Anything (Van McCann | CATB Fan Fiction)

23. Sacramento, CA

|Vienna|

My vision was hazy, the streetlights were too bright, but through the disorientation, I saw my bedroom door cracked open. And outside, I saw my dad was carrying a luggage bag, hurriedly making his way down the staircase. Next to him was my mom, looking at him impassively.

I straightened myself from my bed and made my way outside. "Dad? Where are you going?" I asked. My dad stopped his tracks and turned his head around to look at me. He was cringing and my mom began to cry. Ignoring me, my dad continued making his way down the staircase and his figure soon disappeared through the front door. I was so confused. I looked up at my mom and she was breaking down with tears trickling down her face.

"Mom? Are you alright?" I asked her. I made my way to her and hugged her. She cried even louder. I noticed blood at the corner of her lips and her hair was a mess. She held me tighter in her embrace, but she spoke nothing.

"Don't cry, mom. I'll take care of you. I won't leave you."

My surroundings suddenly spun rapidly like everything was being blown by a tornado. I then found myself sitting on the dark, empty street in front of my house.

"Hey, what are you doing here alone? Do you need any help?" I was approached by a familiar looking boy at the corner of the street. His eyes were sympathetic. His gestures were sincere as he bent down to look at me who was sitting on the cold, concrete path.

"My dad won't let me in. I am too scared. And my mom needs help!" I cried. I could literally hear a faint sound of glass breaking and my father yelling.

"I'm Seth. I can help you. You'll be safe with me. Stay with me. I WON'T LEAVE YOU."

I woke up with a frantic start, panting, my heart racing. Still lying on the bed, I scanned my room, trying to understand where I was, what was happening. For a confused second, I really thought that I was at my parents' house, watching my dad left us in the middle of the night. I even looked around for my mom. And Seth. He had found me on the streets. He was there to save me, but now he's gone. Not in my room.

I blinked a couple of times and realised that my room looked different. It then hit me that I was actually at the back of the bus. Damn nightmare! I closed my eyes as grief swept over me.

"Vienna," a voice whispered next to me. "Hey, are you okay?" I was mortified. I hadn't realised that someone was lying next to me. I hadn't realised that I was lying in someone's embrace.

"Van?" I blinked in confusion. Studying my face, Van apologetically released me as he got up from the couch, running his hand through his hair.

"Sorry," he muttered. "You told me not to leave."

I did? "Oh... Sorry about that," I exhaled, rubbing my eyes, just to make sure that I really was awake.

"That's alright. Feel better?"

"I don't know yet," I shrugged.

Van nodded and there was silence between us for a brief moment, as he leaned on the cabinet opposite of me, his eyes studied me, with a frowning expression. My throat was starting to hurt, because it was so dry. And like he read my mind, Van grabbed a water bottle next to him and handed it to me.

"Thanks, Van." I muttered, swallowing a chug of water.

"You scared me last night," Van exhaled deeply, his blue eyes still boring deep into mine. They seemed darker, not as blue as they usually were.

"Huh?" I blinked, mouth open.

"You don't remember, do you? You passed out. And we were all worried about you," he swallowed, running his hand through his hair again. "What happened, Vienna?"