Chapter 18
1600 Words
CHAPTER 18
Alena POV
THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.
“Alena, hurry up, I need to pee!” Anthony's voice shouted from the hallway and I sat upright.
“I’m not in the bathroom!” I shouted at my twin and he immediately threw open my bedroom door. His green eyes, a reflection of my own, are as wide as golf balls.
“s**t it's probably Dad, come help me!” he says and I roll my eyes.
“It's not our job to do this! It’s his own fault! He drinks like he doesn’t have a family!” I crumbled back onto my pillow and he grabs my blankets, pulling them off of me.
“Hey!” I shouted, trying to grab them back.
“He could be choking, please! Don’t give up on him!” he said, and I just glared at him.
“Fine!” I said, and we went to the bathroom door. We stood for a moment, both staring at the door. This has somehow become a routine. When mom has the night shift at the hospital, my father drinks too much, because he knows we won't rat him out. He knows we’re too afraid my mom will send him back to rehab.
“Dad!” Anthony shouts and bangs on the door with his fist.
He was already wearing his clothes for baseball practice. He had just received a contract to practice for the New York Yankees program. I didn’t know anyone who could train as hard as he could. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was just past six. I had art class at eight.
“Dad please!” I start shouting as well and my brother gives me an encouraging smile as he runs his hand through his bushy brown hair. I was so jealous of his highlights. My brown was so dull against his.
The door turns and Athony pushes it open and we find our dad lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He’s covered in his own puke and some of it is still clinging to his chin. We both had his eyes. His eyes were different though. They were lifeless. Hopeless. Anthony’s eyes were filled with courage and hope. How my twin didn’t hate my father for this. Is something I could never understand. My dad smiles at us.
“Hey my babies,”he says and I just looked away from him and glared at the wall.
“Dad, I thought we talked about this? Let’s get you cleaned up and then you have to drink some water,” Anthony says and urges me to help him pick up our dad. I grabbed his other arm as we helped him stand up. We take him towards the shower and I try to swallow down my tears when I see Anthony hiding his own. As twins we always felt these extreme emotions together. I felt what he felt.
“You children are my guiding light,” dad whispers as we make him sit against the wall. We spray him down and I go out as Anthony helps him get dressed for the day. I go sit on the roof waiting for him. This was our safe haven. Every night since we were six, Anthony and I would sit here and watch the stars. When Anthony climbs up, he takes my hand in his and I rest my head on his shoulder. It was Saturday and we watched some of our friends laughing while walking past our house heading to the beach. We would probably join them later today. One thing about us. We hid behind our popularity. It was so easy. You smile at school and everyone thinks everything is perfect. You are perfect. But when we're alone, Anthony and I allow ourselves to be who we want to be.
“I need you to promise me something,” Anthony suddenly says, and I look at him.
“No,” I say knowing what he was going to say.
“Alena,” he pleads and I shake my head, “You need to forgive him, he’s not going to get better if we hate him for this. We need to love him. He’s struggling. When someone is drowning, you can’t push their heads deeper under the surface. You have to keep trying. You can’t give up on someone just because it's hard. When you love someone you stay. You stay until you don’t have a choice.” He says and I press my face into his shoulder.
“We’re twins, but I think you got both of our hearts. I don’t know how you do it,” I whisper, and he kissed the top of my head.
``I'm technically your older brother by 30 seconds,” he says, and I swat his shoulder. He laughs and pulls me to his side.
“We’re going to get through this and then we’ll both be chasing our dreams and this will just be a distant memory. The good is coming and I’m so excited about it!”
I pinched him hoping he'd shut up.
“I hate that you're always so positive.”
“Someone has to make sure you keep smiling, because the world deserves to see that smile of yours,” he says in a sappy voice and I stick my tongue out at him. He grabs me and starts to tickle me.
“Let’s go get breakfast,” he says, and I chase him into the house trying to get my tickle revenge.
2 HOURS LATER.
I look at my dad through the car mirror and he smiles at me brokenly. I tried smiling back and then quickly kiss his cheek, before jumping out.
‘Love you dad, please can we have a movie night with you tonight?” I literally know how Athony must have a huge smile on his face.
“Yes that would be nice,” my dad says, and I see his eyes light up a bit.
“What time does your art class end?” Anthony asks as he walks me to the house.
“Two hours, I say, and he nods, giving me one of his signature hugs, picking me off the ground.
“See you later sis! Remember f*ck the people..” he waits for me to finish and I laugh, punching his shoulder.
“WE are the people!” I say and he fist pumps me.
“Love you!” he shouts as he runs back to the car.
“Yeah Yeah!” I shouted back and as I walked through the door I saw some of the girls were already sitting around the table listening to Aunt Dona.
I quickly took my seat.
Minutes pass then I feel it. I feel Anthony.
Something is wrong.
I could't control the scream that tears through me. I fell to the ground screaming.
Aunt Dona gets me to sit upright trying to calm me. I push her away and get to my feet. I run to the door and out into the street. I start to run as fast as my legs can carry me. I run and run until I see the car. I see him. I see him reaching towards me, but I'm too late. I was too late.
########BACK TO THE PRESENT.
I’m stuck there, but suddenly I'm not. I'm standing infront of Evander again.
“Yes, I felt it,” I finally whispered, wondering how long I must have just stood there staring at the ground thinking of that day. I look back at Evander. I can't look him in the eye. I hate verything about this whole situation. I also hated the tear that rolls down my cheek.
“I can still feel it.”
I push past him into the club and try to locate Patrick. I look around, but I couldn't find him any where.
I’m suddenly pulled back into the alley and arms are coming around me. I am frozen in place.
I watch as the door swings shut. I hesitate. Scared to hold him like this, but the broken part of me needs this. I slowly wrapped my arms around Evander. He doesn’t say anything and yet the sound of his heartbeat against my ear makes me feel like it is more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced.
I let go a bit, letting the tears fall freely. Minutes pass.
“He was my best friend,” I say into his shirt as I pressed my face into it. He doesn’t make a sound. His hold only tightens.
He holds me so tight that I feel like he's trying to put me back together and I hold him back. I hold onto him like a lifeline.
“I failed him,” Realising it was the first time I've ever said it outloud I choke.
“No you didn’t,” he whispers and I shake my head.
“You don’t understand,” I whisper and I feel his breath against my hair.
“Alena.”
I compose myself pressing my face one last time against his shirt. He could never hold me like this again. It was too personal. Only Patrick was allowed to hold me like this. A part of me is screaming at me as I let go.
“I’m a monster, Evander,” I push against his chest and he slowly steps back. I don’t meet his piercing dark gaze as I walk back into the club.
“I am meant to self-destruct.”
- Writer
