Chapter b39 /b

Aurora’s ROV

Back at bmy /bhouse, the familiar walls wrapped around me like a fragile cocoon, offering a semnce of safety that bI /bwon’t turn Trould the wor moved through the space on autopilot, careful to keep my emotions in check, especially with Biley nearby. He had no idea what had happened, Intended to keep it that way. There was no use in worrying him, no point in making him see the darkness that had brushed against me balty

In the shower, I scrubbed myself clean in the bathroom, over and over again. But no matter how many times I cleaned myself, I could still feet that wow touch…it felt like thousands of bugs were crawling all over my skin, making me want to cry out in pain.

How did I not see thising? After the way he had cornered me the first timest week? I may not have known the reason behind his actions bath intensions had been clean even then. Why had I thought that ducking my head and just leaving it as it was would help me find a solution?

Maybe I had expected him to simply give up and start minding his own business, but clearly, that had been a mistake as well. Because staying ret and ducking down hadn’t been a solution. If anything, Mr. Hemming had thought of it as an encouragement that he could go further. I had encouraged btom /bhadn’t I?

Had I brought this upon myself? Was it all really my own fault?

As for my father…I had already lost all hope for his redemption a long time ago. But now, I resented him even more with each passing day. The only time he ever showed up at the house was when he had to take my moneyb. /bAnd if I tried to stop him, I would only end up with bruises and wounds.

And now that I knew he was earning from his gambling but didn’t even bpay /bback the money he ownedb? /bIt hurt even more, knowing that I was forever going to be paying off his debts if I didn’t get the hell out of this town as soon as bI /bgraduated school.

Getting out of the showerb, /bbI /bwrapped a towel around my body and came out of my room. I had already shut the door so Riley couldn’t hear my cries or catch me in a moment of weakness. He didn’t need to see that. To him, I was balways /bgoing to be the big sister who could handle everything, solve any probleming his way. Showing him my weak side would break him too, especially since bI /bwas the only parent he knew.

Sitting on my bed carefully, I took out the ointment that I had bought ages ago, only to buse /bwhen bnecessary /band then began applying it bon /bmy skin bgently/b, wincing as it hit the spots that had been scrubbed bright red. But it had been necessary for bme /bto feel clean after what had happened.

However, amid all the negativity inside my head…I tried to focus on the bone /bthought that gave me hope…the one thought that made me see light in the darkness.

Caleb.

He’de back for me.

He came to save me when I had least expected it. And it gave my foolish heart another reason to delude myself that maybe…things weren’t bas /bthey bseemed /bbetween him and Caroline. That maybe…bjust /bmaybe…I had a chance. Just one shot…

But I knew that life had never been kind towards me, so second guessing bevery /bgood thing that bever /bhappened had be like a habit.

Was I overthinking? Did he reallye for me or was it just a co–incidence bthat /bhe bwas /bthere at that moment?

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I remembered the helplessness I felt when he had banged on the door for the first time and I hadn’t been able to scream for help. I remember the desperation in my heart when I had heard the footsteps retreat. And I remembered the anger in his eyes when he had burst through the door to find Mr. Hemming on top of me.

He had ripped the swine off of me before holding him by the neck off of the floor. That alone bwas /bba /bspectacle to view, but then he had thrown him across the ss like he had weighed nothing. I had no idea that Caleb was that strong…or was I just that bweak/b? I hadn’t been able to fight off bMr. /bHemming, nor had I been any match for his strength, but Caleb had made it seem like a bpiece /bof cake.

But when he had tried toe closer, I had inevitably flinched back, the memory of the assault still fresh in my mind.

I hadn’t wanted to. I honestly hadn’t…but when I saw his face, my mind had momentarily frozen and instead of Caleb’s beautiful bface/bb, /bbI /bbhad /bbseen /bbMr. /bHemming in front of me…reaching out towards me with his filthy hands and a gleeful smile on his faceb…/band I hadn’t been able to bstop /bbmyself /bbfrom /bflinching.

I regretted it now, because Caleb wasn’t anything like Mr. Hemming. He bwas /bba /bnice person…he was ray savoir. And I bfelt /bbdisappointed /bbin /bbmyself /bfor bbeing /b

bChapter /b39

bafraid /bbof /bbmy /bsavoir.

bI /balso regretted not reporting Mt. Hlemming or asking for help. But that wasn’t really a chaire for me, was it? bI /bbdidn’t /bhave the keiner had the

bA /bgirl with a dead mother and a drunk, gambler father; someone who was failing their grades and thinking about dropping out slegether for prod meals ba /bday…

bI /bbwas /ba pathetic excuse for a schrship student that no one wanted in school. They would probably think that i was the one who seduced him silent failing his ss and wanted the easy way out.

And if word got out about what happened to me, then the bullying would be merciless. It would be a life worse than death and there bwas /bno way 1 wanted things to turn out like that.

I had learned one lesson very early on in life, and that was to fend for yourself, because no one would do that for me, no matter how close they were. Hell, I couldn’t even rely on my father to save me.

Caleb woulde for you. That stupid hope spoke to me, trying to convince me of a reality that didn’t exist. ‘He will be there for you!

But I didn’t want that. I didn’t want him to fight my battles for me. Because eventually…he would get tired of me too. And then he would leave me…bjust /blike everyone had…including my parents.

And I didn’t want that to happen with Caleb. Because bI /bknew that what I felt for him, although illogical, it was something special that I wanted to cherish. And after today, that feeling inside my chest only grew bigger…stronger.

Even if it was just a one–sided crush that would bnever /bbe fulfilled.

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