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XI

"They weren't going to test me; they were going to kill me."

****

I felt anger rise in my cheeks and tears of betrayal started to burn in my eyes.

"W-Why? Why would she do this? What did I do to her? She told me she loved me, she told me that it would all be okay."
I spoke quickly, almost incomprehensible.

"She's no better than John," I mumbled under my heavy breath.

Ashton looked at me with sympathy; the way my mom once looked at me.

And suddenly, I didn't care what anyone thought of me. I simply couldn't hold back all the tears that were lodged in my throat; slowly choking me to death.

I released a sob that felt so relieving. Tear after tear fell down my cheek. I had been holding so many tears back because no one was ever there to see them. Every broken promise, every hurtful word, ever punch from my father, all showcased in the tears that were now falling down my cheeks like waterfalls.

"Shh, Melia. Don't say that. Your mother is nothing like John; she still loves you. I'm sure of it. It may not seem like it right now, but a mother can never stop loving her daughter, no matter how hard she pretends to."

He wrapped his tattooed arms around me, shaking. I could tell he had never done this for anyone else before and that's what allowed me to show a crooked smile. This boy who I had barely just met has opened himself up to me and only me. All I ever wanted was for someone to trust me and have my trust in return, and I finally had it. It's only going to make it harder for me when I leave.

As he squeezed my limp body in his arm once more, he muffled something into my hair,

"That's why I think there's more going on here."

I released the embrace and looked up at him. "Like what?" I asked, colour draining my already pale face.

"Like John," he replied. My whole body shuddered at the sound of his name and my heart seemed to stop at the thought of what he could be doing to my mother as we speak.

"Isn't he in jail?" Hope filled my voice, but I knew there wasn't much left. John had escaped the prison countless times before, and there was a high chance he had done it again.

Ashton shrugged. "Everyone seems to think so, but I'm not quite sure. I was doing late night googling last night and his records aren't that great. He has escaped the jail numerous times, as I'm sure you're aware. If he hasn't already, he must have some gang members or 'buddies' to do the dirty work for him. But it doesn't matter, whether it's your dad himself or his just as dangerous friends, I think your mom is in trouble."

I gulped and spoke, my voice shaky and uneven, trying not to let the fear show in my tone.

"Let's save her, then."

****
*time skip to the next day*

Yesterday, Ashton told me that it was a bad idea to interfere with whatever was going on with my mom. But I couldn't let her go through this alone; she was always there for me. I loved her.

That night, it was the only thing on my mind as I drifted to sleep in Ashton's arms.

I thought about how it was the last time I'll see him and be able to fall asleep beside him,

because tomorrow, I was leaving.