A Way Back To You

28| Accident

Definition: An unforeseen event which typically results in damage or injury. 

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Trigger warning: This book deals with mentions and implications of abuse, mainly physical but potentially sexual. While the latter is never descript, reader discretion is still advised.

Note: Discussion of SA mentioned at beginning of chapter. If you are uncomfortable, please skip. If you need to speak with someone, please dm me. You are not alone. 

With Maddy.

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Everyone knows. 

Everyone. Kaiko's going to tell everyone and you can't do anything about it. 

Maddy had been sitting at the table for too long. Her vision was blurring and if she didn't do something to calm herself down soon, she was going to end up jumping across the table and murdering Ant's mother. 

She doubted that would go down well. 

It didn't help that her brain was tormenting her endlessly. She tried to argue back. Only Will and Kaiko, and Finn, and Fontaine knew. At that point maybe she should've stopped saying 'only they knew' and switched it to 'only Ant didn't know.' 

It hurt that the one person who needed to know, who eventually she wanted to tell, didn't have a clue that everyone else in the room couldn't keep their mouths fucking shut and stay out of her business. Heck, even Ariana knew, and that wasn't because she'd told the girl but because she didn't have to. Ariana had gone through hell for someone as young as she was. It shouldn't have been evident to such a small child, but it was. 

And if Kaiko opened her mouth again, Maddy was going to kill her. Discomfort itched under her skin as she waited to see where Ant was sitting. He didn't have the chance to offer to help her sit, though, because Will made an effort to sit away from her for 'comfort's sake' and Maddy wanted to murder Kaiko in the most painless was possible. 

Apparently, Kaiko seemed to sense this. Maddy glared at the woman as she sat down. 

As the rest of the family sat, with Maddy beside Ant and Ariana to her other side, the meal began with little fanfare. Jaq, as always, kept everyone entertained with grand stories about his discoveries as a young man, and Finn was quick with jokes aimed to keep the mood light. Knowing her brother, he'd have hated being in such a big house where he felt out of place. 

Maddy admired his calmness in spite of that. Especially since she felt like a cat with it's class embedded into the table. "Maddy?" Ariana's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "You o-okay?" 

"I'm fine, baby girl. Sorry, I've got a slight headache." Maddy apologised, not lying. "Do you need something?" 

"No, b-but you look sad." Ariana said. "I sowwy you sick." 

"It's okay." Maddy whispered. "Nothing a coffee can't fix. I'm fine." 

And she had to be. Because she'd promised herself that she'd not give into the temptation to run from the situation. Because there was one of two ways that this could go; and Ariana was more than likely to copy whichever she chose as time passed, especially if she ever ended up in a similar situation when she was older. 

Maddy would've picked the first option normally. She would've ripped Kaiko a new one in front of everyone, would've happily called the woman out and left because why was she even trying with someone who was never going to respect her boundaries?