Chapter 25: Runaway

Aurora's POV

Two days have passed and I'm still not going back to school. I woke up very early and it's still a bit dark outside. I head towards the kitchen and decided to make some coffee. I grab the empty kettle and filled it with water. Then I put it back to the base, plug it on and press the button so it can start boiling the water.

I turn around and I flinched and froze. Shit, Steven's awake.

I just ignore him and head off to the dining room and sit down. Then I can feel his presence behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulders and slowly drag them to my hands. I push his hands away and get up from my seat. But then he grabbed my wrist and forcefully drag me to the wall as my back and head hit the wall hard.

"Ignoring me again, huh?" He spoke and place his hands on either side of the wall, trapping me. I raise my hand up to slap him but he grab my wrist again before I get the chance to slap him. He's fast and he starts to squeeze my wrist and I gritted my teeth.

"Let me go, you fucking psychotic bastard!" I shouted, but not too loud. Then he grab a fistful amount of hair and pushes my head backwards, hitting my head against the wall in the process as I groan in pain.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He spoke once again and he drags me back to the kitchen with a lot of force. I tried to pry his hand off but he continues to squeeze my wrist really tight as if it's about to break.

He grab the kettle on one hand and my wrist on the other. He drags me again to the sink and place my hand on the edge of the dark marbled sink hard as I can feel the intensity of pain and grit my teeth.

"Looks like all of the punishments are not good enough to teach you a lesson... let's see if this really teaches you a fucking lesson." He said then he pours the hot water on my hand and I scream in pain.

"Ah! Fuck! Steven stop! It hurts!" I scream and I saw my hand shaking and it's turning red and the pain is agonizing. He quickly puts the kettle aside and we can hear our parents going down the stairs.

"Aurora?!" My mom called out then Steven lift me up and put me onto the counter before holding out my burned hand.

"One word and you know what's going to happen next." Steven whispered and I started to cry.

"Aurora?!" Mom and Dad came in as Steven started to act like a different person.

Mom and Dad stand infront of us and Mom's face quickly shifts to a worried face.

"Oh my God, what happened?" Mom asks Steven as she slowly took my hand.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Dad said before rushing off to the cabinets to look for a first aid kit.

"Steven, what happened to her hand?" Mom asked again as I continue to cry and Steven puts his hand on the back of my neck, holding the nape as if he was going to choke me.

"I walked in and I saw her holding the kettle and the next thing I know, she burned her hand in the process. " Steven answered in a fake worried tone in his voice.

"Aurora, why would you do such a thing?" Mom asked but Steven slowly tighten his grip on my nape which made me let out a faint yelp.

"I got the first aid kit." Dad said as they started to treat my hand.

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A few hours have passed and Mom decided to take me upstairs to her room and decided to have a word with me.

I sit down on the bed and she followed. She held my treated and bandaged hand into her soft, gentle hands and looks at me, feeling more worried.

"Aurora, why would you do that to yourself? Do you realize that your hurting yourself?" She spoke and I put my head down, keeping my mouth shut.

"You're not gonna say anything?" Mom asked and tears threatened to fall from my tired eyes.

I can't open my mouth... It's like someone just sew it shut or I became mute all of the sudden.

"Mom, I think she needs some alone time." I look up and Steven is just leaning against the door, crossing his arms.

"But I need to talk to her about this." Mom said. "She hurt herself."

"Maybe she needs time to think about it and I'm sure she'll talk soon." He said.

"Alright. Aurora, you can go to your room and we'll talk about this later." She said and I quickly head off the room. I glance at Steven and he gave me a light glare.

I walk upstairs to my room and once I entered the room, I close the door and plop myself to the bed. My eyes became heavy so I just close my eyes and everything became black.

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'DING, DING'

After hearing the familiar ring tone coming from my phone, I open my eyes and instantly grab my phone.

