✧*̥˚ITS ALWAYS YOU! *̥˚✧ J.M 2

064

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
seeing into the future.

AN INTENSE WAVE OF deja vu showered over the girl as she walked inside the place she once called home, she swallowed, following her angered mother to the kitchen.

Aria scooted into the stool placed by the island, glancing down at the colorful brochure at the table top, she glanced back up at the woman, "What is this?"

"That's your future, Aria. If you don't turn your shit around." Belle kept her back to the teen, emptying out the full dishwasher.

"You're joking, right?" Aria chuckled in disbelief, "This is like one of those places where they kidnap you in the middle of the night. Wilderness cuckoo's nest."

Belle placed the plates into the open slots in the cabinets, sighing lowly, "No, it's a program for troubled teens with behavioral problems."

"So now I'm a troubled teen?" Aria spat in confusion, slumping back into the metal brass backing of the stool.

Finally, the woman turned to face the girl, furrowing her brows together, "What the hell would you call it? You disappear for days, Aria, and then you come back to the house and steal your fathers truck. Then you crash it."

"I thought John B and Sarah were dead! And you just wanted me to move on like nothing happened! You act like everything is fine! Nothing about it is fine!" Aria raised her voice in anger.

"I understand that you've been through a lot, Aria! But nothing about any of this is fine!" Belle shook her head, her eyes beginning to tear as the glass clinked together.

Aria looked at her mother desperately, "I'll do whatever you want! Okay? I'll help around the house."

"You bet your ass you will." The woman chuckled.

"I don't want you to think that I was wrong to help them. Because I wasn't. I was doing what I thought was right. And I didn't mean to do all of that to you! And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for sneaking out, and I'm sorry for skipping school. It was stupid, and I...I didn't. I'm sorry for going to Charleston. I'm sorry for stealing dad's truck." Aria spilled quickly, her eyes shining in the bright lights.

Belle felt sympathy for her daughter, dropping the plates down gently, "Aria. I know you're sorry but sorry is not gonna cut it anymore. Let me tell you what's gonna happen. No more sneaking out the house, no more treasure hunts, and no more Pogues. Or you're going to go to Blue Ridge."

Aria swallowed, "Why are you doing this? They're all I have!"

"You have your family, Aria."

"What family? Dad is dead. You barely even give a shit about me anyways. What's the point of holding me hostage?" The girl cried out, flickering her glossy eyes between her mothers.

Belle cringed at the mention of her deceased husband, guilt making her face become pale, "Enough, Aria."

The girl rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she pushed the chair out from underneath her, scurrying away from her mother and up the steep set of stairs, her room door slamming shut.

She laid on her back, holding her hands over her face as she choked out a sob, feeling helpless and alone as she couldn't help but wonder what she'd been missing out on while her friends were venturing.

Hours passed, the sun slowly rising, Aria was running off, maybe, five minutes of sleep. She pressed play on the small speaker, drowning out the voice of her mother as she picked up the Blue Ridge brochure.

Her cell phone began to ring beside her, making her reach for it frantically, her heart skipping a beat as Popes name flashed.

"Pope?" Aria sat up, hearing faint shuffling noises in the background.

"Ari! I'm in trouble. No one's answering." He panted, sounding breathless as he gasped out for air.

She furrowed her brows, keeping the phone glued to her ear, "Pope, what happened?"

"Rafe, he has the cross." The boy winced in pain, "Aria, I need you to come get me. Please, Aria. I need your help."

Her eyes drifted down to the paper in her hand, punching her eyes shut, "Okay. Okay. I'm coming. Where are you?"

"I'm at the swamp past Angel Oak. Please hurry."

Aria tripped over her feet as she scurried to put her boots on, hanging up the phone as she slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans, deciding to leave the music blasting as she sneaked out through the balcony, her car keys clutched as she climbed down.

The panic was arising in her as she fumbled to unlock her car, flicking her eyes between her home and the car handle, she opened it, sliding inside as she turned the engine on, barely giving the car enough time to start as she backed out of her driveway.

She pressed on the gas, her shaky hands struggling to keep the wheel straight as she sped, making a sharp right turn into the muddy path.

The sun was completely set by now, the birds chirping loudly as the girl brought the small car to a complete stop.

He limped towards the car, tucking something into his cardigan as he opened the passenger seat door.

"Morning." Aria greeted, letting him shut the door before she began to drive, eying the dirty boy as he panted.

"Thanks for coming." He threw his head back against the cushioned seat.

Pope began to explain the story, the car racing down the road as the boy also directed her, she wasn't in shock of Rafe's selfish actions, she'd known him for to long.

She sighed before speaking, "Pope listen. When all of this is over, and I go home. My parents are probably gonna send me away. But everything I'm doing is worth it. I don't want you to think that it's your fault."

"Thank you, Aria, for putting yourself at risk like this for me. I really appreciate it." Pope smiled gently in appreciation, the girl flashing him a small smile as she drove to the port.

She has nothing to loose now, right?