Chapter 28: Gene

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by Amberiso

by Amberiso

Y/N's P.O.V

I blamed myself as I walked back to the main camp area. I thought about how I should've taken that bullet. How John must've hated me for this.

When I arrived, I heard cheering and laughter. The liquor bottles were opened and filled the entire area with its scent. It made me feel dizzy. In the mids of my turning, Philip ran up to me. "Robin! We did it! We're free!" He said, shaking me up by the shoulder. Already nauseous and now fully shaken up, I fell to my knees and gagged. Eventually, the sour taste washed over me and I threw up.

"Robin!" Philip called and kneeled beside me, patting me on the back. I coughed a few times and eventually stopped. "Sorry," I mumbled, whipping my mouth with my thorn sleeve. "Did you already drink? Why're you so sick?" Philip asked with a chuckle, patting my back once again. A sharp sense prickled in my throat as I fell into Philip's arms, holding him tight. "John's dead," I croaked. He paused a moment before throwing his arms over me and hugging me tightly.

~a day later~

I was beyond myself. Everything felt surreal and like the world kept turning even though mine had stopped. However, I had to keep myself together for one more day. While packing everything I had in a bag, Lee looked at me a few times before finally saying: "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and sniffled a bit. He hummed before starting to pack himself. "So where are you going?" I asked him. "Back to Britain to visit my old man," He said. And when he did, I suddenly remembered something.

Gene, my fiance, was also returning to Britain and he was going to bring me with him. Back to my awful parents. "What's wrong?" I heard Lee say. Just then, I realized that I had dropped a few books on the muddy floor. "I-I... Gene is going to...," I mumbled, crouching down and picking up the dirty books.

Lee recalled my situation and put a hand on my shoulder as I got up. "What are you going to do?" He asked. "Well, I don't have a choice. I have to go back," I said, putting the books in my bag. The bad things started stacking up and I didn't know how to react anymore.

"Man, that's some horse sh*t," He spat. I turned around in surprise and looked at him. I had never heard him speak like that. "You fought three years of your life to go back to being an obedient daughter?" He asked me. "You are who you want to be. Be that Robin Scalewinds or Y/N L/N,"

Hearing that, it did indeed not make any sense to go back. After I grabbed my stuff, I hurried to her harbor to give Gene a piece of my mind. He told me when he was leaving America and I wasn't about to let him whisk me away. After walking around the crowded harbor, I saw Gene sitting on a crate probably looking for me. With a straight posture, I walked up to him. When he saw me, he stood up ready to say something but I cut him off before I was even close enough.

"Listen here, you," I started, pointing at him. "I will stay here and you cannot change my mind!" I said. He seemed surprised but not completely shocked. Even though I had just yelled at him, he seemed to give me a softer look. With an exhale, he stuck out his hand.

"Good luck. Know you're always welcome," He said. I looked at his hand, processing what he had just told me. The gears in my head had never turned so aggressively. "I know you'll be fine," He added which made me look him straight in the eyes.

First a bit hesitant, I stepped forward but then threw my arms around him. "Thank you," I whispered. The hug came as a surprise, but he did return it. With a silent goodbye, he walked off toward the ship. I stayed near the docks until the ship had sailed off and was no longer in sight. Even then, I stayed and watched the sunrise slowly.

~One week later~

I had left Robin behind me. Still being grief-stricken by the news I got to hear about John, Philip offered to let me stay at the Hamilton household. I mostly stayed in the guestroom and went outside for food. I apologized daily for being a leech, but Eliza said it was fine as long as I got back on my feet.

Philip's P.O.V

I looked at the door of the guestroom. Growing more and more worried every day, I finally decided to softly knock on the door to see if she was okay. She didn't answer. "Y/N? Y/N, it's me, Philip. Can I come in?" I asked but received no response. With a sigh, I leaned against the door. She'll have to come outside eventually, right? That's when Angie approached me with a tray of breakfast foods. "What're you doing?" She asked. "Waiting for her to come out. She's been here for a week now and I've seen her twice," I complained. She sighed and with a roll of her eyes pushed me out the way before knocking on the door. I didn't expect anything to happen but then Angie said: "Y/N, it's Angelica. Can I come in?" She asked.

The door opened, Angie entered and closed the door behind her.

...

"What kind of sexist-"

"Philip, kindly don't go there," Eliza said from downstairs.