The Bird That Couldn't Sing (GBFF)

Chapter 11 - Kota

My breath gets stuck in my throat and my heart plummets when Silas lifts up Sang's shirt.

Oh my God. I knew someone has been hurting her; I just didn't know it was this bad.

Scars litter the whole of her torso--some old and some new. And the bruise that had to have been from Max is huge and purple and green. But what really sends me into a fit of rage is the gash I can see peeking from the top of where her shirt is pulled up. I can't see it fully, but I know if the blouse were to be pulled up even higher, it would be an ugly sight.

"What the fuck!" Silas shouts. "Pull the car over, Vic!"

"Wha- why?" Victor asks, eyes on the road. He quickly, and very briefly, glances over to the backseat. His eyes widen when he sees sweetie's tattered and beaten state. He doesn't hesitate to pull into a random, empty looking parking lot, bringing the car to a screeching halt and turning around to look back at Sang once more.

Her eyes are glossy with fresh tears that threaten to spill out of her haunted green eyes, and I suddenly become all too aware at why they look so haunted and broken.

Sang... she's being abused.

How could someone abuse someone so beautiful and perfect? They'd have to be the equivalent to a monster to do so. The devil incarnate, no doubt.

I begin to count down from 1,000 in my head, attempting to calm myself before I go over to her house and beat the shit out of whoever has been causing harm to her. And that's saying a lot because, besides Mr. Blackbourne himself, I'm certainly the most calm and logical person in our family. I have to be as such if I want to be a good family lead.

"P-princess," Victor's voice is shaky with hurt and pain for the beautiful girl that sits in front of us, tears now streaming down her perfect face. "W-who did this to you?"

She bites her lip, swatting away Silas's hands, making her shirt fall. She shakes her head fervently, backing away from Silas and pressing her back into the car door. I can see the pain it causes him that she seems so terrified of him and us in this moment.

With a soft voice and his hands up to show he isn't a threat, he says, "Aggele, you don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you, I promise. Please," his voice cracks. I don't think I've ever seen Silas as vulnerable as I have in this very moment. My eyes widen in shock. "Please, don't be scared of me."

She shakes her head again, liquid still falling from her eyes and streaming down her face. She opens her mouth as if to say something but shuts it immediately after, realizing she can't do as such. And I feel so much for her. This amazing, beautiful, kind, perfect girl is so un-rightfully hurt, it breaks my heart. And to top off the shit cake, she can't even speak.

Frantically, she tries to sign, but it's too quick for me to read. I really do need Luke to teach me, or Gabe. I'm pretty sure he's already taught Gabe so their pranks can be even stealthier.

"Sang, sweetie," I start, "you're going too fast. I can't understand you."

She halts her movements, roughly rubbing at her face to get rid of the waterfalls. Then she turns to me, looking me directly in the eyes. How can green look this colorful, this vibrant? My favorite color used to be hunter green. But that's changed. Now, it's the color of Sang's eyes. Now, it's a different kind of green, the kind that sparkles in the sun. The kind that makes you feel warm and cared for. The kind that drawls you in and threatens to never let you go. The kind that, even when it looks so haunted and broken, it still shines as if it's never been hurt before... it's the kind that makes mine look so pale and dull and bleak in comparison.

Slower this time, she signs, "Please don't hate me." My mouth pops open and my head jolts back, stunned.

"Wait, Kota. What did she say?" Victor asks warily, eyes assessing the situation. Or, more specifically, assessing Sang.

I don't answer him, though. Instead, I look deeply into Sang's green irises and ask, "How could you say that, Sang? How could you even think that? I'd never hate you... we'd never hate you. Especially not for something like this. We all care for you, Sang. And yeah, I'm angry. Pissed, actually." She flinches back at my words before I can finish. "But not at you. Never at you," I continue, and she slumps in relief.

"Is that what you were worried about, aggele?" Silas quizzes, looking wounded and heartbroken. She looks back over to him and nods slowly. He, too, slumps a little, relieved that she isn't scared of or hate him like he thought. "Sang," he drawls. "I don't even think I'd have the ability to hate you. I don't think my body would even allow it."

Her eyes switch back and forth between each of his, then to mine, then to Victor's. I can tell he wants to say something, but stops himself before he does so. I direct my gaze over to Silas, and with our eyes, we converse.

"How could someone do this to her?" I silently ask, more like plead.

"I have no clue, but when I find out who did it, they're dead." His jaw locks and his body tenses, and I have no doubt he's serious about his wordless declaration. But his body slowly looses the tension it was racked with when we break our eye contact and he looks back over to Sang.

Victor lets out a loud, defeated sigh out of nowhere, and I have a feeling I know what he's about to say next. "Sang, princess, do your parents beat you?" There could've been a better way to ask the question we already know the answer to, but it'll just have to do.

There's a sharp hitch in her breath as she frantically shakes her head no. God, she looks so torn right now, and it breaks my heart impossibly more to see her in such a state.

"Sweetie," I start in my calmest tone. "It's fine. You don't have to tell us. Not now, anyway. Just know that if you need someone... anyone... I'm here. We're all here, and I promise we're not going anywhere. Like I said, we care about you. You're our friend and what happens at home would never change that."

The tears that had once dried up are now streaming down her face again, and her face suddenly lights up, as if those were the words she's wanted to here her whole life. I sit there and marvel at the way a smile creeps up on her face, because even though she's been through hell--still going through hell, I'm sure--she has still come out smiling.

She's so strong. Even as much as my brothers, and that's saying a lot, considering all of their pasts.

I'm so undeniably proud and happy at her happiness that I don't even register her pushing herself off her car door and leaning in to give us all pecks on the cheeks--Silas then me then Victor.

And if I didn't know any better, I think I'd say they were in love by the awed looks on their faces and the smiles etched onto their cheeks and the way their eyes look onto her in utter adoration.

And I know I look the same.

I hadn't even realized I stopped counting until now.
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Sad, but cute... Two words to describe Sang. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I also hope it wasn't too early to introduce the 'L' word. Even if they weren't outright said. But...
As always, until next time...

Sincerely,

The Annoying Author Lady