Lady Venom

New friend

"Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?"
- Jane Austen

Vienna

The door slams shut behind me as I enter the house, the familiar scent of stale alcohol and cheap perfume filling my nostrils.

I could hear my mother talking in the kitchen, her voice laced with false cheerfulness.

"Vienna, come here!" she called out, her voice bright yet strained.

I take a deep breath and walk towards the kitchen. My heart sinks when I see her standing at the counter. She turns her body, her eyes shining with a mix of hope and desperation.

"I talked to your father today," she said, a tentative smile creeping onto her face. "He's thinking about moving back in."

At that moment, the world tilted on its axis.

No, no, no. My mom is more broken without him than she is when he is here.

I can't deal with him. "What? Mom!" I'm shouting now, my voice filled with anger and betrayal. "You can't take him back! Not after everything he's done!"

She flinches at my words, her smile fading as she stepped back, "Vienna, please-"

"Sometimes men aren't supposed to be fathers!" I shout, the words pouring out. "You think this is what's best for us? You think he'll change? He never does!"

Her brow furrow. "He's still your father, Vienna. Maybe-"

"Maybe what?" I spit. "he will just hurt us again! We deserve better." I could feel the heat rising in my chest.

"Vienna, stop. You don't understand-"

I don't understand? I understand plenty.

I understand that a father isn't supposed to make their children black and blue, make them tremble with fear. Why can't she see that?

I couldn't take it anymore. I turn on my heel and going to my room, slamming the door behind me. My hands shake as I grab my phone, my fingers flying over the screen as I type a message to Orion.

Can I come over?

But the moment he replied, I knew I'd made a mistake.

Sure.

I stare at the screen, frustration bubbling up again. He doesn't understand. He never understood. I didn't get a follow-up text. Not a-
Why? Are you okay?

No comfort, no security, nothing.

Your own father can't love you, can't take care of you. Why would a boyfriend be any different? a voice in my head sneered. You're not good enough for anyone.

The tears I had been holding back spilled over, and I throw my phone onto the bed in anger.

I couldn't stay here. I can't go to Orion's house either. I needed air, a moment to breathe away from the suffocating weight of my thoughts.

I rush out of the house, ignoring my mother's pleas to talk to her.

The cool night air hit my face. My mind was racing, and so was my heart.

The streets felt empty, but I could still hear that hateful voice whispering in my ear: I'm not good enough.

Then I saw him
sitting on a bench, on his phone.

"Zeka?"

"Vienna, are you okay?" Zeka called out, his dark skin glowing in the moonlight, a look of genuine concern in his brown eyes.

I stop, my breath hitching in my throat. "Uh," I couldn't speak right now, feeling vulnerable in a way I hadn't intended.

I sit down next to him. "Want to talk about it?" His voice was calm, steady.

I hesitate. "It's my dad. He might be moving back in, and I just..." I look down, tracing the cracks in the pavement with my eyes. What am I doing?

Zeka nods, his expression softening. "I get that. My dad isn't exactly Father of the Year." His honesty surprised me, and I look up, meeting his gaze. "At least you have college in less than a year."

"Yeah," I say quietly. "It's just... I feel like I'm always waiting for the next disappointment."

"Yeah," he sighs, running a hand over his buzz cut. "But you're not alone. I see you Vienna. You don't always have to be closed off."

"Thanks, Zeka," I mutter, feeling a flicker of connection between us.

He smiled, small but visible. "Wanna grab some food or something?"

"It's 7 PM, Zeka."

He shrugs. "So? I'm hungry."

"Okay," I reply. Maybe this was what I needed, a distraction.

• • •
• • • •
• •

We sit down at the local restaurant everyone goes to
The Table.

Zeka kept the conversation light with easy jokes about school and his life, his humor is enough to draw genuine laughter from me.

"Remember that time in gym class when you outran Harlem?" Zeka grins "He went on about that for weeks!"

I chuckle, the memory flooding back. "Yeah, and he said he was just saving energy for football practice!"

"Right? He f—"

Zeka's laughter stops as my phone buzzed. Orion.

Are you coming or what?

Shit, I forgot to let him know I'm not coming over.

Another message came through.
Stop wasting my time, Vienna.

Zeka looks at my phone and rolls his eyes. "Why are you still with him?"

"Because I like him." Because being with him makes me feel less lonely.

"Come on, Vienna, I hear the insults he gives you. You would be a lot better with—"

I don't let him finish his sentence. "-don't, please." Don't ruin this peaceful moment.

"I can't help it! He's my best friend, and you guys are perfect for each other."

"We were," I snap at him. "Everything changed. Life changed" I changed.

I didn't want to feel trapped in my own head anymore. Pushing everyone away and being alone seemed like it would quiet my thoughts, but it only made them louder.

"You hurt him, you know."

"I know."

"Did you want to hurt him?"

"If that meant he would leave me alone, then yeah."

Raiden Delacroix is too good for me.

He's going to get a football scholarship and go pro, and I'm going to be stuck in this town with my fucked up family.