It was a text from Eddie. Just by reading his text message, it gives off a lonely and sad vibe and I realized that I miss him. His text say that he was feeling a bit lonely and he was worried about me and Heather. I text him back if he's going home since it's almost time to get out of school. A few seconds passed and he replied back, saying that school was over 10 minutes ago because of early dismissal and he's already back in his house.

I didn't reply back. Instead, I get off the bed and change my clothes. After putting on some boots, I grab a thick jacket and put it on. Then I grab my phone and walk out of my room. I slowly head down the stairs, trying not to make a noise. I heard faint voices coming from the dining room and I quietly walk towards the door.

I look back before slowly opening the door and as soon as I'm out of the house, I run as fast as I can and on my way to Eddie's house.

__

I've arrived back to my old neighborhood and I saw Eddie's house. Walking towards it, I realized that it's been awhile since the last time I visited his house. I press the doorbell and wait. Then door finally swings open and I came face to face with Eddie.

"Ro? What's the matter?" He asked. After he said that, I couldn't help but to wrap my arms around him and he hugs back. Then he took me inside his house and head up to his room.

We head inside his bedroom and we sat on the bed. He looks at me with a worried look on his face.

"Did you walk all the way here?" He asked.

"Actually... I sort of... runaway from home. Things got a bit complicated there." I said, fidgeting the zipper of my jacket.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to your hand?" He asked as he took my bandaged hand to his fair hand and rubs his thumb gently.

"Oh... I got into... an accident earlier b-but it's no big deal." I answered, biting my bottom lip and my hand starts to shiver.

"Are you sure? It looks like you got yourself seriously injured." He said.

"Y-Yeah." I mumbled.

God, please don't do this to me Eddie. I just want to let everything out but is this the right time to do it?

"How about Heather? Is she alright?" He asked, still holding onto my hand.

"She's okay and I'm sure her wounds are healing well." I said.

"Hang on, let me get you a glass of water. Your lips looks so dry and you seem dehydrated. I'll be back." He head off and left me in his room. I let out a sigh and I took off my jacket.

I put my jacket aside and decided to look around a bit in his room. The color of his walls are the same shade of blue and he has more books than I thought. I spotted a cork board hanged on the wall and there are various things pinned down here and there. Class schedule, old medals and certificates he won from previous competitions that his parents made him join, some post-it notes in different vibrant colors and some of our pictures.

I spotted one picture that I've always liked... A picture of me, Heather and Eddie when we're little kids and we wearing our Halloween costumes. I was dressed up as an angel, Heather was dressed up as a witch and Eddie was dressed up as a prince. I smile at the picture and then another picture next to it caught my attention.

It was a picture of me and Eddie back in seventh grade. It was a school project and we were partners for a big science project. We won second place as we held up our medals in our hands, smiling for the camera.

"I'm back." Eddie spoke as I turn around to look at him. He walk towards me and handed me the glass of water as I accepted it before taking a sip. Then another... and another until I finish drinking all of it.

"Thanks." I said as I place the glass of water on his desk next to me. "I can't believe you still have this picture of us back in seventh grade."

"Well, it's a picture of us and of course I have to keep it. It counts as a memory." He said. "You look a bit different from the picture... not in a bad way that is. I mean, you look healthy there and I noticed that you lost a couple of weight and your skin got seriously deadly white, which made you look like a vampire."

"R-Right." I said as I walk towards the bed and sit on the floor, my back leaning against the soft bed cover. Edward did the same.

"Your parents are on a work trip?" I asked. His parents often go on work trips and he's used to be home alone for as long as he could remember. He would invite Heather and I back then and we would sleep over at his house to keep him company.

"Yeah and they're going to be home soon as usual." He said. "Why did you runaway from home?"

"I-I told you. T-Things are just complicated there and I need to escape the house to avoid it for a while." I said, trying to hold back the tears that are threatened to fall from my eyes.

"You stuttered. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked. Just that one question and tears already flows down my cheeks.

