Square One

Chapter 12

Chapter 12-

Sometimes, I find myself staring at the unrecognisable person facing me in the mirror. I honestly don’t know how she got there, or how she ended up looking the way she did, or how things that happened to her could slide past unnoticed. I will never understand this. Where did all that drained out life go, what is her destined future, why was she still here, and not with her family. So many questions will always remain un-answered, was it better like that, or was it for worse? I will never know.

I stepped away from the mirror, looking around my room. I still haven’t unpacked properly. I sighed; I’d have to get to that soon, that being today. It was finally Saturday; I had been waiting for a while for the weekend to finally come.

“Valerie!” My aunty called from downstairs, I smiled to myself, she was finally home.

I stepped out of my room and jogged down the stairs, searching for her through the lounge room with my eyes.

"Must be horrible to have no one but that Adrian guy of yours, I mean, knowing the liar that he is, I can't believe you even trust him!"

My heart skipped a beat as unwanted thoughts flashed through my head, stopping me in my tracks. The atmosphere almost felt thicker all of a sudden and I gripped onto the staircase’s handrail. Ignoring the strange feeling of nausea that seemed to appear randomly in my body, I continued walking down the stairs.

“Valerie...” Realising this wasn’t my auntie’s voice; the familiar chills went down my spine, making my body tense up in fear.

What was he doing here, in this house? What could he possibly be doing here now?

My nails dug into the skin of my palms, the only place I had privacy was now the place I feel vulnerable in.

“What are you doing here Jonah?” I said, the venom I had built up in my head, seemed to come out as a whimper. I stopped a few steps before reaching the bottom of the stairs. I felt the need to stand higher than him, I didn’t want to feel small, I wanted the upper-hand.

“Oh, you know…”

“Ah- Valerie, I’m glad you’ve met Jonah, he was just helping me bring my bags in. What a nice boy.” My aunty walked into the hallway smiling at me, clearly she had no idea that this was the guy abusing me, I guess we never discussed it.

I felt like ripping my hair out when I heard he helped her bring her bags in. He is not capable of help. He doesn’t even know what help is. He needs help. The anger flaring to my face, as I thought of all the things he’s done. I wanted to tear his head off and watch him slowly burn to ashes. I wanted him to suffer the way he made me suffer. I let go of the pressure of my nails on my palms, and felt a hot runny fluid creeping down my fingers. The tears stung at the back of my eyelids and I quickly blinked them away.

“Yes, how nice of him. Now if you’ll excuse me.” I forced the words through my gritted teeth, and walked back up the stairs.