17 Mom... where are you?

WARNING! This chapter contains violence and may be unsuitable for some readers.

-Jayden-

How lame...she saw me crying again.

Cold air entered my lungs as my voice quivered, "I-"

Was I ready? It's been so long... and I did promise to tell her one day.

I could feel warmth growing in my hand. She was holding it all this time? Did she also hold them the other times..?

I think it's been long enough...

"I can... tell you."

My body felt weak and I just covered my teary eyes with my sleeved arm, "I haven't had these nightmares in a long a while, but after I came back... they started to haunt me once more."

"Or! Maybe next time don't drink so much! You and Ashton were at it until 3am!" Julia lectured me.

I sighed," It's not the alcohol. This is something that has always happened."

"But your head hurts right?" she asked," Let me get you some honey milk tea. I already made it... before you held onto my hand."

"Wait, so you didn't hold my hand on your own? I did..?" I blushed.

Julia fumbled with her hair and said,"Well, yeah, but after you let go, you started to cry ,' No Mom, No, don't go!' So...I held it again and then you stopped crying. I just thought if Ruo was able to make Sena stop crying by holding her hand then maybe this would work for you."

"Hahaha,"I laughed," from Regios the Twin Blades?"

"Wha- Wha- yeah!" she answered pridefully.

"But it's just a story, a movie.." I chuckled.

"Well, yeah, but stories hold some realistic stuff. You have no idea how much Regia has taught me about life. It's very influential and advising," she pouted.

"Oh, really?" I asked. How funny and ironic that Regias would turn out to mean something like that to someone.

"I'll be right back, let me get that tea." Julia walked away embarrassed. How cute.

I wonder..how long will it stay this way? Can it?

I heard crinkling as her footsteps echoed in the hall. She left the door open so I could hear her walking towards my room and-

"Ow!" And hear her bumping into the walls. What is she doing?

"Hahaha! Did you just steal the pantry or something? Why'd you get so much?" I asked her.

"You're gonna tell me a story and I bet it'll be long. And! I was getting hungry and you'd probably be hungry and we might end up staying up anyway sooo...I brought a lot of snacks."

She put down the bags of chips and settled a blue thermos on my desk. The thermos clunked as she mustered her strength to open it,"Hughhh... I didn't close it this tight!"

"Here," I sat up," I'll show you."

I put the hanging music note keychain onto the lid and twisted the cap.

"It needs this magnet to unlock the lid. It's to prevent possible thievery or food poisoning,"I said.

"Wow, just for a thermos? That's a bit much don't you think?" she asked.

"There are a lot of bad people in the world. You wouldn't know if they'd mess with your drink." I said.

"Hmm.. but wouldn't it be useless if I tampered the tea before pouring it in?" She asked.

"Yeah, but do you know how to poison someone?" I joked.

"No.. but what if someone else did?" She pouted as she poured the steamy liquid into the unscrewed top and bottom cap.

"Then yes, it'd be possible, but there's no one who I'd let make me food or drinks unless I fully trust them." I said.

"Then.. you trust me?" She asked after half opening a bag of chips.

"Yeah, of course. You don't even have a driver's license, where would you even get poison?" I laughed.

"Pft.. I've just been too busy to get my license yet! Whatever, I could so potentially poison your food too!" She stole the chip from my hand and took a bite.

"Yeah, maybe so, but I know you wouldn't."

"What makes you think that?" she asked while slowly nibbling on the half eaten chip.

"Because I know so. You care a lot about life. So much... it's almost crazy." I smiled.

"Okay, weirdo, now tell me your story. We have all day, but we'll go nowhere if you don't start," she chomped away chips.

"I will, just.. I..."

"What is it?" she asked.

I sighed," Um.. my legs are numb.. could you get the snacks in my fridge over there and microwave em? The ones we got yesterday. We never got to eat them."

She put down the bag of chips and pulled out the mini bag, microwaved it, and handed it to me.

"Here, they're meat buns and yam buns." I gave her two buns.

"Nice..." she said as her mouth watered and took a bite.

"Yum!"she squealed.

"They also have chocolate buns and other kinds of stuffed buns," I said.

