"We pretend
we don't care
but we care"
- unknown
One More Mistake
Chapter Sixty-One
â± Was I about to do the right thing?
To leave this place, and forget about it. I know I wanted to leave but the person that was making me question all this was Sterling.
The thought of leaving him alone, like he did to me, just didn't sit right with me. I know how it felt when someone you loved, left you without any explanation. I know I couldn't just leave him, but I also couldn't stay here.
As I waited for Alec to pick me up from school, I've noticed Alexandra and Sterling coming out of school together.
He had a frown on his face, his head low while she watched him.
I know sterling was in love with her, so it wasn't easy for him to keep it a secret to her. I tried to not let it get to me but it hurts knowing he trusted her more than me.
I quickly turned back around when sterling looked up.
"Thea, can we talk?" I flinched away when I felt cold hands touch my bare arm.
Rory stood less than a couple feet away from me, with a blank stare.
I sighed, quietly, looking around if Alec was near. When I've noticed a familiar car coming towards us, I turned back to look at Rory.
"I have to go" I said, starting to walk away from him.
I stopped when he started walking with me.
"Okay, well I'll come over later." He said casually as if he did this often.
"I'm actually not going to be home later" I said, realizing that not only was I going to leave behind sterling, but also Rory.
He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Why, where are you going?" He asked, studying my actions.
For a moment, I stayed silent. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell him that I was going to leave. I didn't want him to convince me to stay, even though there was nothing that he would say to make me stay.
"I'm leaving" I said, with no explanation and with no expression.
He only stared at me.
"You're leaving" he said, taking a step back.
"Yeah" I responded, knowing he didn't mean it as a question.
"And you were planing to leave without saying anything?" He asked, but it came out as more as a statement.
I stood there, guilt slowly forming inside me.
"With who?" He asked, though I knew he had a clue as to who it was.
"Raine and Alec" I said quietly, so he wouldn't hear me but he did anyway.
"Seriously? After what those sick people did to you, you're still going to leave with them?" He said, shaking his head in disappointment.
"I expected more coming from you." He gave me one more glance before starting to walk away.
"What am I supposed to do, huh? Stay here and let my abusive uncle control me for the rest of my life. To see Sterling everyday and have him as a reminder that he was the reason why my sister isn't here?" I ask, making him stop. He turns around and waits for me to continue.
"My only option is to run away with them because I don't have anybody else" I said, ashamed.
I felt so sorry for myself, but the that was the truth, I had nobody.
"You have me" he then said.
I stared at him, a familiar feeling rising from my chest.
We locked eyes for a while, the two of us thinking the same thing.
"I'll do it" he said.
"What?" I ask, but I already knew what he meant by that though I needed to hear the words.
"Run away with you" he said, his intense eyes never leaving mines. He didn't need me to respond because he knew what I wanted.
"I'll pick you up at 8" he said, a small smile forming on his face.
I nodded, still trying to wrap the idea of us leaving together on my head.
"I'll be ready" I said back, and just as I was about to ask him questions, I noticed a car pull over next to us.
I turned to look over at who it was, and found Alec's eyes on us.
I turned back around towards Rory, but he was already gone. Just as he was about to disappear in the crowd, he turn to look at me for the last time then he left.
I turned to look at Alec when I realized that he was waiting for me.
I quickly made my way towards his car, opening the door and getting inside.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes wandering around my face.
"What?" I asked, confused by his sudden question.
Did I not look okay?
"Well, yesterday you literally left Caine's funeral with no explanation. You just disappeared without telling nobody, without telling me." he said, finally getting out of the parking lot.
"I was going through something personal" I said, eyeing him warily.
Did he not know about what happened? I expected him to know everything because of Raine but I guess she didn't tell him.
"And my phone was turned off yesterday" I say. He stops on a red light before he turns to look at me. I felt his unwavering gaze land on my hands. I didn't notice until now that I was playing with my bracelet.
I fought the urge to glance at him.
