. "I just want to be with Em right now."

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     The stars were so much brighter in New Zealand. Now, laying in the grass in the middle of the night, I wanted to stay there forever.

"Look at that one," Emmaline gasped, pointing up at the stars. "I think it's Capricorn."

"My mom could probably tell us," I smiled. "She knows all about this stuff."

"I'm pretty sure it is," she squinted.

"I don't ever want to go home," I sighed, taking her hand in mine. She turned her head to glance at me.

     I sat up at the sound of footsteps, relieved when I saw that it was just my mother. She beamed at us as she sat down by our sides.

"It's far too late for you two to be up," she chastised.

"We wanted to see the stars," I defended.

"Leila, what constellation is that?" Emmaline asked, pointing to the one she thought was Capricorn.

"That's not a constellation at all, sweetheart," Mom laughed. Emmaline shrugged. "Come on, my dears. Let's get you two ready for bed."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