Thick As Blood {A Menendez Brothers Fic}

13. Reality

{4 Months Later}
Everything seemed to come crashing down around me that very night, a night that was meant to be joyous and carefree. I had absolutely no idea just how bad things had gotten behind the scenes because I did everything I could to escape my house when it would be allowed. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The sirens filling the night air to come and whisk my mom away to try and save her, to bring back a woman who had absolutely no fight left in her. All because the devil stripped her of any she had. Any will to be alive. That night, I lost my mother.

"Smile sweetheart! You look absolutely stunning!" I mocked a happy smile for pictures to appease my Aunt Clara, hiding exactly what I was really feeling within. Today was graduation and yes, I was truly happy for that. But there was an empty spot here today that should be filled. My moms. She would have been taking endless pictures and crying her eyes out for her little girl who was finally spreading her wings and starting a whole new life. That was always the plan anyhow. But who knows if that will come true. Her award winning smile and happy demeanor were a thing of the past, something she rarely did or showed in recent years. Losing her was like losing a piece of myself. Sure, she was a difficult woman. She didn't fight for her kids much. But when she actually did, she did it with everything she had.

"Haven't you taken about 100 pictures Aunt Clara?" I slightly chuckled from her over the top happiness today, feeling warm all over from the mere feeling of having such a loving woman in my life to being with.

"I haven't taken near enough with you and Erik darling. You two are a sight to behold." A blush arose on my cheeks from the mere thought of Erik. We'd grown quite a lot since meeting one another. And seemed to be building one another back up, showing we were capable of love. Because I loved him with all my heart. Lyle came down from Princeton for the occasion, so the whole gang was here to celebrate. And soon to be onward bound for Florida with Aunt Clara, whisked away to the relaxing ocean view house of hers that's utterly gorgeous.

"How does it feel to be an official graduate Miss Rosenfeld?" I grinned from ear to ear at the sight of a snazzy looking Lyle walking towards us with Erik in tow, having taken pictures of their own with Jose and Kitty. My dad was having a jolly old time with The Menendez's of course, barley having spoken to Aunt Clara, Ava or I since the day began. Or since my mom had passed to be honest. And that's really how I wanted it. Her death was ruled a suicide once it was revealed in the toxicology report that she was under the influence. Different drugs were found in her system that shouldn't have been mixed together, let alone adding alcohol to the mix. I never understood why she didn't just want to leave with Ava and I. We had talked about it so much. But like me, she was afraid. Of him.

"It feels amazing! Soon we'll be Florida bound and away from 90210 for a bit. That's what I'm most excited for." Erik chuckled while placing a little kiss upon my cheek, sending a blush to my cheeks from the mere sensation of his lips against my skin.

"Alright you two lovebirds. Picture time! Aaaaaand...... say cheese!" We both cozied in to one another with big, genuine smiles upon our faces from the notion that we were actually adults now. Official adults. But why did it feel like we weren't?

"Your mom would have been so proud of you sweetheart. I know I am." I sighed with a tiny smile from the image of my mom in my mind from that night, haunting me every time I seem to close my eyes. I didn't want to believe that this was suicide what so ever. But no one except Aunt Clara, Erik and Lyle would hear otherwise. My dad would simply wave it off like he didn't want to hear any of it, calling it nonsense and saying she was a troubled woman who should have gotten help. Which only made me mad. His cold, calculated words seeping into my mind and sizzling with anger. There was a fire in me that I wouldn't be able to contain for much longer.

"She really would Ana. She has an amazing daughter." I looked into Erik's eyes and in that moment, everything and everyone was seemingly forgotten. It was just us against the world.
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"You know, we've lived in Beverly Hills for a while now, and I've never actually taken the time to enjoy how beautiful the beach is." Erik, Lyle, Ava and I had decided to venture to the beach for a night cap after dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, sitting on our beach towels and soaking in the setting sun reflecting off the gorgeous, soothing water. Our dads were thankfully out of town for a business trip, leaving shortly after the graduation ceremony to head on out. And we couldn't be happier with the outcome. No breathing down our necks, no calling me a whore for wanting to hang out with these two amazing men in my life.

"I can't wait until we leave with Aunt Clara! She said she had a surprise for us at her house. I tried pestering her into telling me. But she wouldn't budge." I softly chuckled from the clear excitement on Ava's face, the sun reflecting in her eyes like a beacon. Anything that could make her happy like this, was fine by me.

"Then we had better do one last swim so we can get you back home and to sleep. The sooner you sleep, the quicker we'll be in Florida." Lyle's words had her beaming even more so, suddenly throwing her over his shoulder and sprinting for the water to leave Erik and i to our own devices. The setting was absolutely perfect.

"It'll be a fun trip for us Ana. At least something to take our minds off of what will await us when we get back. College." I simply smiled, taking his hand in mine, but not before he softly placed his hand around the back of my neck and brought me into his embrace, kissing me with such passion that it took my breath away. He slowly laid me down on our towel, hovering over me with the ocean waves soothing me more and more, along with his fingers softly trailing down my arms. This is where I always wanted to be. If only it was that simple.