Anaphase

Phase IX

Lilith's Perspective
~
Evelyn's unsteady breathing was too loud from the backseat. She looked bewildered, who knows why.

I held my breath as we passed through my crazy globe dome and through the gates. I didn't exhale until we were through.
"Why'd you do that?" asked Demetri.
"No reason, I'm crazy is all," I said. I knew it was a weird thing to say but no weirder than the actual reason.

He shrugged it off simply and diverted his focus back to the road.
He was speeding way over the limit causing my guts to churn. I felt strangely sorry for the inanimate wheel which was being squeezed by his white-knuckled fist.

The evening air blew my hair like ribbons tied to a fan with my window down.

Mrs Griffins car smelled of expensive leather crossed with bubblegum. But no doubt due to the bubblegum air freshener. 

The car had fallen silent as of the minute after we left and nobody broke the silence.

But that was fine, it gave me time to think.
More like time to stress and panic.

I was hoping to heavens that Dad would be asleep. Or too drunk to come outside when the car pulled up.
Usually, if I was absent for even 10 minutes he'd appear red as a raging bull.

"One more right," I navigated.
He turned cautiously and slowed the meter. My stomach felt as if it had rolled back into place but my head felt nauseous.
"Um, you can just drop us here," I said. "We can walk"
He scoffed and kept creeping forward.
"What number?" He asked.
"The house with the net fence there," I sighed.
As he pulled into the driveway, my breathing had hitched and my fingers shook slightly.
How grateful I was that this expensive car was quiet enough that Dad shouldn't have been able to hea-
The front door swung open.

1...2...3.
I counted until I could properly function my breathing again.
Demetri looked at me curiously whilst Evelyn scrambled out the back.

She didn't know what went on at home but she must have accumulated an idea over the past few years. She didn't want him anywhere near it than I did. Not to mention that one time she witnessed dad have a spasm.
Speaking of spasms...

"Lilith!" He spat sneering at us. "Is that you?!"
I launched out of the car, launching my bag on.
Crouching in desperately, I thanked him for dropping us off with a smile which I hoped was convincing enough. I shut the door and rushed over to dad praying silently that Demetri would've lived up to his arrogance and just left.
"Who the f*ck is this?!" He echoed looking at Evelyn.
I stood in front of her protectively.
"And who in the hell is this w*nker?!" He growled peering behind me.
Damn it! he's still here.
Turning hesitantly, I saw Demetri looking out of the passenger window at us with an unreadable expression. Why did he always look so immaculate? That should be his name.

"Um...Dad" I said.
He growled like an animal. Mind you he looked like one too. With his now stubby beard and the stench of alcohol. He didn't seem that drunk. Just enraged.
"This is my best friend Evelyn, remember? And um that's Demetri Griffin," My voice came out a squeak.

Suddenly, Dad's eyes widened and his face turned tomato red.
"WHAT?!" He shrieked, making both Evelyn and I back up one step.
"You little b*tch! How could you do this to me too!?" He roared.
How could I what?!
I hadn't seen this look of... betrayal since mum left. Why was he so enraged?!

He stumbled forward and he didn't have to raise his hand for me to know he was going to strike.
He approached closer and closer now. I stood looking upon him with the same look of horror I would if an inevitable large wave were to crash upon me, only worse now that it had to be happening in front of the last two people in the world I'd want to see this.

Evelyn's gasp is all I could sense apart from the shaking in my arms and knees that buckled. I could barely move.

In this moment, all seemed to happen at once.

First, I stood protectively with some newfound strength. Turning furious myself, I braced in front of Evelyn. An unnatural snarl broke through my lips surprisingly, half shocking me out of focus. 
I was ready. I would take him on if it killed me. This was my best friend.
Second, a door slammed and I heard my name.
Third, I was pulled back by Evelyn who pointed at Dads's hand... a broken bottle.
Holy shit.
This was going to end with blood. I can't fight him off but I can't let Eve-
He was too close, the bottle now raised in the air.

I had my arms raised to defend a now wide-eyed Evelyn when suddenly a body was between us.

Now I could only see the strong muscles, like wings, flexed along the panes of his back. The ebony hair flailing down towards the tense arms.

He stood only just taller than Dad, but his stance and figure made him soar over him.
Demetri was alarmingly tranquil as if he surpassed my fathers' skill by a million.
But his calm approach couldn't conceal the anger which was so clearly visible. Was I just going crazy again or is Demetri smoking? Like actually burning smoke like lava surface.
Little anger tornado's of steam seemed to emanate from his body.

I saw dad's feet stop hesitantly at the ground beneath  Demetri's stanced legs. I couldn't see his face but all went quiet except for everyone's hitched breathing.
Dad didn't move nor did immaculate Demetri. It looked as if they were having a stare-off.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back to see a teary-eyed Evelyn trying to pull me away from the scene.
"Girls," said Demetri. "Get back into the car, you're staying at ours."
I swallowed, watching Demetri's fists open and close again, the white of his knuckles like the pull and push of the tide.
"She's not going anywhere with you," Dad spat.
I scrambled to my feet when Immaculate Demetri stepped forward. He raised his arm ready to strike him. I pounced onto the back of his arm holding it back.
"No! Leave it Demetri"
Slash!
Drops of Demetri's blood gashed from his left arm as the bottle sliced a cut through him. He looked at me hysterically before shoving me to the ground behind him. If he was smoking before, he was shredding danger now.
I heard Evelyn say "Police please!" Into her phone.

Dad backed up preparing to strike again. No! Demetri!

Three things happened at once.

One: Impossibly, I appeared In front of Demetri, arms raised to protect me.
Two: I realized I'd screamed his name aloud in my short-lived desperation
Three: A painful kiss from the bottle shards of glass cut through my clothes and across my left arm.

Strong arms caught me when I stumbled back, gasping.

AN//
Sorry took ten million years. School just started but I'll try keep up my releases earlier!

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