Please Don't Leave Me Behind Again (Completed)

Chapter Nine

So a bunch of you called cliffy so here is the next chapter. Thank you for your awesome responses. I know the chapter is short but I think it's fitting. As always, please comment and tell me what you think! Also, remember, I only know English and so Google Translate is my buddy. If it's all wrong, then you can blame Google though. Enjoy!

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**| Sang's POV |**

I don't know how Silas managed it but when the car was unlocked and I crawled in, he took the middle seat, right next to me. His legs were scrunched up and he was nearly folded in half sitting there with he knees to his chest.

He looked ridiculous.

His eyes stayed on me and he showed no discomfort from the way he was sitting. I think he was too focused on me to even notice or care.

Kota took the front with Victor driving and Nathan was pushed up against the door behind Kota. The backseat became crowded with the three of us back here.

My focus stayed on the scene outside the window and it didn't go without notice that they were all sharing looks, communicating in that way I was beginning to think was telepathic. I didn't know it was possible to speak with just your eyes in an effective way. They seemed to have mastered it and used it frequently. I didn't like that I didn't know what they were saying without words or even their hands.

By the way the boys were looking between Silas and me, I knew they knew about our friendship in the past.

I shifted in my seat, working hard to keep my expression empty. I tried my best to not touch him. When we were kids, his touch was comforting, a safety net. Now? I wasn't so sure. Every time he brushed up against me, tingles warmed my body. I didn't know what that meant, but for now, it was another piece of evidence on how we couldn't be the same as we were.

"Γιατί είστε σε Τσάρλεστον ; (Why are you in Charleston?)" Silas finally asked in flawless Greek after staring at me for a good five minutes while Victor drove us back onto the interstate.

"Θα μου αρέσει να φύγει ; Πήγαινε πίσω στην Ελλάδα ; (Would you like me to leave? Go back to Greece?)"

"Τι? Όχι! (What? No!)" He took in a deep breath and slowly released it, reminding me that he was the one who taught me to breathe through pain. I got hurt one day at the park and cried and he made it all better. "Απλά ποτέ δεν πίστευα ότι θα βλέπετε εδώ . (I just never thought I'd see you here.)"

"Ή και καθόλου , σωστά; (Or at all, right?)"

We fell silent until I had to ask. I needed to understand what happened or why it happened.

"Πότε θα τους συναντήσει ; (When did you meet them?)" I asked. "Και τη Βόρεια ; Είναι αυτός που ήρθε να σας την τελευταία φορά που σε είδα , σωστά; (And North? He is the one who came to you the last time I saw you, correct?)"

I tried really hard to deny the directions my thoughts were going yesterday but now that I've met Silas, I knew North was that North. Pain shot through my chest and I rubbed at it absently as I stared right at Silas, taking in all the nuances of his face, trying to read his thoughts. I could see his sorrow and guilt, could practically feel it rolling off him. It only added guilt to all these emotions tumbling inside of me.

Maybe we should have ran into each other's arms after so long, happy to see each other, but I couldn't work up the energy to even attempt it. Happiness wasn't one of the many emotions I felt right now.

"Ναί. Είναι η οικογένειά μου . (Yes. They are my family.)"

Family, huh? Wonder what a family like them felt like. I almost turned wistful but emotions I worked to bury for so long kept me from doing it.

"Και άλλες οικογενειακές σας ; Πώς είναι αυτοί? Ο αδελφός και ο πατέρας σας , σωστά; (And your other family? How are they? Your brother and father, correct?)"

He seemed to think about his words for a moment, his eyes swirling with emotions. He really hasn't changed.

"Είναι εδώ μαζί μου , αλλά ένας καλός φίλος μου μου δίδαξε ότι η οικογένεια είναι μια επιλογή . (They are here with me, but a good friend of mine taught me that family is a choice.)"

"Έτσι, μπορείτε να επιλέξετε να αποφασίσει ποιος είναι οικογένεια. (So you can just choose to decide who is family?)"

"Ναί. (Yes.)"

His answer hurt more than I thought it would. He didn't choose me.

"No! Aggele mou, no!" He said in English and caught the boys' attention. I realized I said that last statement out loud. He switched back to Greek. "Ο άγγελός μου , είσαι οικογένεια. Είστε μέρος της οικογένειάς μου. (My angel, you are family. You are part of my family.)"

I shrugged because I didn't believe him. I wanted to but he left me behind and I lost the motivation to move on. There was nothing to look forward to while I kneeled on rice for hours on end or was locked up in the closet all day or hit or kicked or pushed or degraded. No one to look forward to meeting up with and to talk to and to help me pretend that I wasn't a broken messed up child.

"Please, Aggele mou," Silas pleaded but I turned away from him and looked out the window. Not even the newness of everything could get my spirits back up. I didn't want to be here anymore. I should have stayed home, away from them. Away from Silas.

Silas pleaded with me again to believe him but I ignored him. He took the hint and went quiet but during the whole ride to the mall, his eyes stayed on me.