She's Broken

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

                My mum was standing in the doorway to her bedroom, beaming at me with a proud expression. I’d told her that I’d gone to see Dad. At first, she wasn’t happy about it the more she seemed to talk it through, the more sense it made.

                “You look lovely,” she said, eyeing my outfit. I smiled, turning away from the mirror to look at her properly. I had told her that I was going out for the day with Eli and she insisted that we get me a new top. Her excitement about it was contagious and by the time I got home that night, I couldn’t wait to take the trip out with him.

                “Thank you.” She grinned, moving to sit over on the bed. I adjusted the new top and pulled my shorts down a little, unsure about whether or not I should be wearing them. I told Mum why I didn’t want to wear anything that didn’t cover my legs and she assured me that I shouldn’t let Finn rule my life, even when he was in jail.

                My mum got up and looked at me in the mirror, obviously longing to touch my hair or hug me. I shot her a sad smile in return, looking down at the clover on my chest.

                “When’s he getting here?” she asked and I looked at the clock.

                “3.” Mum nodded, walking back down to sit on the bed. I joined her, fiddling with the red hem of the shirt.

                “Do you want me to go into your room and get it for you?” she asked, studying me with wary eyes. I shook my head, glancing at the door.

                After everything came to blows, my room was the last place that I wanted to be so I’d been sleeping in our spare room. A lot of my things had been moved over but not quite everything. The bracelet that I was looking for was in my old room, sitting in the jewellery box that my grandmother gave me before she passed away.

                “I’ll leave it,” I said at last, looking back at my mum. She nodded, pushing herself up.

                “You’ll go in there one day, won’t you?” she inquired, giving me a worried look as she stopped at the door.

                “Yes.” My voice was confident enough that she smiled and patted the door before disappearing outside.

                I would go in there again, just not yet. The last time I was in that room properly, I was getting ready for school, the day after he’d violated me for two hours straight. Being in there just brought back memories that wouldn’t let me sleep. Haunting thoughts that wouldn’t leave me alone until I’d gone outside and confronted Harley, which usually resulted in me sleeping in the stall with him.

                When Eli arrived, I was halfway through tacking Harley. He was wearing his usual khaki shorts, but seemed to have taken a leaf out Carter’s book. They were like a checkerboard, which contrasted the deep purple of his vans.