"I am fed up!" Dad's voice booms as he barges into my room, Mom following closely behind.
I sit up immediately, startled as I look at my window,
It's Morning,
I hadn't even realized they were back home.
"Young lady, who the hell do you think you are?" Dad shoots at me, his face contorted with rage.
I blink at him, confused. My gaze shifts to Mom, who stands with her arms akimbo, her expression unreadable. Maybe I'd get some kind of hint from her, but she offers nothing.
My mind races,
what are they mad about?
Did Mrs may tell them that I might have given Mrs. Bonfire a hint?
"Why is Mrs. Edwina blowing up my phone, saying you chased out your tutor?" Dad finally barks, his anger cutting through the tension in the room.
I let out a sigh, relieved. So it's just about that.
"First of all, I didn't chase him out," I reply, my voice firm. "And secondly, why am I just now finding out that Dan is my brother?"
Dad's expression shifts instantly. His anger is replaced by shock as he turns to look at Mom.
Mom stammers, her voice uncertain. "We don't know that for sure… right now. But let's get back to the matter at hand."
I scoff. "Oh? Alright then. Did you know my tutor, is Dan's cousin?" I throw the words at them like a grenade, watching as their faces twist in shock.
They exchange glances, the weight of my words sinking in.
"Exactly," I say, my voice laced with sarcasm. "And you're mad at me for sending him away?"
Dad takes a deep breath, trying to process what I just revealed. "But you could have told us about it first," he finally says, his voice softer but still laced with frustration.
I let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, just like you told me about Dan, right? Just like you've been keeping everything a secret?"
Silence.
Mom shifts uncomfortably, guilt flickering across her face. Dad runs a hand over his face, looking like he suddenly aged a few years.
"You don't understand," Mom finally whispers.
"Then make me understand," I challenge, my hands clenched into fists.
The room is thick with tension, each second stretching painfully. I wait, daring them to finally tell me the truth. But instead, all I get is their silence.
I shake my head, my heart pounding. "That's what I thought."
"We just didn't want to bother you," Mom says softly, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. "You're too young for all of this."
Young?
"I am freaking eighteen!" I snap, my voice rising before I can stop it.
"And you think your silence, your refusal to involve me, is keeping the peace?" I shake my head, my entire body trembling with anger.
Dad's voice booms almost immediately, cutting through my fury like a knife. "You do not raise your voice in this house, especially at your mother."
I wasn't even shouting. I just wanted to be seen, to be heard.
I clench my jaw and recoil, sinking into the bed. I refuse to look at them anymore. The weight of their secrecy, their endless deceptions, presses down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Mom moves closer, placing her warm hand over mine. I remain still, refusing to meet her gaze.
"God knows how much we want all this to end," she says softly. "How we want to bring your brother home. We don't like leaving you all alone."
I want to believe her. I really do. But a voice in my head keeps whispering: Is this just another attempt to make me feel like they care?
Then she says something that makes my heart lurch.
"Our lawyers just filed a lawsuit against the Bonfires for kidnapping… last night."
My eyes snap up to her face, searching for any sign of hesitation.
She continues, her voice steady but cautious. "This might be hard on you for now, but we're here. No more travels until we sort this case out with the Bonfires."
My chest tightens. The air between us shifts.
"What if…" I hesitate, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if all of this is true? What if Dan really is my brother? Your son?"
Mom looks over at Dad, who remains silent. Too silent.
"We will figure this out as a family," he finally says, his voice firm.
I exhale, slumping slightly. The fight within me dulls, but the storm in my mind rages on.
Then Mom says something that catches me off guard.
"I was thinking of therapy."
Therapy?
"What's that?" I blurt out before I can stop myself.
Mom shifts slightly, watching me carefully. "It's like a counselor. Someone you can talk to—about your emotions, your problems. They help you process things, help you deal with issues."
I try to swallow, but my throat feels impossibly dry. I glance at her, my mind spinning.
Therapy.
It sounds foreign. Unfamiliar.
I don't know what to say. I don't know how to feel.
"This will be very hard," Mom continues, her voice unwavering, "but we'll deal with it as a family."
Family.
The word feels different now. Heavy. Tangled in secrets, pain, and uncertainty.
And yet… a part of me desperately wants to believe her.
"So, what do you want us to do about the tutor?" Dad asks, his voice steady.
I freeze, momentarily stunned. They actually want to hear my opinion?
I swallow, feeling a strange mix of surprise and hesitation. "I, I might have lashed out at him angrily, but… I want to keep seeing him," I admit slowly.
And honestly, I needed to keep seeing Dom. He might be my only chance at uncovering the truth. The court case against the Bonfires could take time, and I couldn't afford to just sit around, waiting for answers.
Dad watches me carefully before sighing. "I'm glad you realize that, but I still don't think it's safe for you to keep seeing him," he says calmly.
I shake my head, trying not to seem too eager. "He's no harm. I might have… misjudged him." I choose my words carefully, not wanting to raise any suspicions.
Dad studies me for a moment, then nods. "Alright. But if at any point you don't feel safe, you let me know immediately, okay?"
I nod, watching as his phone vibrates in his hand. His attention shifts, and he furrows his brows at the notification before looking at Mom.
"Excuse me," he mutters, signaling for her to follow him out of the room.
As Mom moves to leave, she pauses in front of me, placing her warm hands gently on my face.
She searches my eyes for something, maybe reassurance that I'm okay, maybe an answer she can't bring herself to ask out loud.
I don't say anything. I just watch as she sighs and follows Dad out of the room.
The moment the door clicks shut, I let out a shaky breath, reaching for my phone. My fingers hover over the screen.
Call or text?
Before I can second-guess myself, I press the dial button.
Dom picks up on the first ring.
"Hey," I say, my voice breaking slightly.
"Hey," he responds dryly.
I hesitate. "I'm really sorry about the other day. I just… I found out something huge." My voice is softer now, my earlier frustration replaced by exhaustion.
"I figured," he says, his voice unreadable. "But I want you to know that I had no idea about any of this."
I close my eyes for a moment, taking in his words. His rich accent drapes over them, making them sound almost… reassuring.
"Yeah," I whisper, waiting,
hoping, for him to say more.
"My aunt told my mom," he continues. "So I got to hear the news yesterday."
I nod, even though he can't see me.
"I don't know how to feel about all of this, honestly," I admit. I don't even know why I'm telling him this.
Dom lets out a deep sigh. "I can't imagine how you feel… waking up to find out that the guy you lo—" He pauses.
"That someone you care about could be your brother."
Tears sting the corners of my eyes.
He gets it. He really does.
I sniff, trying to hold them back.
"I'm sorry about all this," he adds, his voice softer now.
I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing the heel of my palm against my forehead. "I don't want to be left alone," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "Would you… reconsider being my tutor, please?"
I hold my breath, waiting.
When he speaks again, I can hear the smile in his voice. "Honestly? I don't really mind, Helen."
Relief crashes over me like a wave.
"Thank you," I breathe. "Do you mind coming over today? I need all the distractions I can get."
There's a brief pause, then, "Okay. I'll be right there."
The call ends, and I stare at my phone for a long moment.
Then my gaze shifts to my messages,
the last one from Selena.
I feel my heart splinter all over again.
I couldn't lose my best friend too.
No matter what it took, I wouldn't lose her.