"H-Hey Aurora, talk to me." He said, making me to look at him. I change my position to his side and now I'm looking at him yet I pull my head down and continue crying, gritting my teeth.

I never thought I held back all of the pain and I never imagine that it would be this painful.

"N-No, I'm n-not... okay. " I stammered. He pulls me towards him and wrapped his arms around me which made me cry harder and I cling on to him tightly.

"It's okay, let it all out. Just let it all out. Whatever hurts you, let's just talk about it." He said, forming soft circles on my back. "I hate seeing you like this."

"Eddie... I wanted to tell someone about this... but I don't know what holds me back! It hurts!" I said loudly as I continue to cry and let all of the pain that i have been holding back for so long. "But he told me not to, cause he threatened to hurt anyone... Including my mom, Toby and you guys... I just can't take it anymore."

He break the hug and cupped my wet cheek as he looks at me with sad eyes that I don't see often.

"Who's 'he'? Who told you not to tell anyone?" He asked and I gulped.

"M-My step brother... Steven!" I continue to cry just by mentioning his name. "I hate him!"

"W-What? What did he do? Ro, just say it please."

"He did a lot of things to me." I said as I held up my bandaged hand. "I lied about being in an accident... The truth is... He burned my hand!"

He let out a gasp. "What the hell? What else did he do?"

I look at him and he has a hurt expression on his face. I gritted my teeth before I let out a shaky sigh.

"Eddie... I-I don't know how to say this but... one night, he just came into my room and... he... h-he..." Fuck, this is hard but I just have to say it.

"He what?"

A few moments of silence later and I opened my mouth.

"He raped me."

His expression turns from hurt to shock as his eyes went wide open.

"And what's worse..." I hold onto my stomach before opening my mouth again. "... I'm pregnant."

He brushes his hand through his hair and his breathing became heavy.

"What... the... fuck?!" He screamed. "That bastard! He... He... He's a monster."

"That's because he is! What did I do to deserve this?"

"No no no, you don't deserve this." He hold onto my arms but I flinched by his touch.

He furrowed his eyebrows before pulling my sleeves up, revealing some of my fresh cuts and some faded cuts. His face became horrified.

"Ro... you're already hurt as it is. But why did you do this to hurt yourself even more?" He asked and it feels like someone punch me in the stomach just by asking that question.

"It feels like I deserved it... I couldn't hold in the pain any longer." I said as tears starts falling from my eyes again.

"Aurora, look at me." He said as I slowly look at him in the eyes. He cupped both of my cheeks and stare at me with his sad hazel eyes. "You don't deserve this. Not one bit of it. And... I'm sorry."

"Why you're apologizing?" I asked.

"I'm apologizing for not helping you while I still have the chance. I knew there was something off with you but I just want to find the right time. I should have done it back then..."

"Please don't apologize. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry for not asking for help as soon as possible but I just don't want you to get hurt by him. I couldn't live with myself if anything happens to you or anyone else."

"Aurora... I'd rather risk my life for you than to just standby and seeing you getting hurt even more. I care about you and the truth is... I love you. For the longest time, I love you and I'll do anything to keep you safe even if it means that I'll end up getting hurt."

"I-I love you too but..." He then places his index finger on my lips.

"No buts. I just want what's best for you." He said before placing his lips against mine.

Our lips touched and his lips feels as soft as rose petals against mine. He pulls away and he wipes my tears away with his thumbs. He then gets on one knee and the next thing I knew, he swoops me up and carries me bridal style. He gently places me on his bed and take off my shoes.

He puts me under the covers and walks over to the other side and lay down. We face each other as we share another kiss. After the kiss, he places one on my forehead.

"You can stop crying now, Aurora. I'll protect you." He said as he wrap one arm around me, pulling me closer to him. "I love you."

"I love you too. Thank you, Eddie." I said.

He places one last kiss on my forehead before we drifted off into deep and peaceful sleep.

For once, I felt so safe and I wish this never ends.