Recklessly (Lumity)

Chapter Twenty-Two - Abuse

Luz's P.O.V

My hand gripped Amity's as I took a deep breath. Eda held a concerned yet impatient look on her face, she just wanted me to say whatever was going on. A part of me wanted to back out and pretend like everything is okay still but I knew that wasn't right, and Amity would eventually get me to confess anyway. I might as well just tell her everything now before things get worse.

"Zander abuses me." The words came out so softly and quietly that I was afraid she hadn't heard me. Her face dropped, telling me that she had heard them and the look on her face broke my heart.

"Tell her what he's done to you, Luz." Amity urged me to continue and so I did. Taking a deep breath, I grab my mom's hand and look her straight in the eyes.

"He's pushed me, hit me, bruised me, and he's even manipulated me. I didn't want to talk to anyone about this because he's threatened to hurt anyone that I love and it scares me. He's capable of terrible things and I just don't want them to happen to you." Not even halfway through my speech, I broke down crying. My hand gripping Amity and Eda's as I break down into tears. They both looked at me concerned and my mom gently took my chin and brought it up to look at her.

"I'm going to kill him for hurting you." She was angry, her tone and her facial expression said it all, but she wasn't even mad at me. I thought for sure that she was going to kill me for keeping this a secret for a while but her anger seems to be radiated all towards Zander.

"No mom, he's going to hurt you, please don't do anything!" Panic settled in my chest as I realized what she meant by "killing" him. I couldn't let anything happen to her, or to Amity.

"What can he do to me? I'm a powerful person and a protective mother, nothing can hurt me. What are you gonna do if I just sit here and do nothing? I know you Luz, if someone doesn't do something, you'll just let him abuse you and take advantage of you. I'm not letting that happen to you." Her tone was pure ice, cold as a winter night, and it comforted yet scared me. I felt Amity's hand pat my shoulder, I turned to look at her, seeing her face full of care.

"She's right Luz, you won't do anything. We're going to do something about it so he doesn't hurt you anymore so I say call him and bring him over right now. Why not just take care of him this second?" Eda nodded her head in agreement. I couldn't believe that Amity and my mom were teaming up to kick some teenage boys butt.

"I'm scared," I whimpered, feeling almost defeated because I had a feeling that I was never going to get away from him, "I'm so scared." Eda pulled me into a tight and comforting hug. Amity just kept holding my hand, rubbing it back and forth to soothe my scattered nerves.

"I know sweetie, believe it or not, I was exactly where you are when I was your age. I was with a guy who abused me and manipulated me and you know who helped me?" It was shocking to hear that Eda was in my shoes when she was younger, who would hurt her so badly?

"Lemme guess, your friends?" Amity spoke up before I could and Eda nodded, saying that Amity was exactly right. It doesn't surprise me that her parents had no part in helping since they abused her themselves.

"Yes and the boy who had a giant crush on me made sure to beat him up more than the others." She gave a wink to Amity, not really sure what she meant by that wink but whatever it meant made Amity super embarrassed. Her whole face lit up red and she looked away, hiding in embarrassment.

"Well, I guess I'll give him a call." I pulled away from my mom's hug and reached for my phone. Amity gave me a small nod, her face still red, as I stared at Zander's name on my phone. I needed to do this, otherwise he would never let me leave, he would keep me trapped in his game forever.