Wordless Conversations // Phan (sequel to Bring Me Home)

24

I was sat with Emma on the sofa, watching a film.

I wasn't entirely sure what it was - I'd just selected a film at random off netflix.

My fingers tapped on my legs, before I realised and stopped them.

I needed to calm down.

Watch the film.

Stop thinking.

It was actually a pretty good film.

It was about a father with anger issues and a bad temperament, trying to bring up his daughter after their mother left them.

At one point in the film, the climax, the father broke. He ended up taking his anger out on the daughter that he had protected for so long.

The scene was quite graphic, showing his fist colliding with the daughter's jaw.

I felt Emma flinch beside me and I turned to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, my voice low, barely audible.

She nodded, just before the father delivered another blow to his daughter's stomach.

Emma quickly stood up and left the room, leaving me sat there - wondering what had happened.

She'd been fine before.

What was happening now?

Go after her, you idiot.

Oh, right. Yeah.

My feet padded along the floor as I made my way outside her bedroom.

Her door lay ajar, and a thin white line of light shone out into the hallway.

I entered quietly, sitting on the floor next to her curled up body.

Her head was in her knees.

I couldn't hear her crying.

She was just.. still.

"What's wrong?" I asked, straight to the point.

I didn't expect an answer, and I didn't receive one.

"You're clearly not okay so what's wrong."

My voice scratched into the thick darkness that hung in the air.

I did this.

Constantly.

Whenever I was upset.

I hid myself away.

Wouldn't talk to anyone.

Now I was asking Emma to do what I refused to do myself.

I'm such a hypocrite.

I wanted to help Emma, and show her I was here for her. She didn't have any other friends or family, as far as I knew, and I wanted her to feel safe and welcome.

So I scooted closer to her and put my arms around her body, hugging her as I pleaded to her one last time.

"Tell me."

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A/N: today is the day we celebrate the birthday of the plant king, Phillip Lester. Let's all join hands as we sing Toxic together in celebration.