An Old Nasty Room

ELENA'S POV

Darkness

My eyes travelled the room, the faint light lit the darkness, and everything seemed empty, everywhere was empty. But there was something familiar with this room, it might be empty, but there was a memory to it, my brain, my whole body sensed it. And then it struck me, grey wall, concrete flooring...I was back in my room, in this old miserable house. It can't be, I searched for Antonio, but he wasn't here, and Leonardo? No, he wasn't here either. The cold breeze hit my skin harshly, causing me to shiver.

"You are no human, Seth." A familiar voice stated. It came from around the corner. I realized I was no longer in my room, but beside my second uncle, Lornado, he held my hand in his, as I was behind him.

"Are you going to hide there like a kid forever slut?"

"Don't you dare call her that,"

"And you brother..."

"Don't you fucking call me brother. You're not my mother's son."

Seth's eyes darkened. "Give the girl to me." I clutched Lornado's jacket, not wanting to come out. And then I heard Seth setting his gun, before he pointed it at us, me in particular. "If you wanna live." My body quaked, I couldn't risk my uncle's life, not because of me. I was about to release myself from his grip, but it got tighter instead. "You really are stubborn Jason." His finger slowly pressed the shot button, and I looked up at Lornado. I never called my uncle by his first name, only his middle. He was determined to protect me, even if it meant death.

"Run." He whispered.

"And leave you here, no."

"It's the only way you can have your freedom, now go." I gulped before nodding." Seth noticed me and was about to bounce when Lornado made a precipitate dash towards him, hitting the gun out of his hands. This was a matter of life and death, freedom or boundary. I made my way to the stairs, but then I heard a groan.

Having seen this moment before, it was as though life repeated this scene before me, the worst moment of my life. My gaze was on my dead uncle, his body unmoving, as my gaze shifted to Seth, he was terrified, he killed his own son, he killed his own brother. His eyes met mine, and before I could flee, he caught me.

This time we were in my room, an old nasty room, where he faced me, and I felt as though I could fall and die anytime. His belt clutched in his grip, as he gave me a smirk. He raised it and was about to hit me when a gun was pointed at his temple. He froze, and my gaze travelled to see who, before my eyes went wide, it was me, with a determined and fearless semblance, I was no longer filled with that fear, instead, it was replaced with anger and firmness.

"This is for your brother, the man you killed." That was all I said before I gasped.

I jerked awake from my bed and looked around. At this point, I believed it was better if I went for therapy. I got down from the bed and hissed as I stood. I had a migraine again. When my blurry vision became clear, I was able to look around fine. I didn't understand what was happening to me these days. After that night, I'd been having serious migraines that I just didn't understand anymore. Even after taking some pain relievers, it always showed up again.

Stepping out of my room, I made my way down the stairs after cleaning myself up and stopped in my tracks when the smell of pancakes visited my nose. I was perplexed. Who the hell was cooking? Leonardo never came to the kitchen to cook, nor did Antonio. So who was in the kitchen? I slowly made my way to the kitchen, then I paused then I stopped...stunned the moment I noticed it was Jessie. What the fuck.

"Jessie!" She turned before smiling and running to hug me.

"I didn't know you were here. Antonio let you in?"

"I think that all that man wants is to make you happy. I was called here by Leo. He told me that Antonio wanted me here so I could spend some time with you. I think after that night, he realized that you might need a friend. I swear he's becoming super romantic."

I watched as she prepared the breakfast. It really reminded me of how my abusive uncle always messed up the house for me to clean it up. He always did that because he wanted a perfect view of my ass every time. That was how I always ended up crying late at night and on my bed watching to escape his clutches so desperately. But Lornado died when I was twelve. There was no one to save me.

Finally, Jessie's eyes found mine and she froze momentarily, before turning off the music and facing me. Her lips curved up into a smile.

She shoved a plate of pancakes at me. "You're hungry?" I nodded, and he got some honey from the cabinet. Her eyes questioned me if I needed the honey, and I replied with a nod. She poured some honey on my pancake, and I could feel my stomach rumble. I smiled.

I dug my fork into my pancake and tasted it. Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be so magnificent. My gaze met hers, while she watched me like a hawk.

"How is it?" She asked.

I nodded with a smile. "It's delicious."

She smiled a little. "Awesome." She said, serving herself some pancakes. "So how are you doing?"

"Hmm." I realized she was asking about everything and I nodded. "I feel better." I nodded.

