"Florence, I know you would have heard the stories about me and everything I've done, but I promise I didn't know there was a bomb inside the suitcase or that the x-men were trying to take over the world" I say quietly, glancing at my aunt.
"Is that supposed to make it ok? Over one hundred people died!" Florence snaps, I close my eyes, remembering the video Fury showed me. The video that appears in most of my nightmares, I don't think I'll ever be able to escape it. In some twisted way, I think a part of me likes that Florence holds me responsible for it, everyone tells me it isn't my fault because I didn't know, but the truth is that it is my fault, I placed down the suitcase containing the bomb.
"Of course not, nothing I do will ever make up for it, but I have to try to stop the x-men and help people anyway" I reply, taking a deep breath. I will never be a hero or an avenger, but I can still spend the rest of my life trying to help and protect people, it won't erase what I've done, but I can keep people alive.
"I'm not here to listen to your excuses or to build a relationship with you, I'm here to get you off my family's farm. You are not a part of the Raven family" Florene snaps, her eyes widen and then glisten with anger as she sees the necklace around my neck, she snatches it and pulls it hard enough so that it comes off. "How dare you wear her necklace? How dare you stay in her house?"
"I just wanted to feel close to her" I say quietly, staring down at the ground. This is not how I expected my first meeting with any of Estella's family going, but I was probably foolish to expect anything else.
"Why? I've heard the stories of what happens to the people who care about you" Florence says, crossing her arms and straightening up. A lump forms in my throat and a hot flush runs through my body.
"What is that supposed to me?" I ask, staring down at the grass. I glare at the grass like it's to blame for my problems, for Florence disliking me.
"That poisonous red-haired snake-"
"Don't call her that."
"That snake died protecting you, your little girlfriend died protecting you, Ashton died trying to save you and Henry, my sister died failing to prevent you from becoming a monster, and Peter's aunt died because Peter is friends with you" Florence replies. I glance at her, there is nothing for me to say. All these people would be alive if they hadn't cared for me, Peter's aunt would be alive if I wasn't friends with Peter.
"I love all those people" I say, it's a weak defence but it's the only one I have. "I would've died for any of them without hesitation." I really wish Clover, Scarlett, and Ashton never tried to save my life, but I can't turn back time.
"It seems like loving you is a death sentence" Florence says bitterly, glaring at her. Her eyes are filled with so much hatred that it forces me to look away.
I close my eyes, maybe she's right. If Clover had stayed loyal, she'd be alive right now, if Scarlett had stayed loyal, she'd be alive right now. "Maybe you're right, I guess I do destroy people's lives" I whisper, unshed tears burning in my eyes.
"I get that you're just a kid, but all I hear about you is stories of you fucking up people's lives. Everyone would be better off if you just never existed. Clover shouldn't be dead." Florence replies, a single tear rolls down my cheek, I make no attempt to brush it away.
"You're right" I whisper, Florence looks a little surprised at my response and a look of uncertainty crosses over her face. "Everyone would be better off without me."
"My sister should've just handed you over to the x-men, you became a monster anyway, and you're the worst type of monster because you think you're not a monster" Florence says, I don't say anything. Once again there is nothing to say to Florence because she's right.
Fire emerges at my fingertips, and I fly up into the sky and away. Tears fall down onto my cheeks; I close eyes as I head towards a certain direction. I see the forest and begin to lower myself down, I land on the forest floor and stare in front of me.
If I'd never chased Scarlett here and if I'd never agreed to meet Clover here, they'd be alive right now. I might not be, but like Florence said, all I do is ruin people's lives, the people I care about get hurt because of me and they'd be perfectly fine without me.
"I'm sorry" I whisper, glancing up at the sky. I don't know who I'm apologising to, probably everyone. Estella, Ashton, Clover, Scarlett, the list is endless, I've even made Tony's life harder since I entered it.
YOU ARE READING
Beautiful Ruins
Akcja"Maybe there was a fleeting moment where I wanted to be a hero and believed I could be one, but the truth is I'm not, I won't ever be. My past does define me, it made me a villain" - Storm. Fifteen-year-old Storm is the daughter of Black Widow and I...