"It's like a matchmade in heaven," she exhaled happily.

"We used to eat Granny's buns when we were little but she only visited for a while," I told her.

"Hm? Is she actually related to you?" she asked.

"No, but she's a close family friend. She sometimes helped watch me when I was a kid,"I said.

"Wow... you remember so much," she said and gulped down her tea.

"Yeah..."

"SOOOOOO story time, hurry before I get sleepy from all this snacking!" she insisted.

"Haha.. why so curious?" I asked her.

"Well.. you were desperately crying in your sleep.. There was something that hurt you so much.. I might be intruding on the subject.. but I thought about it a lot... I'm also

sorry for being mean and distant and-" she sighed," rude before. But If I'm going to be living with you all my life, then I'd like to get to know you better and help you during your hardest times, like you did for me. Plus, you seem to know a lot about me.. so yeah," she looked away, trying to hide her blushed cheeks.

"I see..then here it goes," I took a deep breath.

A long time ago, before I lived in Yurah, I grew up in another country, Enkra.

I... only ever remembered calling her Mom.

She would leave to work early in the morning or late at night.

She took me to the park sometimes and sometimes she would let me choose what toy I wanted. If she was in a good mood, she'd play with me, but if she was in a bad mood, she'd ignore me or tell me to go to my room.

But one day, when she left for work that night, I stayed up waiting for her.

It was raining and the door was constantly ringing, so I ran down to open the door.

I thought maybe she forgot her keys.

But it wasn't her. It was a man I had never seen before.

"Hey, kiddo," greeting me with a sweet smile, he asked me," Where's Mommy Arron?"

That smile..felt so familiar. The same way Mom smiled. I felt a chill down my spine.

"She's at work," I said.

"Yeah? Let's wait for Mommy then," he said.

He took my arm and locked the door.

My mind was flooding with panic. What have I done? Who is this man? I can't believe I let him in the house.

"You hungry Buddy?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Alright! I got us some Mick Arnolds and your favorite kids meal!" he yelled in delight.

"Here you go!" he plated me half a burger with some fries.

"What's your name mister?"I asked.

And he stared at me with a blank face for a moment," What do you mean pal? Don't you remember me? It's Daddy."

"You're my Dad?! Wow, I didn't know!" I yelled in excitement.

"Well, you were a little champ, so you probably forgot. Sorry I've been gone so long Kiddo, but don't worry, Daddy's here now," he said with a smile, patting my head.

I noticed there was lettuce in the sandwich and spoke up," I'm allergic to lettuce." I pulled it out onto a napkin and he slapped my hand.

"Now Arron, I know you're a picky eater, but you mustn't skip your vedgies. You're a growing boy!"

He yelled and pinned me down, dangling the lettuce that was laying on the table for me to witness.

I hardly ever watched movies, but the few movies I did watch, the Dads were always in charge and the kids who rebelled would get a timeout and a spanking.

I remembered thinking.

Ah.. so this is what having a dad is like.

In that case, I wish I never had a dad.

"I can't! I can't! Mommy said I'm allergic!" I screamed out as I squirmed out of his grasp, but he grabbed the bottom of my jaw and spread my lips with one hand.

"Stop being picky and eat ARRON!"

He forced the leafy green into my mouth until my throat accepted it.

My chest was heavy and my throat was burning and itching. I scratched at my throat, desperately wishing I could be relieved from this madness. Then I felt a sudden jolt from the pit of my stomache. The floor was covered in the green goop. I cried. I could still feel my stomache punching my insides.

"What the hell is wrong with you Arron?! Go to your room! You're in timeout now! You've been a bad boy!" his kicks thundered against my stomache until I grew quiet. Then he dragged my limp body into the tub.

"Hurry up and shower! You stink now!" the man yelled at me.

It was the middle of the night and the water boiler wasn't working well. 'Mom' was going to be on her business trip for a long while. Though my body was tired and freezing cold, I ran to my small room. Hangers of clothing and jackets filled my ceiling and the floor at least had my favorite blankets.

That was my safety spot.

"Mom... where are you.." I whispered to myself.