"You don't look okay" I let go of my bracelet and grip my arm before turning my head towards the window.
"I'm fine, you shouldn't worry about me" I said, my voice coming out a bit harsh.
"Got it" he said, shortly after a while. Then he started to drive.
The car ride was short though it felt much longer. Throughout the ride, we were silent, neither of us dared to speak.
Alec finally stopped the car in front of my house and was just about to park but I told him not to.
"Bruce might not be home and I also want to be alone right now" I waited for him to say something back to me but he didn't. I got my stuff before getting off the car. He didn't wait for me to get at least past the gates, before I heard his engine run. Once I turned to look back, his car wasn't there anymore.
Just as I was about enter through the gates, I noticed a black slim car coming in. I didn't need to look, to know who it was.
The car stopped and parked right in front of the house. I walked right past the car and didn't wait for Bruce.
"Good to see you too" I heard him say, already knowing he had a huge smile on his face so he could tease me.
When I entered the house, I didn't wait a second before I went straight towards my room to pack on what I was going to take.
I still was not sure on how I was going to get past Bruce, but I wasn't worrying about the just yet.
Though quickly changed my mind when I realized that Bruce was standing before me. He was leaning on the door frame, watching me. I stopped on what I was doing and stared at him.
My heart raced when he looked around my room, then towards my bed which had a pile of clothes.
He then met my eyes once again.
"What are you doing?" He asked, becoming suspicious.
"Nothing that might concern you" I said back, hoping he wouldn't notice how tense I was.
He furrowed his eyebrows before taking small steps towards me.
"Are you hiding something from me?" He asked even though he knew I was in fact hiding something from him.
"Shouldn't you know that as well? I mean, you seem to know everything about me, wouldn't be surprised if you knew about this too"
"Believe it or not, but I truly don't know what you have hidden under your sleeve this time."
"So I want you to be honest with me, what are you doing?" He asked again, his eyes looking over at my clothes and the empty luggage spread on my bed.
"I'm leaving, for good" I said, finally getting up and starting to pack up. I didn't have time to react when I seen his figure stand so close to me, and grip my wrist to stop me from packing.
I stare at him wide eyed.
"Leaving? And who gave you permission to do so" he asked, the grip on my wrist becoming harder.
"I don't need your permission!" I tried to pull my hand out of his but I made it worse. He grabbed my neck and pushed me back until my back hit the wall.
"You aren't leaving this house until I give you permission" He said, his eyes becoming dark and cold.
He griped me harder until he finally let me go.
I quickly reached towards my neck, my breathing coming out heavy.
When he was just about to walk past the door, but soon stopped when I spoke.
"Why?" I asked.
He looked over his shoulder, before finally facing me.
"Why what?" He asked, confused.
"Why do you want me here? You don't need me, yet you have me here. So I'm asking you why?" I asked.
"I don't understand what you're trying to-"
"Why do you need me in your life? Why did you take full custody of me? Why didn't you just leave me alone? I'm worth nothing to you and you proved it to me many times. So I just want the truth, why the fuck do you want me to say?"
I caught him off guard and for the first time, I've seen him having trouble answering me. He looked away from me, trying to form the words.
"I... " he started.
"I want the fucking truth" he looked back at me, and in a snap of fingers, he gave me one of his sinister smiles.
"You want the truth? Well so be it, the only reason why you're still here is so I can sell you to those hungry men, so I can fuck with your head. To break you, just like you're doing now. All I need now is to taint you but I guess I got that covered as well" He said, looking at me with mocking pity.
"You can go to hell" I said, wiping the tears on my face.
"I feel bad for you, I mean look at the person who you've become. You're just a worthless, pathetic little girl." He said, smiling ear to ear.
Just as I was about to make my way towards him, he shut the door. I reached towards the knob but when I tried to twist it, it didn't open.
From the other side of the door, I heard keys dangling.
"Guess you aren't going anywhere after all"
He locked me in here.