You promise?

Chapter 15

Char

The photo that Alex has sent me with his parents' tombstone, with the comment that they send me greetings, makes me smile.

My hand goes to my chest, wanting to ease the small pain that appears.

I quickly write to him that I would love to go see them and that, when he feels ready, I would gladly go with him.

I look at the time, mentally scheduling myself with the time I have available to get to Alex's house so I can give him the surprise I've been preparing.

A clap of thunder in the distance makes me look out the window. I frown as I see a large black cloud approaching.

I checked the time on my cell phone again.

"I'd better hurry if I don't want the rain to come for me." I run into the bathroom, putting on the first thing I can find.

I go down the steps to the kitchen, where I've left the iron. I found a forgotten dress in my closet, and after washing it, it didn't look bad on me. I just needed to iron it.

The sound of the door makes me stop in the middle of the kitchen.

My eyes glance at the clock above the kitchen.

"He can't have come so early." I whisper, transfixed, analyzing the footsteps.

My brain thinks faster than my body, because even though I thought I could turn off the iron and take my dress upstairs undetected, a strong hand grabs my wrist.

The sudden tug makes me lose my balance, and I fall from the middle of the stairs down. My head was so close to the iron that it was getting hot.

"Where do you think you're going without greeting your father?" I close my eyes, trying to catch my breath, the blow has knocked it out of me almost completely. My eyes blur for a moment.

I stand up carefully, hiding my dress behind my body.

"Good afternoon, father, I didn't hear you come in." My voice comes out as a whisper, so low I think it was only in my mind. " I'll be in my room studying."

My body turns toward the stairs, begging my legs to run as fast as they can.

But when my father grabs the dress I was trying to hide, the tug causes one sleeve to tear.

My mouth drops open in astonishment, seeing the part of the dress still in my hand.

"Do you think I'm an imbecile? Don't you think I know you're a fucking whore who goes out every night?" My body jolts at those words I've heard so many times already.

My eyes are fixed on the floor, unable to find the courage to raise them.

"Won't you answer me?" My body begins to tremble, my knuckles turning white from the pressure I put on the sleeve of the dress still in my hands.

"I wasn't going out partying today, I..."

"Liar!" The pressure of his finger hurts my forehead, making me cringe a little. "You're a fucking liar like your mother! You have me working day and night like a fucking pig to pander to your whore life! Do you even earn anything? Tell me! Do you earn anything by spreading your fucking legs like your mother did?" A lone tear rolls down my cheek.

My father grabs my face by the chin, forcing me to look into his angry, bloodshot eyes.

"I didn't..." My voice sounds muffled and lifeless.

"But that's what you like, isn't it? Watching me work and work and work for you! While you fuck my best friend! Goddamn it, Astrid! Goddamn it!" My father lets out my face forcefully, sending me crashing to the floor.