"Hope he wasn't so tough on you that night?" She asked and I shook my head.

"He made it up to me after. What about you?" She shrugged. We remained silent for quite some time and then she spoke up.

"Elena, I can feel your gaze on my scalp." She looked up. "Is there something else you want to ask?" She asked and I nodded.

"Do you know what happened to Purity after high school?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I dropped out in grade ten. I wanted to figure out what was going on with life. That was when I chose to become a femme fatale. To seek revenge. But I also loved it. School became a little too much for me because I could no longer afford it."

My eyes unintentionally spotted Antonio as he came out to the kitchen. He looked so stunning in his glasses and a casual outfit with a pair of slides. I've never seen him wear something so casual in my life. And those circular glasses just made it all the more sexy. He opened the fridge to get a bottle of water which was honestly a first. I watched him as he gulped all the content. My eyes lowered to his throat and watched as he swallowed. I missed his tongue on me and how those lips kissed my skin like it was being worshipped. Then he turned, a nonchalant look on his face. What was I expecting from him really?

"Good morning." Jessie was the first to speak and she sounded overwhelmed. I rolled my eyes. He looked at her and nodded with a low good morning. I didn't greet him though. I didn't see the need to. He threw the bottle in the dustpan and walked up to me, shamelessly grabbing my ass. My jaw dropped as I gasped.

"What? You're no newbie." He said into my ear, squeezing even more before spanking me there. He straightened right after and walked back into the room. I looked at Jessie who has her eyes somewhere else.

"Oh stop acting like you're a saint." I chucked a piece of pancake at her.

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to look?" She asked and I chucked another piece at her.

"Stop wasting food." She laughed and we continued to eat silently. "You have a very hot-looking man right there." She said and I blushed because I knew that already. "And you've got some bruises on your skin. Is it...?" She thought it was Antonio. I shook my head.

"I'd had this before I came into this house. You're lucky you have parents even though you...

"I don't have parents." She gave a faint smile.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean...",

"It's okay, I never even saw their faces anyway. My dad passed away three days after my mum had me. And my mum, who I never got the chance to see, disappeared. I don't know why she would do that to me though, but I'm over it."

"You've shared so much about your life with me. I just want to ask if you're okay with that...I mean.."

"I've always been. I know Leonardo. He doesn't warm up to people so easily. He's harsh at first glance. He gives you the impression that he's stone cold which he always is. But when it comes to you, he's not that way at all. Maybe at first but now he's warmed up to you better because he knows you're innocent. Why can't I trust you with my secrets?"

"I just don't want you to feel burdened sharing it with me."

"I chose to share it, Elena. You didn't ask." She stated.

"Do you know why your mother refused to take you with her?"

"That's what I don't understand. I was told it wasn't her fault, she wanted to but she just couldn't. I don't know how true that is though. But either way, she's dead to me." She said,

Then I told her everything." If she trusted me with something so pivotal to her then she could trust me with mine as well. I told her how Seth went to prison, and was freed after a few years, before my mum got married to him. She thought he loved her, right from when she was young had she noticed this man, but had fallen in love with a criminal, a murderer, a drug dealer & addict. I despised him so much. He made me feel dirty, he made me dirty, but that's not even my point. My point is that he murdered someone so precious to me. Lornado, that was my uncle.

He was the one who explained all that happened. My mother hid me, away from the wrath of my father. He broke everything, scattered the whole house, and hurt my mother like he did to me. I was only two when the problem started. I knew nothing, but I was hidden away from every single unpleasant moment with Seth and my mum.

And since then I have become miserable. Little mistakes resulted in repercussions. I was deprived of the most important things, love, happiness, friends...family.

"I'm sorry that had to happen. I guess we're the same in different ways. I finally met Brianne, in seventh grade, and we became friends ever since then. I didn't know how I was going to keep up with my education when there were so many things to do and sort out. I was without the help of a guardian and honestly, I'd have probably been in the house of an orphanage if not for the fact that I'd started working."

She continued to explain that when she entered 8th grade, she became Brianne's best friend. It was my turn to speak.

"After some years passed, I realized Lornado made it. And he helped me out of Seth's grasp, we ran away and headed to his house. There he took care of me. And then, it was so sudden and unexpected, he knocked on the door, and when my brother opened it, it was the monster. "My Uncle tried to save me, but he risked his life, and then he died.",

"That's so wicked." Jessie spat. "But I'm not surprised since that's what happens in our world today. Are you okay?" I nodded.