DARK SECRET

NEW HOME, NEW LIFE

Cameron's pov

I opened my eyes and looked around. My throat feels dry and it still has the foul taste of smoke in my throat. I coughed up and convinced myself that I'm in a hospital. I remember being pulled away from my Dad and my body went numb. The smell of medicine wafted into my nose and all around me was covered in white. Then I remembered Dad. I got up, my head still hurts like crazy and ripped off the tubes that were on my wrists. I stood up, my legs felt shaky and opened the door. Mom, Russell, Meggie, Josh and Tyler were outside the ward and when they saw me walking out of the ward, they quickly got up all at once and walked towards me.

"Where's Dad?" I asked Mom as she held my shoulders.

"Oh honey! Dad...." She stopped and looked at me, her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying too much. There were tears welling up in her eyes.

"What? Mom! Where is Dad?" I asked again raising my voice a little. She continued crying, avoiding my question.

"Sweetheart, I'm so glad that you're ok", Mom said forcing a small smile. I frowned my heart thumping wildly thinking about the possibilities that could happen to Dad. I pushed her hands away annoyed. She's hiding something from me. My friends were standing not far from where Mom and I are standing flashing me the pity look.

"WHERE IS MY DAD? WHY ISN'T ANYONE TELLING ME? WHERE IS HE?" I screamed. Mom cried harder her arms wrapped around herself and sat on a chair nearby. I started half walking half running down the hallway and peering into the wards trying to find Dad. I started crying; most of the people around me were looking at me some feeling my pain and some thinking that I was some mad woman or something. I didn't care. I kept finding him but failed. I went back to Mom and asked Meggie who is consoling Mom about Dad. She shook her head and placed her hand and my shoulder. I pushed it away and shook her.

"WHERE IS DAD?" I screamed at her face and cried harder. She winced and closed her eyes and looked away. "WHERE IS HE? ANSWER ME! PLEASE! I WANT TO KNOW!" I screamed again. A tear rolled down her cheek. Someone's hands grabbed my waist and pulled me away from Meggie. It was Tyler.

"Your father didn't make it", Tyler said and I crumbled down, Tyler holding me close to his chest. I cried as hard as I could in Tyler's chest. Suddenly I stopped crying and looked at Tyler, his blue eyes looking down at me.

"I don't believe you. Dad is alive. I know it. I KNOW IT!" I screamed again and started hitting Tyler's chest. He winced in pain and his grip around loosens. I got up and started running. "DAD I'M COMING!" I screamed and started running. I couldn't think straight. It feels like the whole world around me is crashing down in me. I pushed away everyone who is trying to stop me. I ran heading nowhere. Someone managed to stop me from running and held me in his arms. It was Josh this time and I tried to wriggle out from his grasp but he injected me with a sedative and I went to sleep.

........................................

I woke up, still feeling a little dizzy. Mom, Meggie and Russell were beside me. Mom held my hand and patted my shoulder gently smiling at me. I just frowned and looked at Mom and my two best friends.

"I'm really sorry that Dad didn't make it. He would be really proud of you if he's still alive now because there were less burnt marks on his body. You poured water on your Dad makes the fire burns less on his body. But there is one thing that I am quite confused about. You wrapped your body around Dad but there were no burnt scars on your body but when you were admitted to the hospital the doctor said that your body was covered in soot. What did you do back there?" Mom asked gently. I stared at Mom, not uttering one word. She stared back at me and tilted her head in confusion. I still didn't say anything and stared at her. I do not feel pity or angry or sad. I just feel...nothing. I do not feel anything.

"Honey...are you ok?" Mom asked again. I stared at her still not uttering a word.

"Well if you need some space....I'll leave you alone to think about it and you can tell me later....or..never. I have to go back to Cuba by tomorrow. You know I can't take care of you anymore because....." Mom said and started crying softly. "Because I'm not your biological parent. That's what the....the cop said. He said that I couldn't take care of you because I'm not your biological parent and he's going to put you in a foster home", Mom continued crying harder. I stared at mom with tears welling up in my eyes. How could they do this to me?

"Bring me to Cuba with you Mom. I don't want to end up in a foster home", I whispered. Mom looked at me and smiled. She was about to say something but then two cops barged into the ward and told Mom to sign some forms about the adoption and putting me in a foster home. Russell was rubbing Meggie's back because she was crying.

"Miss Harrison, you will be placed in a foster home until someone decided to adopt you", the cop said and went out of the ward. Mom or I guess Mrs.Harrison now, was about to walk out of the ward but I stopped her.

"Mrs.Harrison? Can I have a hug?" I asked. She nodded and gave me a long hug. "I love you and Dad always. I'm sorry what had happened to Dad. It was all my fault", I sobbed. She shook her head and pulled away.

"No honey. It wasn't your fault. What you did could've saved his life somehow but he was dead before you could even save him", Mom said and kissed my forehead.

"What do you mean? Mom, what do you mean?" I asked holding Mom's hand. She just shook her head and left the ward. "MOM!" I shouted, calling her back. I got up and opened the door but she was gone.

.....................................

I asked Meggie and Russell about what Mom meant but they didn't know the answers. The doctor only told that to Mrs.Harrison. I was discharged from the hospital not long after that. The cop brought me to Greenday Foster Homes. Luckily today is a Saturday so I still have a day to grieve and wait for someone to take me before school starts.

.............................................

I made fast friends with the people in my home. I decided to call it home because there is where I'm living now. Russell and Meggie met me on the same day I was discharged from the hospital at night. I'm grateful to have friends like them.

That night on the first day, I couldn't sleep. I had nightmares. Sometimes I'll scream in my sleep while I watch Dad burnt alive in my dreams. My roommate, Amy Randazzo, she would sleep beside me and brings me water all the way from the kitchen for me. She's literally my close friend here. Sometimes whenever I feel cold at night, she would wrap her arms around me and keep me warm. Her body is always surprisingly warm and when I asked her she didn't answer me. She just smiles and looked away.

The next morning, after having breakfast, the manager of this Greenday Foster Home called me to his office. I looked at Amy. She nodded and gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back and headed to the office.

As I opened the door, I saw Mr. Argent, the manager beaming at me when I came in.

"Hello Cameron. You're one lucky girl! This kind family here wanted to adopt you", Mr.Argent said. Part of me felt happy and part of me felt nothing. And when I looked at the family who wanted to adopt me I almost cried in happiness because it was Tyler and his mom.

A/N: Shout out to AmyRandazzo for being amazing ;)