Inferni

Chapter 6

I ran into the bathroom of my bedroom and made it to the toilet before I threw up all over the tiled floor. My whole body shook as I tried to keep the sobs in. Tears streamed down my face as the wash of betrayal became too much for me, and I sobbed, clutching the toilet as if it were a lifeline.

Someone was in the bathroom with me. Their presence filled up some of the remaining space, but I didn't know who it was. "Your name is Blaire, correct?" a soft female voice asked, and I nodded.

I wiped my face and nodded again. I didn't look at the female, not really wanting her to see the mess that I was. "Yes, Ma'am," I said, my voice cracking. "And you are?"

"Caroline," she replied. She moved behind me and pulled my hair from my face while I threw up again. "I am the mayor's wife."

My whole body tensed when she had grabbed my hair, but I tried to relax. I had no idea if she would hurt me or not, and I hated it. I hated being in a new place and having to learn who I could trust and who I couldn't.

"I won't hurt you, Sweetheart," Caroline said. She pulled my hair into a ponytail, and I could tell that she saw a scar at the base of my neck. "Oh, Goddess," she whispered softly. "Is your body all covered in scars?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied nodding. "Just about." I flushed the toilet and wiped my face with the long sleeve. I took a deep breath and let it out before turning to face the female.

She was beautiful, this Caroline, and she had this strong persona about her. She had a smile on her face, but it didn't hide the guarded look in her pale green eyes. "Your eyes changed colors," she pointed out, narrowing her eyes a bit.

I tensed and moved a bit away from her. "I'm aware," I said. "I don't know why, but they do that." I leaned against the toilet and watched as she leaned against the wall.

"So, you come from the orphanage?" she asked, and I nodded, staying silent. "Same one as Declan?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I said, nodding my head. "And whatever he said about the orphanage is still true. She still has two groups of children that are either to be adopted and not adopted."

"And you are one of the adoptables?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I bit back a snort and rolled my eyes. I thought it was funny that she had said that. I didn't know if she was saying that because I had been adopted or not, but I didn't really care. "No," I said. "I was one of the "hidden" ones, the "Others.""

"Why?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Probably because she thought that I wasn't beautiful enough to get adopted," I said, bitterly. "She made sure that we weren't noticed."

"Well, you were noticed," she said, and I nodded in agreement. She studied me and cocked her head, watching me like a hawk. "Is it a good or a bad thing?"

"To be honest, I don't know," I replied, honestly. "I don't know if it will be good for them. And..." I shrugged my shoulders and grimaced. My stomach squeezed itself into knots, and it took all of my self-control not to panic and ask her what she could.

"You'll be worried about them?" she asked, and I nodded because I was. She hummed and nodded before she studied me. "Will you try to sneak out and go back there?" she asked, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I can't drive, and it is too far to go on two legs," I replied.

"Declan can drive," she pointed out, and I frowned, not knowing if I wanted to know that or not. "He did write you a letter, you know," she said. "However, you didn't write back. He made sure to write to you every week for about three months."

I sucked in a deep breath when she said that. Shock filled my body because I had not known that. "Did he send it through the mail service?" I asked, and she nodded. I groaned and moved a hand through my hair, annoyed with the blue eyed male. "Stupid, Boy," I almost growled. "Stupid, stupid, Boy. You should've known better."

"Why do you say that?" Caroline asked. Her whole body grew tense, and I could tell that she was getting protective over her adopted son.

"Did he send the mail to the house?" I asked, not answering her.

"Yes, because you didn't reply to his message that he had left you before he left," Caroline said.

"That old bat took it before I could," I said. "I watched her burn the letter and had her sneering at me." I gritted my teeth and shook my head, my heart breaking again. "She told me that he didn't love me anymore, and that was why he left."

"Love you?" Caroline asked, and I nodded. She narrowed her eyes at me and gave me a look that I didn't understand. "What type of love?"

"Brotherly, sisterly love," I replied. "He was like my older brother, even though we were four months apart."

Caroline hummed and nodded her head, relaxing. "He told me a part of your and his past," she mused. "But, he wanted you to be here to tell everything."

"Then why didn't he come back?" I asked. I looked up at her, my heart breaking. "Why did he just leave me, us, there?" I silently cursed myself when my voice broke, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't help the breaking of my voice because it felt like every piece of me was broken.

"He was wanting you to document what had happened to you and to them," she said, softly. Her gaze was soft, and I had a feeling that I could trust her. "He was wanting to help, but he felt as if you could explain it better. He said that you had some... drawings?"

I hesitated but nodded my head. "I do," I confirmed. "I drew what was happening to me, to us. They aren't good, but..." I shrugged my shoulders.

Caroline leaned forward a bit. She had a guarded look in her eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. "Can I see them?" she asked.

Again, I hesitated but nodded my head. "Ok," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I stood and let out a small hiss of pain. "I'll show you."