Madden:
Alora Ha is a bitch. No questions asked.
Alora:
Madden Drakos is a monster.
Madden:
But I see straight through her little shield.
Alora:
But then again. So am I.
I walk up to the side of the bed, looking down at the man in it, his still body looking peaceful as always.
I take the seat next to the bed and fold my hand into his, closing my eyes, the sound of the steady beeping of the machines causing both relief that his condition is good and stable but also heartbreak for the fact that he needs them in the first place.
And it's all because of him.
Deep down. Way, way, way deep down, I'm sure a part of me knows that he isn't really at fault, but having someone to blame is easy. It makes coping with what happened so much better. Because then it wasn't just a freak accident. It wasn't just random and out of the blue.
If that was the case, I would have probably lost it by now. Because, and I know how childish this makes me sound, but it would just be unfair.
I don't think I can handle that.
So it's his fault. All of it. My father, lying in the bed before me, my mother who began drinking to cope.
I won't let him break me too.
I reopen my eyes, watching his chest move up and down with each of his breaths.
Keep going, Appa. And wake up.
Please.
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Madden:
"Okay. I don't see what you're trying to say."
"It makes sense!"
"Oakley, I love you, but sometimes your riddles confuse me."
"Hey, don't say you love him, gorgeous. Only say that to me."
"But why would I do that when I don't love you?" Thea tilts her head in mock confusion.
"I could remind you." Angel leans in to her.
"Fuck. Off." Lucas grimaces as he tries to keep his food in his mouth.
"You. First." Althea mimics him.
I sigh, picking up my glass of orange juice and lifting it to my mouth.
We're all gathered around a circular glass dining table in Lucas' family home in Italy, the doors in front of it open and letting in the morning air whilst we eat breakfast accompanied by the view of the sprawling gardens beyond the pool.
The adults have already eaten, having woken up a few hours earlier and are now already out, leaving us alone to do as we please.
