𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 || 𝐒𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Chapter 20 ~ How it Came to Pass

A sigh escaped my lips and I got up from the table, walking over to the small island in the middle of the kitchen before leaning on it. I didn't want to tell him. But he was my boyfriend now - he had every right to know how I came to be...what I was.

So I continued on with the story, even though the traumatic events of my past were nothing I would like to go back and re-visit, "My name was Carina Maria Montoya-Romero,"

Sam frowned and I almost laughed, answering his question before he asked it, "Carina was a very...feminine name for a girl who felt more like a tomboy her whole life so the guys that I hung out with started calling me Carter instead of Carina,"

I took a deep breath then, diving into the rest of my story.

"I was in my senior year at Round Rock High School in Texas. I had everything going for me - I'd applied to a few different colleges, had a paid internship I would be starting as soon as I graduated, a kid sister who looked up to me... Even had a really great boyfriend who everyone thought I would marry someday..."

Sam looked over at me, noticing how my knuckles had turned white as I gripped the solid foundation of the marble surface of the island. But he didn't press me at all, he gave me time to collect myself before I went on.

"It was a couple weeks before graduation. All my friends had wanted to go out and celebrate, one last hurrah before we went out into what our Latino parents always referred to as "the real world"..." I shook my head, "But things...didn't go as planned. When I showed up at the old movie theater, a lot of them were already hanging out outside, drunk out of their minds...including my boyfriend..."

I swallowed.

"Somehow, I let him convince me to go out for a drive with him..." I trailed off, my eyes flicked over to Sam then, "Taking a drive wasn't as boring back then as it sounds. It was just a way to have fun and-"

He cut me off though, not unkindly, "Oh, I know. I saw The Outsiders and American Graffiti,"

I almost grinned at his reference of pop culture but I was too immersed in my own painful memories to crack a smile as I continued on.

"So, I went with him...biggest mistake of my life. I just wish I'd known it then..."

Sam was frowning by this point, deep in thought or so it seemed. But when he spoke, it wasn't of a question but rather a hesitant insinuation of what had taken place.

"So he-" he started and instantly, my gaze met his, not wanting him to finish what he was about to say.

I couldn't help the tears that pricked my eyes though as the memories came rushing back - the screams stuck in my throat as he'd held me down, hand pressed to my mouth, the unwanted, unasked for touch of his hands on my skin, the overwhelming sense of fear as his face hovered over mine in the darkness...

I let out a gasping sob, covering my mouth as it all came flooding back to my mind. Sam was out of his seat in an instant, rushing to my side. His hands came up as if to encircle me but thinking better of it, let them fall to his sides so as not to without my permission. The tears made hot tracks down my cheeks as my chest heaved. I had repressed this memory for so long now but it still had the ability to break me. Squeezing my eyes shut as if to block the dam, I let myself lean into Sam's touch. That was all the encouragement he needed to finally embrace me, holding my body tightly to his chest as I let all of the frustration, anger, fear, and sadness out.

And finally, I told him - the secret I'd been hiding for so long now. The only other one who knew was Death when he saved me all those years ago out of pity...

Glancing up at Sam through the blur of a fresh set of tears, I confessed the worst part of it - the part that it had taken years for me to come to terms with.

"He murdered me..."

Note: So...what do y'all think of that big reveal?! XD It was so much fun to finally write Carter's backstory though :D I've had this idea in mind for months now so it was fun to finally enact it :) I hope y'all enjoyed it!