Contrite

five » d r u n k

"Drunk words speak sober thoughts." — Unknown.

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Octavia

"Dinner's almost ready." I hear Nathaniel telling me as I wrap my hands with white bandages after cleaning my cuts with alcohol. I nod and flash him a small smile and he leaves the bathroom. I sigh, standing from my seat on the toilet and I look at myself in the mirror. I already stopped the nose bleed, which I'm thankful for, and I can see a bruise forming around my eye where Demi punched me.

It's eight now, five hours ahead of the time back home, and I'm struggling to get used to the time differences.

I touch the sink and look down, collecting myself before I have the chance to break down again. After taking a shower and changing into jeans and a sweatshirt, I leave and walk to the kitchen. My hands hide under the sleeves of my sweatshirt as I walk, biting on my lip nervously. I don't want to be in the same room as Demi; she could try to attack me again. But I won't be alone, thankfully. Everyone else would be there.

Entering the dining room, I look at the long table, already seeing everyone else there and eating. Demi is sitting at the head of the table, stabbing a fork into her turkey, an awkward and tense silence in the room. They notice me entering and I wave at them before taking the empty seat next to the dark skinned boy, seeing a plate already filled with food.

It has turkey, but it doesn't look roasted, vegetables on the side, and mash potatoes with gravy on it.

"What kind of food is this?" I whisper under my breath and the boy laughs loudly next to me as I take a seat. I look at him and he is smiling at me amusedly.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he tells me, and I realize that he's American too.

"I'd have my Mother's cooking over whatever this is," I tell him quietly and I grab my fork and knife, avoiding eye contact with Demi, who I'm sure is staring at me, probably plotting my death.

"Everyone loves their mom's cooking." He smiles at me before stretching his hand out for me to shake. "I'm Lincoln Gray."

"Octavia Parker." I smile and shake his hand, but instead, he pulls my hand to his lips and place a gentle kiss on my hand. I make a sound of surprise but I smile widely at him as he winks at me and let's go of my hand.

"Careful there boy, she's a slut," Demi says, and I look over at her. She smiles as she grabs her glass of wine and drinks it.

My jaw clenches. "Says the woman who raped a boy and sells girls for sex trafficking," I snap back at her.

"You raped a boy?!" Both Kendall and Javier shout, turning their attention to her.

"He was asking for it!" Demi defends herself and I snort.

"He wasn't asking for it, you took him and raped him in front of me," I say and anger fills her eyes.

"I should've let Carlos and all those men have a go at you—" She grits her teeth but she's cut off.

"Please let's not talk about this in front of the children," Nathaniel says, looking at her. I could see that his kids were uncomfortable with the type of subject we were talking and avoided looking at Demi, their eyes set on their plates.

"Sorry," I mutter quietly before looking back to my food.

"No, Octavia don't apologize, the only one who needs to apologize is her," Javier tells me, and he lets go of his utensils before looking toward his sister.