Once upon a time

Chapter 8: Inescapable Reality

Madison P.O.V

"Get up you worthless bitch!" screams a familiar voice into my ear. I wake up as soon as I hear the first syllable of the first word. I open my eyes only to be greeted by my mother's cold eyes. "GET UP!" she screams, grabbing me by my hair. As soon as she yanks me off the bed and onto the floor. She slams the door shut making me jump. I scan the room for Alec's presence. There is a note on the floor.

Madison,

I'm at Uncle Phillip's bookstore. I left when your mother arrived.

See you later.

- Alec

Thank goodness! I let out a sigh of relief and the weight was off my chest. He must have sneaked out of the window when she had come home. I get dressed and head into the kitchen. Mom gives me a look of pure hatred as I make my way towards the fridge. Her eyes are as cold as ice and they are burning into my back. Her brown hair, which is identical to mine, is neatly placed in a bun. The corners of her mouth are turned downwards. The silence is stabbing me, my fingers cannot stop shaking. She doesn't say a word.

But I know what she is thinking. I quickly made breakfast. I placed eggs and sausages onto her plate. As I place the plate down onto the table, she slaps my cheek. The sound of her slap echoes throughout the room. "What is wrong with you?!" she screeches into my ear. My cheek is throbbing and yet it feels numb. Her words echo again and again. What is really wrong with me?

Tears that I was desperately trying to hold back, roll down my cheeks. "I don't know." I whispered, looking down. She gasped. It was the first time I had ever answered that question. Her blue eyes turned so cold and I could only see hatred in them. "HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO ME!" she yells. The familiar feeling of defeat and uselessness overtakes me.

She was right about me. If I had kept my mouth shut. If I had only ... It's my fault. I had killed my father and destroyed my mother. I had shattered her. I took away the love of her life. Because of my ice cream. I deserved it. I had killed the happiness in my mother. Her blue eyes would never light up, again. She would never laugh that twinkling laugh of hers. The laughing lines were no longer visible.

She would never look at me with love. I'm no daughter of hers. I had no right. I was a ruthless murderer. Only Alec would blind me from this. He was like a drug from reality. But reality is inescapable. I had no way out. I was never going to be her daughter, again. I was a nobody with no power. I closed my eyes as my mother's wrath filled screams faded into the background. I was consumed by her words, telling me that I was nothing.

The pain hits me again and again. I bite my lip down to keep my cries silent. Then I hear the sound of her footsteps fading away as she leaves me on the floor. I open my eyes to be greeted at the sight of my blood on the floor. I take a shuddering breath to compose myself. I wrap my arms around my knees, trying to hold myself together. I rocked myself. Back and forth.

I reminded myself that I deserved this. That this is really who I am. That Alec only treated me like an equal because he was kept in the dark. He knows nothing. Nothing, at all. I took a deep breath. I touched my arm to see that my mom that dug her fingernails into my skin. I disinfected it and covered it up with a band-aid. I got out of the house, my mind feeling so tired from arguing.

I head into the empty kitchen to see an empty plate on the table. She had eaten it after all. I pick up the plate to see a note addressed to "The Worthless bitch who killed my husband". That would be me. The note said that she would be home late and how lucky I was to still be cared for. I scrub the plate and rinse it. I place it back into the cupboard.

I grab the doorknob of the bookstore and enter. I see Alec grinning and talking to Mr. Phillips. "Seriously?!" he exclaims, his smile widening. He is adorable, the way earnestly talks to Mr. Phillips and the way his eyes shines with laughter. How could anyone be so happy? Especially in his circumstances, he is a world away from his and staying with an unknown girl.

He then turns to me and gives me a grin. "Hey!" His smile melts my insides and the corners of my mouth turn upwards. He strides towards me. "I'm sorry that I left this morning. I just didn't want to upset you or your mom." he says, giving me a sheepish look.

I shook my head and let out a laugh. "It's okay." I said, lying to him and me. He places his hand on my cheek, worried. I blush under the warm gaze of his brown eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks, his voice gentle. I nodded, taking a step back. Alec's grin returns and his eyes twinkles. An idea comes into my mind and I grin. "Alec?" I call his name, hesitantly.

He turns to me and looks at me in the eyes. "Do you want to go for an adventure?" I ask, grinning. He beams and links his arm with mine."Who in the right mind, would refuse?" he answers, pleased. Many people. I thought bitterly. We leave the store and off we go. After today, I will let Alec go. Just after today. He doesn't belong here. More specifically he doesn't belong here with me.

I will let him go forever.