※ Apathetic ※ Dream×Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE || Happy Ending

Previously...

"I think you deserve to know how much you've changed me," She replied, holding my cheeks in her hands.

✶~~-∙•・✦✭~☆~✭✦・•∙-~~✶

TW: Strong language

"Take your time," Clay reassured, gently giving me a much needed hug.
I smile gratefully and search for words, wondering where I should start and how I should start it.

After a brief minute or two, I finally open my mouth.

"I'm not actually my parent's biological daughter," I start, voice low and eyes focused on the floor as I fiddled with my fingers.

"I am related to them, though. My birth parents were my foster parent's sister and her husband, but they decided they couldn't keep me because of their financial situation."

Clay listened quietly, his focus entirely on me.

"They knew I couldn't leave, so they didn't care how bad they treated me. The door someone could leave so easily out of wasn't as easy for me.
Of course I've considered running away from home a million times over, but I have a habit of thinking ahead.
I didn't have anywhere to go at the time, I wouldn't be able to find a job nor find my way around the city."

I pulled my lips in a frown and looked down at the floor.

"How about the... police?" Clay asked carefully.

"That's another bad ending; I'd be sent to the orphanage in the end. Clay, I've thought about every possible way and their every outcome," I whisper.

"I'm so sorry," He murmurs, hugging me tightly.

"It's okay, honestly." I say, patting his back.

"How many times have you said that before?" Clay asked, his eyes clouded with sadness.

"Countless times, Clay... I never had the chance to express myself. It's always 'It's okay even if it isn't, I'm happy even if I aren't, I'm thankful even if I don't having anything to thank,' that's how I lost myself. To my parents. It was easier when I didn't feel,"

I pause briefly to find my words.

"Did I ever tell you the story where my neighbour got me a cookie for my birthday? It was so memorable, just because it was my first gift... My parents hated that I smiled so brightly for it and threw it on the ground, but I picked it up right away and got hit for it.
I ate the cookie even before I wiped my nosebleed, and it was so good, even if it had a bit of dust on it..."

I relive the memory, smiling weakly at the thought.

"Then we moved to Canada. Oh it was the best few years of my life... because I got to attend school, I could get away from the hellhole without worrying and my parents hit me less to avoid getting caught even if I wouldn't tell on them anyways,"

"My birth parents already stopped asking about my wellbeing by then, but I really didn't mind...
Even if I always had to yield my belongings to my brother, I was so glad I was finally living a life instead of surviving one."

"Y/N, your brother wants those notebooks, why don't you be a nice sister and give it to him?" Ma suggested, putting on a bright smile and taking my notebook without my answer.

She handed it to Jasper and gave him the most caring smile I'd ever seen.

"Your welcome," I whisper under my breath, shuffling my feet and hiding my pencil, knowing it'd be taken away if Jasper saw it.