The unfortunate adventures of Sarah Richards

Chapter sixteen ~fear of return~

Orwell had begun crying when the front door slammed as my father rushed out. He wailed nearly half an hour. "Had your dad said something about you getting an article in the inquirer?" Thea asked quietly, trying to lighten the mood. I frowned and hesitated answering as i bounced my baby brother upon my hip, his face contorted in an awkward, red mess as he continued shrieking. "Yeah, it was on my way home," i paused and switched Orwell to my other hip, "Tuesday, that i collapsed. I didn't think they'd actually publish my work. But, i'm glad they did. More people need to start thinking about this whole necklace mess. Thea nodded in agreement. Orwell kept screeching, sticking his fingers in his mouth. "Is he teething?" Thea had to yell so i could hear her above the clamor. "No!" I yelled back. When i stuck a finger about my baby brother's gums i could feel no teeth coming through. "His necklace!" I exclaimed suddenly and looked at Thea as though i'd had some sort of scientific breakthrough. "What?" She asked, a flash of utter confusion crossed her face. "I'll be right back." I told my girlfriend as i handed her the baby and ran upstairs. My father had given Orwell a bath earlier that day. If i was right, his little green necklace was on the edge of the bathtub. It was. I grabbed the chain and practically went flying back down the stairs. Orwell had calmed down a little but he was still whimpering. Thea was singing a song to her which i only caught the end of.
"Sure as a bird flying high above, life ain't worth living without the one you love. Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well."
She was so beautiful. Standing there and holding my brother. It was like he was our kid for the afternoon. He surely wasn't old enough to know the difference too much. "One of the articles i read listed a baby crying when her necklace was removed and only stopping once she had come in contact with it again." I explained to Thea as i put the necklace back around Orwell's neck. "Maybe it wasn't just her." Thea whispered kindly as the baby heaved a sigh of contentment and finally stopped fretting. "Finally." Thea chuckled and handed him to me again. "I heard your singing helped." I smirked. Thea's face flushed a delicate shade of pink. "Don't be embarrassed, doll. You have an angel's voice." I whispered and kissed her, careful not to crush the baby between us. "Think of the children!" Thea exclaimed in mock horror as she pulled away and looked down at Orwell. "He doesn't talk so it's okay that he knows." I smirked a little. "I'm going to put him down for a nap." I murmured. Seeing as Orwell had finally fallen asleep. Thea nodded wordlessly and proceeded to follow me upstairs. Both my parents room and the baby's room were on the second floor. "Please fucking stay asleep." I whispered after having kissed my baby brother's forehead and lay him in his crib. "Now i have you to myself." Thea giggled softly as i switched the baby monitor on. I had turned the light off so it was relatively dark in Orwell's room. I felt Thea's hand brush against my thigh. A rush went throughout my entire body but i resisted the temptation to grab my girlfriend and push her against the wall. "Not in front of the baby, doll." I whispered in her ear, letting my lips brush her neck just a little. "Then let's go to your room." She whispered. I nodded slowly, grabbing the other baby monitor on my way out so we could hear should Orwell wake up again before one of my parents returned home from their cases. "Now, where were we?" I smirked and flicked the lamp on after shutting the door behind me. "Hmmm, lets see..." Thea ran her hands down my sides, stopping at my hips. She grabbed my hips tighter and pulled me close against her. I wrapped my arms around her neck and stood up on my toes to match her height. My little dog who, had been asleep on my bed grunted and did circles about our feet for a minute or so before going to sit by the door. "I think he approves." I giggled. "Good." Thea replied and kissed me. And oh, if ever anyone asked me if i had felt pure bliss, i would describe this moment in vivid detail. "And to think, a week ago i thought i was straight." I laughed and flashed Thea a cheeky smile as we slowly made our way to the edge of my bed. Thea turned us around and sat in my lap with her legs around my waist. "You've done a lot in the past week." Thea smirked at me a little. "Didn't your dad say the inquirer published your article?" She giggled. "Yeah." I nodded and grinned. "Wait, did you mention Britney and Finn?" Thea's lower lip began to quiver a little and all joy faded from her face. My heart dropped do my toes and for a moment the world spun around me. "I- i didn't know. I did. I-i needed evidence." I stammered. Tears sprang into both our eyes. "My parents read that paper from front to back every day. Now, granted i'll be safe till they get back next Saturday but they're bound to find out soon. And then i won't be allowed to see you." She started to whimper and hid her face behind her hand. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. You can stay here longer than the arranged week if you need to. If it's not safe we'll protect you. I'm not gonna let you get hurt, doll." I carefully lifted her hands off her face and kissed the tip of her nose. "But i have to go back to them eventually." She started to sob. I pulled her against my shoulder and let her cry all she needed to. I never liked this hoodie anyway. "I need to tell you something." She whispered after she'd gained her wits about her again. "Okay." I smiled sadly, brushing a lock of her golden hair out of her face. "Well, it would be easier to show you." Thea stammered. This was about her scars, wasn't it? "Alright." I nodded again. Thea let go of me completely, grabbing the hem of her hoodie she slipped it off. I saw her wrists. Some fresh, very painful looking scars had shown up since i peeked at her changing. Tears slipped down my cheeks and all i could do in place of speaking was let out a choked sob, covering my mouth with my hands. "I'm so sorry." Thea cried and lifted up the bottom half of her shirt. There were scars all over her stomach. Much worse ones too. "Oh, Thea." I sobbed. Both of us were crying. "It's the only pain i can control. Granted my mother doesn't hit me but she emotionally destroys me. Any way in which one could he told they're a failure i've gotten from her. And my father beats me. Because i don't love boys. Yet they go to church on Sundays and act like we're a picture perfect family. So i started cutting and i can't stop." Thea choked out and then broke down crying against my chest. "Promise me you won't anymore." I whispered. Running a hand through her hair. "For you." Thea whispered. I nodded slowly, kissing the top of her head. I would tell her to wish on a star. The agency could help. They could get her out of her parent's keep. "Thea, come with me." I whispered and grabbed her hand, leading her downstairs and out to the tiny back yard. "Look up at the stars, pick one." I instructed her. Thea cast me a wary look but did so. She pointed to one just off from the big dipper. "Now, i want you to wish on it. Wish to never have to go back with your parents again." I continued. Thea frowned. I nodded slowly and blinked indicating that she should do it. "I wish i could live as the person i truly am and never have to go back with my parents again." She whispered. "What good will that do?" She asked curiously. "My parents are part of a secret, other worldly agency. Hooked up in a majority of the stars are sensors. When people make wishes on them they are assigned to agents who then grant your wish. That's how my parents met. Why, right now, i bet they're working on exposing your parents abuse." I explained and hugged her tightly. "Thank you." Thea whispered, burying her face in my shoulder. "Anything to make my doll smile. Just don't let anyone know i told you all that." I giggled softly. Before either of us could say anything i heard the front door slam. "SARAH! I'M HOME!" I heard my mother yell...