The Paths We Choose

Chapter 18 (pov lisa)

  We weren't officially a thing, not even close friends, but every night we'd chat until we were both ready to doze off. It was like a routine we stumbled into – "forgetting to hang up" and drifting off to sleep with his voice in my ear.

Even though he was miles away, it felt like he was right there beside me, keeping the monsters at bay and letting me rest easy. And in the mornings, it was back to the daily ritual with Liana, grabbing slushees on our way home and trying to keep up with school.

Finally starting to get my grades back on track felt like a small victory in the midst of a tumultuous time. You know, dealing with depression can be like riding a rollercoaster – you're always waiting for the next drop, the next low point.

But despite it all, those late-night talks became my lifeline, a beacon of light in the darkness. They gave me something to hold onto, a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

As I arrived home with a slushee in hand, I noticed my father's car parked out front earlier than usual. Little did I know what awaited me inside.

Stepping into the house, the sound of glass shattering pierced the air, instantly jolting my senses. "Get to your room," I silently urged myself, but before I could act, my father's presence loomed over me. "Hey, how was your day, daughter?" His words were slurred with the scent of beer. "It was fine, thank you," I murmured, hoping to slip past him unnoticed. Yet, his outstretched arm blocking my path, his unsettling laughter echoing in the hallway. "You know you never really had the same eyes as me, but that could be a coincidence, right?" I'm not sure what he meant by this conversation, but I did not want a part of it.

"You never shared my hair color, but that's another coincidence," he let out a horrifying laugh that sent chills throughout me. "It was all a coincidence until I went to get it checked last week, and your whore of a mother decided to sleep with another man to have you."

As the words left his mouth, shock washed over me. I was overwhelmed with fear from how he was acting. "Well, you came from her. I'm sure you'll go down the same path. I was hoping some of my genes would save you, but that's not happening. You both just use people until they are nothing. Look at me, such a good person turned to shit," another laugh left his body.

A tear streamed down my face. "Oh, I'm sorry. Have I offended you? Think how offended I am," his voice shifted to anger, and he moved closer to me as I stepped back. "I fed you, drove you, and put a roof over your head. Just to find out you weren't mine." I need to get out of here.

                                    POV Elias

"Jay got with Laila," my old teammate Holden revealed. "No way," I chuckled, reminiscing about the times we spent together after my basketball games in Laila's little white Honda. Holden's call was a welcome distraction from life's chaos, a reminder of simpler times.

"Hold on, Jay. I'm getting a call," I interrupted, noticing Catherine's name on the caller ID. It was earlier than usual for her to call. "Not even your best friend comes over anymore, Elizabeth. It's only a matter of time before everybody sees what a useless waste of breath you are," Catherine's slurred words pierced through the phone.

I hit the gas, heading to the location she had given me after that party. I wasn't sure what awaited me, but it sounded urgent. Despite pressing harder on the gas pedal, it felt like I was moving in slow motion. After running five stop signs, I reached her house.

I rushed inside just in time to witness her father striking her hard on the cheek. Tears streamed down her face, and anger boiled inside me.

"He's been arrested for assault and first-degree murder. We are lucky the mother called us when she did. They've dealt with domestic violence for years," she said. How dare she act like the situation is behind us? She's dead. I'm forced to forever live in this situation.

I let the memories fade. I couldn't handle that situation, but I would handle this one. I grabbed her father by the neck of his shirt and hit him once in the gut, folding him in half. "What the fuck. You piece of shit. Get out of my house!" he said as I lifted up his face before striking him again.

His face was filled with confusion. As if he was trying to place where he'd seen me, but he laid his hands on her. I would kill him with mine. Every hit I was reminded of the words he sneered to her through the phone, and the way he effortlessly hit her.

"Elias. Stop, you'll kill him," she yelled. I hadn't realized she'd been yelling. After hearing her voice I remembered who I was fighting for. Letting him lay on the ground in pain, I raced over to her, letting my hands rest on her face. "Are you okay? Look at me, Catherine," I said, my hands shaking. I checked her eyes, making sure there was life left in them.

"Elias, you're scaring me," she barely managed to say. I had been squeezing her face so hard. "I can't lose you too, Catherine," a tear formed in my eye. "I'm here, Elias. I'm fine," she reassured me. I didn't believe her. I kept blinking thinking I was eventually going to open my eyes and see her wounded.

"If only you had confided in me about your father," I admitted, her silence on the matter leaving me unaware. "I would've made sure you felt safe, sleeping in my bed every night." She looked back to her father before saying, "I didn't even fully grasp the gravity of my situation until now. That man, who's made numerous hurtful remarks tonight, is not deserving of the title 'father'."

Her face dropped and I could see instant guilt. As her words hung in the air, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over me. Guilt gnawed at my conscience as I realized that she was dealing with this and I didn't know. She had called me for help, seeking refuge from the storm brewing in her own home.

"I never meant to drag you into this mess," she whispered, her voice heavy with remorse. The vulnerability in her tone tugged at my heartstrings, stirring a mixture of sympathy and regret within me.

"Thank you for rescuing me anyway," she uttered, her gratitude piercing through the heavy atmosphere. As she spoke, a lump formed in my throat, choking back the words I longed to say. She shouldn't have to thank me for simply being there, for offering the comfort and support she so desperately needed.

With a heavy sigh, I reached out to gently touch her face, a silent gesture of understanding and solidarity. "You don't have to apologize Catherine," I murmured softly, hoping to ease the burden of guilt weighing on her soul. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what." And in that moment, amidst the chaos of her fractured family, I vowed to stand by her side, a steadfast anchor in the storm.

"I have room for you in my bed," I offered softly, knowing that in that simple gesture, I could provide her with a sense of safety and comfort amidst the chaos.

"Well I can't stay here" she said with a quick glance towards her father who was still wounded and had knocked out a few minutes ago.