Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 37 - Westfield Shopping Centre, Geelong

A/N: I'd like to say a quick thanks for the 2.07k views, I'd do another character Q&A but it kind of feels a little too soon since the last one, do you have any ideas for now we can celebrate? Let me know. Thanks! J.L Curnow (Bennington)

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Adeline Isobel Plowman -

I sigh as I collapse on Charlie's bed and stare at the roof, my hands involuntarily shaking from the fight. Cassandra and David should call the police and have me arrested. I'm a criminal, and I almost killed their daughter. What sort of mother am I going to be, if I can't even stand Eliza being irritating?

Getting up, I start to look around Charlie's room, bored and agitated. Maybe he has a book or laptop or something in here that can keep my crazy mind at rest for an hour. I'm under a 60 minute room lockdown for what happened. If Andrea was Cassie, she would have killed me.

Usually, when I'm in somebody else's room or house, I can't go through their things, it makes me feel guilty, like I'm spying, and because it's rude. Today, I don't care. Charlie probably won't mind, or even notice. His room is a mess anyway.

Stepping over his jeans that have been thrown on the floor, I go over to his drawers and look at the things on top of them, mainly just football gear and merch. I go over to the bedside table, looking at a book he's left on top.

"Oh Charlie" I say, sighing as I put the school textbook back. He'll be looking everywhere in his locker for that today, and he'll probably accuse Zaine of taking it.

Opening the top drawer, I look in as I see a pair of tangled headphones, a packet of gum, one of Charlie's older iPhones, an iPod, and a blade.

Moving the old iPhone, I pick up the blade as I inspect it. Blood covered the sharp part of it, as if somebody may have tried to hurt themselves with this thing.

Getting up, I open the door and break the rules as I go downstairs to find Cassie in the kitchen, sitting by the bench, reading a book. She doesn't notice me until I speak.

"Cassie?" I ask. She suddenly looks up, and I flinch, scared she'll yell at me for leaving Charlie's room.

"Yes?" She asks, taking her glasses off and closing her book.

"I know I'm not supposed to leave Charlie's room, but I found this in his drawer, I thought you should know" I say, passing her the blood stained blade. She looks at it sadly and shakes her head.

"I'll speak to him later when he gets in. In the meantime, you can go and put the TV on, if you want" she says, throwing the blade out and ending my punishment early.

"You're not gonna keep that?" I ask.

"If I kept it, Charlie would find a way to get it back" She says, looking out the window into the backyard.

"I didn't even know he was cutting. How could I not have noticed?" I ask, feeling guilty. Cassie's reaction is eerily calm, scaring me.

"He intended on keeping it a secret, that's how. Go and watch TV, he'll be home soon" Cassie says, drinking from her cup of coffee. I walk into the lounge, not only worried by what Cassie told me, but also about my boyfriend. Why would he do this? Doesn't he understand that we love him?

I'm about halfway through a movie when Eliza suddenly walks in, face covered in makeup, trying to conceal the bruises I gave her. She throws her bags on a chair and goes into the kitchen.

"Mum, I'm home!" She announces, as if Cassie couldn't hear her loud car pull up in the driveway. I grimace, annoyed that my TV time alone has come to an end.