Broken Pieces

Chapter five

The walls of the room were painted turquoise blue. It was simple but beautiful in design. I was finalizing a science project to be submitted on Monday so I only had today and Sunday to finish it. It was getting dark out since it was after six pm so I decided to call it a day.

I was texting Andrea while sitting in the living room, when my dad came in with a broad smile on his face. My mom came in from her room, probably guessing that my dad had arrived from the sound of the door. She looked at my dad in question after noticing his expression before looking at me. "Erica, what's wrong with your father?"

I smiled and shrugged. "I don't know, he just came in looking very happy about something. He didn't tell me the reason."

"Liam, what happened to make you so happy?" My mother asked him.

"I got the promotion I have always wanted." He answered while smiling, his eyes showing the joy he was feeling.

My mom gasped and moved to hug him while congratulating him with words. I smiled to him. "Dad, congratulations. I am really happy for you."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Don't I deserve a hug from you too?"

I rolled my eyes at him and moved towards him. He laughed and lifted me off the ground while turning me in a circle. We decided to celebrate by dining at our favorite restaurant in the next town, just an hour's drive away.

The meal was great as usual and my dad couldn't stop grinning. We were very happy for him because he worked hard for this and deserved it.

We were on our way back home and I was back to texting Andrea. I casually looked up from my phone, to see a car moving too fast and from one lane to the other. My dad must have noticed it too because he was now trying his hardest to avoid the incoming car. My mom looked like she was praying and I was paralyzed with fear.

The car was getting closer at a very high speed. I just had this feeling that there was no way we could avoid getting hit. We watched in suspense, the car filled with tense silence. And the minute the car hit ours, I screamed at the top of my lungs at the jolt, before everything went dark.

I woke up, drenched in sweat and quivering. I couldn't breathe but I wasn't worried about that since this wasn't my first time. So, I concentrated on breathing through my mouth as my therapist taught me.

I remember vividly, the paralyzing fear that I felt at the time. I tried to block out the fear that I was feeling even now as the memories came rushing to the surface. I continued focusing on breathing and I managed to effectively push back the memories, burying them in the back of my mind as usual.

Something my therapist hated about me because according to her, it isn't an healthy way to heal.

Seeing my mom's beautiful face so vividly in the dream and hearing our screams again, made tears fall down my face. And once I started, I couldn't stop.

I had no idea how long I stayed crying with my knees pulled up to my chest and my arms wrapped around my legs. My body trembling as I tried to muffle the sounds I was making. As I was trying not to make a sound to avoid waking my dad or Doris. But I stayed in that same position for a very long time.

I checked the time to see 11:58. I didn't even sleep for two hours since I arrived from the party at 10:00.

I finally stood up after crying to my satisfaction to get my drugs. I caught sight of myself in the mirror as I walked by it to get the drugs. I stopped to take a good look at myself.