FULL CIRCLE

Painful Confessions

"You what!" Yelled Lauren from her bed.

Camila had asked Leah to wait outside the door of Lauren's room, not exactly knowing how Lauren would react to Leah sudden forgiveness. The room was filled with Lauren's family both Jauregui and Lovato's along with Dinah and the other lawyers as they tried to calm Lauren from trying to strangle Camila.

Dinah had come in late, restraining order in hand, only to be told it wouldn't be needed. She was also equally upset.

"Who cares about his sob story!? I mean he didn't even get expelled? What kind of shit is that?" Ranted Dinah as she paced the room, annoyed with how little space there was left.

"You weren't there so you don't understand! It was up to Leah and I supported it. In a twisted way they are kind of family. I didn't want to deny her that." Camila defended, crossing her arms as she glared at the angry two.

"They are NOT family! If I had been knocked up by some curiosity of mine, then I would agree with you, but I didn't! His family has no right anywhere near our daughter!" Lauren shouted, clutching the hospital sheets in her rage.

"Lauren... Mija.. They didn't ask for this just as much as you didn't. I've spoken to Natalie before and she only said good things about you. She doesn't even allow anyone to talk about her brother as if he is part of their family. It was the boys grandparents and Brad filling his head with lies. Where is your compassion.." Clara whispered quietly, pleading with her daughter with her eyes to understand.

But Lauren was in a foul mood, and was not above taking it out on anyone around her. Which is why, the next words out of her mouth made more than one person wince.

"On the fucking forest floor with my virginity!" Snapped Lauren angrily.

The room grew quiet, and no one said a thing as Clara looked away from Lauren shamefully. The occupants turned towards the door as a voice rang through the room, startling even Lauren.

"Don't be mad at mom for doing what I wanted to do. If you're going to be mad at anyone, then you be mad at me. You don't understand why I needed to forgive him, or why I want to get to know them." Leah said, stepping into the room, letting Lauren see her injuries for the first time.

Seeing her daughters bruising face, and the obvious swelling, only fueled her anger more, but she would never take that out on Leah. She had matured better than that.

"Then please... explain to me why you would want to claim any of them.. I don't understand." Lauren asked calmly, giving her daughter imploring eyes, begging to be let inside the teens mind to explain her actions.

"You don't understand what it's like to have this feeling of evil inside you. To know that the only reason you're alive was because of something someone did to hurt someone else. To have their blood flowing in your veins. Since I found you, as much as I love knowing you, and having you with me, when I found out how I was conceived, I felt..... dirty. Like I couldn't get clean no matter what I did. I started to look for similarities, so I could fix anything inside of me from him that I inherited. I have his ears..." Leah choked out, crying as she stood in front of her mother's bed, having walked over as she was talking.

"I am afraid to even get upset, because what if I'm like him and I hurt someone? I've been so careful... And when his parents started to act like jerks, I started to worry I would be like them. But then Natalie came in, and she was just like Sofie as she talked about you and her anger with them all for putting me and you through more of their bullshit. She cared, like an aunt would. She was willing to expel her son and send him to military school so I would feel safe. She practically disowned her parents right in front of me for talking the way they did to me. And when James heard the truth of what Brad had did to you, and was showed the proof, he realized what he had did to me and cried. He apologized, and even agreed to being expelled. He put me first, and that's what family does. Brad was evil, and maybe his shitty parents made him that way, but Natali and James aren't. I can't tell you how comforting it was to know that despite my genetics, I have every chance of being normal. It felt like a weight was lifted from my heart, and I could breathe again. I don't want to know them because of him, I want to know them despite of him. So I can think of them when I wonder if I got something from his side of the family, and my mind won't automatically think of getting anything from him. I'm so sorry if it makes you mad, I never wanted that. It's just, if you can forgive your dad, why can't they be forgiven for something they never asked to happen to them? I thought you would be proud to know I wasn't heartless..." Leah cried, angrily wiping her eyes.