𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 [18+]

- 41-

I hate this.

The car ride home is suffocating; a knife can cut the tension. Ford is driving, his expression grim - clearly on autopilot. Dad was sitting next to him, looking out the window with a stone-cold expression, his jaw throbbing.

And Pen next to me, in the back. Her hands held across her chest.

My head was hurting. I didn't even want to think about my mom waiting for us at home. What would I tell her? That Val is my boyfriend? That I lost my virginity and all my left-over sanity to him?

Jesus fucking Christ.

Why? Why couldn't I sit at home that day binging on Netflix?

All because of that one stupid New Year party.  But of course, we all had to be there.

Every minute stretches into eternity.

I count the people flickering past in the busy morning streets - It's almost 12 now. I don't know why. Maybe to distract myself from the way my hands are trembling in my lap.

I barely register when the car pulls up to our house.

Can I not get out?

The second we stop, my dad steps out first, shutting the door with enough force to shake the entire car. Pen follows suit, her shoulders stiff, her expression unreadable.

But Ford yanks my door open before I can even think about it, his grip firm around my arm as he hauls me out. "Let's go."

I stumble forward, my stomach twisting. "Urgh, yeah I'm coming -"

The front door swings open before I can finish.

Mom.

She rushes out, barefoot, her robe slipping off one shoulder, panic written all over her face. Her eyes turn to me. "Oh my God, finally! Where have you all been? What—"

She stops.

Her gaze sweeps over me, to Dad, to Pen. She knows. It's quite obvious from the way Pen refuses to look at her and just stares right into her. The way Ford stands behind with an unusual stoic expression. The way Dad is just seething.

I don't think I've seen him more angry before.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

Because Dad speaks first.

"Inside."

Mom hesitates, frowning. Her lips part like she's about to argue. But she doesn't.

She steps aside. And we walk in.

And the second the door clicks shut—

His hand collides with my face.

The world tilts for a second. The force pushes me back harshly before I can even register it. A sharp sting, hot and unforgiving, spreads across my cheek so hard my eyes water. I'm sure my cheek is turning purple-red, it's definitely going to bruise up by tomorrow.