The Vindicated With The Monstrous

Flashback 1

A/N: surprise, double update bc christmas and ily all. I'm up here instead of at the end to explain what this actually is before you guys read it. This is not really considered a chapter (that's why it's kind of short). I wanted the flashbacks to be a separate thing from the main story, because they draw parallels basically to what the letters are, sporadic and left for your interpretation. Merry Christmas friends!

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October 10th

Abigail sat down anxiously at the coffee shop she agreed to meet at, looking around the dingy place and wondering how she got herself to this point. She zoned out, looking down at the chipped wooden table until she saw two hands slammed down onto it and immediately looked up to see fiery green eyes.

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" Lauren replied, clear anger in her tone, "You're going to move on with your life and marry that preppy little rich kid your dad has planned for you. Live your life of spoon fed luxury and I don't ever want to see you again. I don't want to hear your voice, I don't ever want to so much hear your name again."

Abigail was taken back by the route this conversation was going in; she had practiced what she was going to say to Lauren. She was ready to take a stand against her and hopefully they could both come to some sort of agreement but Lauren had seemingly thrown any idea of that down the drain before she even had a chance to pitch it. It was so aggravating to Abigail, she thought she would be talking to someone who is reasonable, someone she can get through to, but she now sees that Lauren is not that person. "What are you going to do if I don't stay away, huh?" Abigail fired back, "Are you threatening me?"

Lauren laughed humorlessly and shook her head, "Threatening you?" she rhetorically asked in a low voice. "Oh, sweetie. You must not know what a threat sounds like, here," Lauren paused as she pulled out the phone that was in her pocket, opening it up to get to the voicemails. "You wanna hear a fucking threat, this is a fucking threat," Lauren gritted through her teeth as she held the phone up to Abigail's ear before pressing the play button.

Abigail shivered as she instantly recognized the rage fueled voice on the phone.

You better stay the fuck away from my daughter, you lowlife piece of shit. I can and will end your life! I will end it so quickly, and quietly, and not lose any motherfucking sleep over it! No one will even miss you either, just like your damn conniving father! So you leave us the fuck alone, if you know what's good for you.

Abigail shook her head as her eyes began to get all teary at the harsh words of her own father. She didn't want this, she didn't want any of this. She started something that has reached a level that was now out of her control and it wasn't even any of her fault. "Lauren, I-I'm so sorry," Abigail began as more tears began pouring down her face. She shook her head again in disbelief as the words of her father echoed in her head, "Please, you have to help me," she pleaded, now hopeless on what she should do, "Please."

"I don't have to help you," Lauren calmly replied, her expression was cold as she was emotionlessly watching Abigail sob without what seemed like a care in the world, "You have to help your damn self. End of discussion, do what I said and move on," Lauren said with finality as she began to get up from her seat.

Move on. Abigail wished that it was that easy, but she's afraid that it most definitely isn't. She was in too deep and the words alone ignited the fire that she confidently started with before Lauren rejected it. "I can't," Abigail said to herself as she wiped her tears, her lip quivered as she tried to regain her composure in an effort to be taken more seriously. She was going to fight for what she wanted, and she wasn't going to let anyone, even her own father, stop her from it. She grabbed Lauren arm so that Lauren could look at the desperation in her eyes as she said, "I can't, and I won't, Lauren. Please, don't make me."

Lauren's jaw tightened at the stubbornness she was displaying, and it wasn't just stubbornness but it was also selfishness. Lauren played the voicemail in hopes she would get some empathy, in hopes Abigail can realize it isn't just her in danger and think about someone other than herself for a change. But that didn't work, which only frustrated Lauren even more. Lauren closed her eyes momentarily and took a few breaths so that she does not explode on her, it isn't worth her time. Abigail will do whatever she wants, whatever her selfish self feels like she needs to do. Lauren shook her arm out of her grip on it and decided she'd only make one last appeal to Abigail, this time she won't try to make her feel empathy. No, this time, she'll just remind her again of the danger Abigail is putting herself in, since that is all she cares about.

"Fine, do what you want," Lauren said with a chuckle as she shrugged her shoulders, starting to walk backwards as she said her final her line before leaving, "Keep playing with fire, I'll just watch you get burned."