Falling For Ms. Popular

The Secret Is Out

I wiped my eyes, trying to rid myself of the tears. Nathan said nothing to me, but hurried over and guided me to a table to sit and relax at. There stood out parents only a few feet away from us. They looked awkward and uncomfortably standing there in front of us saying nothing at all. Mari looked between the four of us and looked like she was going to speak up, but instead she kept her mouth shut as well. I could tell she was unsure of what she should do, and that's fine. After I calmed down, fath- I mean that man came closer to me. There seemed to be some sort of reason behind his action because all of a sudden he reached down and patted my head. The man I knew to be my father was never that kind and gentle to me. Nathan would know, he and I received the same treatment from both of them.

"You've grown, Ava..." He said, lifting his hand from my head and proceeding to walk towards Nathan with a scowl. My brother stood still, staring at our father with a sense of disappointment and loneliness.

"What do you want? Just walk away, father. You have nothing to do with us anymore." Nathan said sternly, crossing his arms as he glared daggers at the man who was no longer our father.

"Come son, why should we be at each other's throats? Why not start over as a family, huh?" I lost it. The man who beat us, drugged us, and... and took away our purity wants us to come together as a family again? Why? What has he done for our well-being? He didn't even know, nor care that we were alive!

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm afraid we will have to decline your offer." Nathan looked at me, surprised that I actually spoke up. Our father and mother both chuckled at my reply, but soon return to their serious and strict gazes.

"Ava, enough of this foolishness. How else are you going to pay your tuition, for your food, and rent?" Mother asked me, cackling to herself and father. Mari stepped in front on me and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Let me take care of this. I called mom and dad, so they should be here soon if they keep on pestering us. Please go and sit down, Ava. I hate to see you so distressed." I took Mari's advice and went back to sit down at a cafeteria table. They were many people watching out "family" quarrel, but I don't blame them because it is our fault for bickering here...

"Look, I loosely understand your relation to my girlfriend, but unless she actually wants to talk to you, you will be dealing with me for a while. I advise you to not piss me off or we will have a problem." They both flinched at Mari's words at first, but soon brush it off as just a bark with no bite.

"You have no right to get in between us, girlie. I don't care who you are, but you have no right to deny us the right to speak with our daughter and our son." Our father said, turning his fake smile into a furious frown.

"Yes, our daughter may not have the right, but she is doing what us right by protecting her lover from someone who could potentially harm her..." Mari's dad strolled over to me and Nathan with a warm smiled on his face with Mrs. Cross following from behind. Mr. Cross stepped in front of Mari and sent her back to our table while he discussed unknown matters with I and Nathan's parents. Soon after, the two left and Mark's dad returned to us. "What a bastard..." He whispered under his breath. None of us spoke the whole way home, but it was obvious that once we got into the house that we would all be sitting down and talking about the issue. Natan explained to them that our father had... done terrible things to us as children.

"Didn't you say that your mother killed herself and your father abandoned you afterwards? Was that all a lie?" Mari asked me directly. I sighed and rubbed my hands together. I don't want to answer this question...  

"Those aren't true, it wasn't my mother who committed suicide. I attempted to commit suicide... Times were tough... I thought it was the only way out..." My voice quivered. Nathan  rubbed my back and stared at the ground without a word. My hands reached for my neck on instinct, I could feel the rope press against my skin like it did before, but there was nothing there. No one said a word until Mari's parents excused themselves. We were the only three left to discuss today's events and everything that happened until today...