If We Lasted Forever | BOOK 2 ✔️

28 | Untold

"I wish you told me how you felt that night, now I'll never get to change your mind"
- Part Of Me by Cian Ducrot
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Caleb Aron Carpenter

I arrived at my cousins's house and I couldn't get out of the car. I wanted to have the conversation but it felt like suddenly I wasn't ready. I was scared.

I got out of the car. That was a step towards the right direction right? I just stood there. I didn't want to ring the doorbell. How do I explain why we cut contact? How do I go to them now when I need something?

"How long are you planning on just standing there?" I heard someone ask. I turned around and saw Camilo looking at me with tired eyes. He looked a lot like Elijah but perhaps a bit healthier.

"Is Dante home?" I got the courage to ask him. "How would I know, I'm not home?" he says giving me a smile. "Well come on in I suppose" he says grabbing some groceries from his car. I do as he says and follow him inside.

"Their cars were outside so they must be here somewhere" Camilo says referring to both of his brothers. "I'm sorry we haven't talked since the funeral" I blurt out. He stops and looks at me.

"Nothing new" he then says and makes his way to the kitchen. I follow him. As he's putting away the groceries footsteps can be heard approaching.

"I see we have guests" Dante's voice sounds. Camilo gives him a quick nod and continues his task. Dante signals for me to follow him to the living room. We sit down on the couches.

"Adriano is busy today" he says. "I'm not here for him, I was hoping to talk to you and Cam" I say. He makes a somewhat impressed face. "Camilo! Come here!" he shouts.

Once Camilo has sat down Dante speaks again. "Surprise us"
Camilo looks confused. "I wanted to ehm talk about that night" I approach the very much sensitive subject. Dante nods letting out a quiet laugh, Camilo just looks down. "Well shoot" Dante says.

"When me and Elijah got there, you were arguing" I start. "You wanted her to tell us something" I continue. "Ah yes, I was wondering when you'd ask" Dante says. "What didn't she want us to know?" I asked.

"She said it wasn't my story to tell, however that was before she jumped off a bloody cliff" Dante says. Camilo just keeps quiet. He seems to flinch slightly every time we mention Kiara.

I let Dante continue. "I think she regretted telling me" he says. "God she was so stubborn, had she just told you what was wrong she would possibly be alive right now" he laughs a little to himself.

"What was so bad?" I asked again. Dante takes a minute to think. "Chad raped her" he then blurts out. Camilo's eyes darken along with mine. I wasn't expecting that. "When?" I ask desperate to know more now.

"The day she ran away for good" he says standing up and walking to the kitchen. He comes back with a beer. "The day she called y'all to come to his house, she told me everything. I suggested to tell you guys and that's when she sped off" he continues.

"She said she was guilty, that she let him do it" his words make no sense. "How did she let him do it?" Camilo asks the question that was on my mind too.

"She let him do it to protect you. At least she thought she was protecting you. He tricked her, used her. She didn't want to tell you because she thought it would hurt you" he explains looking at me.

My head is in my hands. My baby sister was raped by that son of a bitch and we never knew. And she let it happen because she thought she was protecting us.

"Oh and another thing. According to her 4 different men had raped her. She only told you about one and when I asked how many of them anybody knows about she said that now it was two. I don't know who the other two were and what happened but I know it happened to her 4x more than it should happen to anybody" he says closing his eyes.

I'm horrified. Horrified by the men in our society. Horrified by the new information. Horrified by the fact that she suffered alone. And suddenly I understood her. I understood why she wanted to die and why she did. I knew now.

I couldn't save her. But I have a brother that is going through the worst depression of his life. And he hasn't been raped (as far as I know). I can save Elijah. I want to save Elijah.

Somebody needs to pull him back from the deep end. He needs to live. We can't lose anybody else.

Kiara Athena Carpenter

I woke up on the cold floor. I have no idea how much time had passed. I somehow managed to sit up straight. Dizziness overcame me once I stood though. I had to hold onto the wall for support. I wasn't in a lot of pain. Just the usual amount.

I caught myself in the mirror. The girl looking back at me was weak and looked tired. I had gained weight. I looked down at my arms, my scars were fading. I had let myself go.

I didn't even notice the door opening. "Oh thank God you're okay. You wouldn't answer so I went to look for a bobby pin to unlock the door but there were like none in this house so now three hours later I finally found one" he ranted.

I felt empty looking at him. His words made sense but I wasn't interested in understanding them.
He walked up to me carefully grabbing my hands and checking my wrists. He then pulled me into a hug.

"I'm proud of you" he mumbled into my hair.
"I didn't do anything" I say with my raspy ass voice.
"Exactly" he said hugging me tighter.

"What the fuck even happened?" I questioned. He pulled away.
"Would you be interested in going on a date with me?" he then blurts out like a psychopathic maniac.
"A date?" I ask.
"Yes, you know the one where we go out and have a good time and then agree to go on a second date" he explains with a cheeky grin.

"Fine, we can go on a date" I agree.

Dante Santoro

I think I understand why Kiara wanted to keep it a secret. I'm watching Caleb look like an abandoned puppy and it makes me sad. That girl loves too much. She always has.

I replay the event of that night in my mind a lot. Trying to find plot holes or clues on what I could've done differently. Was there a way to save her?

I could've just kept it to myself and told her brothers later instead of trying to convince her to. I could've tried harder to calm her.

Yet there's nothing I can change now. She is dead. Lying somewhere along with the Titanic and those rich idiots from the submarine. She is probably making eyes at Jack as we speak.

"May she rest in peace" I say earning glances from Caleb and Camilo. Both eyes were filled with sadness and guilt. The sad fact is that there was no way to help her. Dominic tried... he died trying.

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It makes me so sad. She is in Estonia trying to love a man while her brothers are full on wrecks over her 'death'. They probably hate me.

Also mental health is important, take care of yourselves! If you need somebody, I reply to all of my messages and am here for you!

Drink water and eat food!

Have a great rest of your whatever!

Love ya <3