Reunited

Chapter 12

Aidan's POV:

Ellie went up to her room silently.

She didn't speak a word. She just got up, excused herself and left to go upstairs.

"Can someone explain why she's so scared?" Jake asked.

"Ellie's under the influence that if she were to open up, she'd be disrespectful." I filed in.

"Towards who?" Mom asked.

"Towards the Hendersons of course. They built this fear inside her that she'd be the worst person in existence if she ever went against them." I replied.

"So that's why." Dad said in thought. He then furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "But how do you know that?"

"When she was in the hospital, a day before she was discharged, she told me about it."

"Did she ever tell you about what happened?"

"Just that they told her the world was a horrible place, that she would be killed if she went outside and that she was home schooled."

"That's it? Nothing else?" I shook my head.

I know full well that it wasn't my part to tell. But they needed to understand where Ellie was coming from in this situation.

So I told them and now I need to talk to Ellie. I also excused myself and went upstairs towards her room.

I reached her door and was about to turn the handle when I heard soft sobs coming from inside.

She's crying...

Slowly and cautiously, I opened the door and peeked inside to see her sitting down on the floor, beside the bed.

Her knees were up to her chest and she was covering her face on her hands.

Upon hearing the door open, she snapped her head to look at me.

"Mind if I come in?" I asked.

She shook her head and I stepped inside, closing the door behind me and sat down on the carpeted floor beside her.

A few minutes of silence passed.

"Do you think I'm weak?" She asked.

I turned my head to look at her.

She wasn't looking at me. She was looking ahead of herself with her hands, now, wrapped around her knees.

"No."

"Do you think I'm being selfish?" She asked still not looking at me.

This time, I furrowed my eyebrows, replying, "No. Why are you asking that?"

She didn't answer. Just shook her head and stayed silent as the tears fell from her eyes.

"Ellie?" I tried again.

She still stayed silent.

"Can to tell me what you're thinking?"

"Did you tell them? About what I told you?" She asked not answering my question.

"I did. I know it wasn't my part to tell but they had to understand where you were coming from." I said.

She just stayed silent. Not saying a word as tears streamed down her face.

A few more minutes passed, neither of us said a word.

"I don't want to feel like this." She said wiping her eyes.

"I know."

We were both sitting in silence for a while. Ellie reached in her bedside drawer and pulled out a sketchbook.