"Why do you still have this picture of him hanging up?" I ask my mom as I help her scrub the dishes.
"So Kian and Gabby will believe what I told them about why he left," mom answers, not looking up at me. "It's so much them to believe that he died rather than having to know what actually happened."
"But what happens if he tries to contact us again, mom?" I demand, getting a little mad. "He tried to before, why couldn't he do it now?"
She sighs and puts the plate down, "I've moved neighborhoods and changed our last name. He'll have a harder time finding us now. Even so, we have a restraining order against him. Besides, as far as Gabby and Kian know, he's dead. They wouldn't believe that he is their father if he did show up. Why do you care so much, Gracie?"
I freeze at her question. Why do I care? Well maybe it's because of the fact that right before my dad left, he and my mom got into a huge fight about whether or not to go to my aunt's wedding. She was marrying a woman and my dad didn't like that. He screamed and cursed and scared me. I had to comfort Gabby, who was only two at the time. Kian wasn't born yet. Maybe I care because because of that night, I'm scared of him. And of myself.
"Gracie?" Mom calls, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, um, I don't really care," I lie. I turn on go back to the dishes, keeping my mouth closed as thoughts rattle around inside my head.
Rena's POV
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"Okay so after I sing 'Always tryna put your two cents in and expecting me to change tried to fix me up but I'm not broken all you do is leave me stained', you sing 'Told you not to tie me down too quickly take it slow, it's not a race and you keep on tryna reel me in but all I really need is space', right?" I ask, trying to organize the lyrics that Shawn and I have written so far.
"Yeah," he replies, "then we go into the chorus." I nod and make notes on the piece of paper we have the song scrawled on.
"So you still haven't told Brody about the bruises Reed left?" Shawn asks quietly, glancing down a the bracelets that are covering my wrists.
"Really Shawn?" I question, pretending to be focused on the piece of paper so that I don't have to look at him. "That's what you want to talk about at the moment? Not the song that we are so close to finishing?"
"Yeah," he responds, making me roll my eyes. "I'm just worried about you, Rena. This jackass hurt you and I don't like that."
"I'm fine," I argue, still looking at the paper. Shawn snatches it away from me, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"How much sleep did you get last night?"
"What kind of a question is th-"
"The kind that you need to answer," he cuts in.
I sigh, "I don't know. Maybe an hour. But I took a small nap yesterday afternoon while Brody and one of my brothers was at my apartment."
"Why don't you just tell the police that this guy is stalking you and get him arrested?"
"Because Gracie will never forgive me, okay! I know I'm playing a dangerous game here, but I need to just leave this whole thing be until at least Monday. If I tell her that Reed is a jackass and she doesn't believe me, then maybe I'll be able to get a video of him being a creepy shit. That way, I won't lose my best friend," I explain, my mood sinking. Shawn pulls me into a hug, crinkling the paper between us. I sit there, feeling miserable as he embraces me.
"You're a really great friend Rena," Shawn finally says as he smoothes out our song lyrics. "What you're trying to do is stupid beyond belief, but you're a good friend."
"Thanks," I reply, "I think. Now let's finish this song so we can record it." He laughs and nods, putting the paper down on the floor between us.
The song is Air by Shawn Mendes andAstridS in case you'rewondering.
