Apology Accepted

Chapter 4

We have the beautiful Dylan O'Brien playing the role of Elijah 🥰

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+++TRIGGER WARNING: ABUSE+++

I look around and I'm back.

"No. It's a dream. I'm not actually here." I whisper to myself but that doesn't stop the scream that escapes me when I see the man beat my mother.

"Taylor go play with your brothers please." She whispers with a faint smile. It's dead, however. Just like all the smiles I can remember from her.

The man hits her again and I scream.

"Would you shut up!" He screams at me before slapping me.

"Don't hit me," I whisper.

"Or what?" He mocks.

"Don't hit me or mommy," I say a little louder.

"I can do what I want." He says getting so close to me that I can smell his horrid breath. "You know why? I am your father." He says before hitting me again.

I scream and begin to cry before blacking out.

~•~

I wake up and look at the clock.

4:59

Old habits die hard I guess.

I pull the sweater off and wipe my sweat away. I do my best to control my breathing but it takes a while. I know sleep is beyond reach right now so I grab some shorts and a clean sweater.

After that dream I highly doubt going to bed is an option. I grab myself some water before sneaking my way down. I hum the tune I was working on yesterday and smile when I reach the floor.

Taking a pair of keys from the table on my way out I smile before starting to run. The feeling of my feet hitting the pavement, my eyes stinging from the wind, it was all amazing. I close my eyes as I come to a stop after a half-hour and take a deep breath.

However, my eyes snap open when I hear a honk and am shoved to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" An angry voice shouts. It takes me a minute to register what had just happened.

"That- that was a car. I was in the middle of the road!" I shout and get out from under the boy who pushed me out of the way.

"Yeah, it was! Were you trying to get yourself killed?" The boy asks as I sit up and try to breathe.

"What no! Getting hit by that car wouldn't kill me, break many bones probably but I would most likely still be very alive."

"Okay good. I think"

We sit in silence while I stabilize my breathing. He runs a hand down his face muttering about something.

"Oliver."

"What?"

"My name. It's Oliver."

"Taylor."

"Well Taylor, it's currently five in the morning, can I interest you in some coffee?"

"Uh yeah sure, just give me a second to breathe." I stand and take a deep breath. I don't know this guy but I had just agreed to get coffee with him. I don't even like coffee for crying out loud.

"Sounds reasonable." He says brushing off his pants.

"So why were you in the middle of the road at five in the morning?" He asks me after a while of walking.