Dalaric

Nine: "𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙢𝙚?

"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds. "

- Laurell K. Hamilton

𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 : 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚 - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙩. -

Sweat molecules embed themselves onto my hands as I nervously wring them together. Joshua stares, and so does Landon as mama mixes the salad.

They're both sitting on either side of my chair, entrapping me, both physically and mentally.

My mother, the woman that gave birth to me, stays oblivious to my clear discomfort and continues to hum as she sets aside the salad and takes a seat.

I don't know why they're here.

I don't know what they want from me.

I don't know why this is happening to me.

All I know is that tonight won't end well. Not with the hand that's looming over my right thigh. Not with the devilish smirk that Landon is sending me.

I'm trying so hard to not break down and cry. Mama doesn't like it when I cry. It's my stupid fault, I should've come home earlier. I won't-can't blame Dalaric. It's always my own fault. I'm ashamed of the fact that I'm scared of my own mother.

Your family should be your number one, right? Then why do I feel anything but happy when I'm around mama.

"Maya, dear, pass the salt to Landon." Mama gets my attention with her sickly sweet voice and I warily pass the salt.

Landon's hand grazes mine as he takes it from me while purposely tightening his grip on my fingers. Joshua keeps one of his hands on my right thigh and digs his nails into the skin through the hoodie.

I miss Dalaric.

Dinner passes quietly and I don't touch my food, which is a can of beans.

Landon and Joshua willfully ignore the fact that mama is not sane.

The table has no plates. It only has a salad and four cans of bakes beans. She hasn't cooked in five years. She gets up from her chair and alarm bells ring in my head. If she leaves- I can't fathom it.

"Well boys, Thank you for coming over. I have to go meet a few friends for an emergency but you can hang around if you'd like."