Chapter 14

My eyes blinked open and l slowly regained consciousness. My whole body hurt and my head throbbed in pain. l slowly took in my surroundings and l gasped when l saw my biological parents and a man l didn't know sitting in the room looking at me. l looked at the bed l was sleeping in and l saw Ali sleeping next to me.

When my brain started processing it took me back to what happened yesterday. Nausea hit me and l had to swallow the bile that threatened to come. l choked back a sob and l tears fell down my cheeks.

"Hey it's okay" Ali's mom said holding me but it made me cry harder. l wish my parents were here to hold me and tell me that. OMG l killed a man. l am a murderer. My breathing tightened.

"Listen to me" the man whom l didn't know said kneeling next to the bed. "l know how you feel but you had to do it and none of us blame you." He said but my sob didn't stop.

"The police " l asked seeing as there wasn't a policeman or woman in sight and we weren't handcuffed.

"That's what we want to talk about" Ali's dad said softly and l looked at him. Even from a distance you could tell that he was my father and here l was in his house and yet he didn't know. "The both of you still have whole lives ahead of you and l can't let you ruin your lives for a rapist "he said and l immediately shook my head. If there is one thing that my parents taught me ,it's that one should always own up to their mistakes and l made one.

"Nobody will care it was self defense Eliana but rather the world will always call you murderers, is that the type of life you want to live." Ali's mom said holding my cheeks affectionately.

"You know my name" l asked. "You and our daughter just got involved in an incident together so we researched you" Ali's dad said and l panicked. What if they found out the truth. My life has already taken a turn for the worst and l am not sure l want this secret to be revealed as of now.

"It's not an incident it's murder" l whisper yelled at them. Had my parents been here they would have told me what to do and just the thought of that made my heart bleed.

"My conscious won't let me live with something like this please "l begged. "A secret like this will eat me alive" l cried out but they seemed to have made up their minds.

"l understand how you feel but do you know what it's like in jail" the man said and l shook my head. "Both of you were born with a silver spoon ,you wouldn't survive jail and if not for yourself then think about Aliana, do you think she would survive the struggles of jail. What if she kills herself, will that soothe your conscious."he said and l immediately looked at Ali.

Ali was a spoilt brat who was used to being served everything on a silver platter but we crossed a line we shouldn't have and we had to responsibility for it. But what if Ali did kill herself ,how would l be able to face my parents ever again.

"Your parents are highly praised and their reputation precedes them, do you want to squander their name through the murder and destroy the legacy they left you" Ali's dad said and it made me angry that he would dare bring my parents into all of this.

"You don't know my parents " l muttered angrily. "We don't but we're pretty sure that they wouldn't have wanted their daughter to go to jail" her mom said softly and l wiped away my tears angrily. They were right to some extent. My parents would want me to go to jail and l know that they would have probably taken the blame on themselves to save me which is why l didn't blame Ali's parents for wanting to save their daughter.

"What did you do with the body "l asked in defeat. "That's something we will never tell you guys but all you need to know is that this incident never happened".

"Easy for you to say" l muttered angrily.

"listen to me young lady and listen good, my daughter's life won't be destroyed because of this so you will keep your mouth shut or l don't know what l'll do. Ali's dad snapped at me and l cowered. He was just worried for his daughter and for a second there l thought that he was worried about me as well.