Breaking Free

Chapter 25: Present

The days following my confession to the police, my parents don't allow me to go to school. So, I don't see Anna or Seth. They both texted me a few times, and I sent back that everything is fine.

Anna said that the whole school knows about Joshua and hasn't been able to stop talking about him, but no one knows that it is me. I'm not sure if I believe her or not.

Joshua and Beth still haven't been found. My parents don't want me to leave the house until they are.

Both my mom and my dad now know everything that happened with Joshua. Telling them was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. Afterward, my dad left the house for several hours, and my mom sat in her room behind a closed door, crying.

My parents decided that they don't want me going to homecoming, but I disagree. Me not going to homecoming will make it seem like I am hiding, and I really don't want that.

I will not allow Joshua to destroy my life more than he already has.

I approach them the day before homecoming in the living room. Even though the TV is on, neither one of them seems to pay any attention to it. The look on my dad's face tells me he has no idea what's happening on the show, and my mom's eyes are downcast.

I walk over and turn off the TV before turning in their direction. They both look up.

"I need to talk to you guys."

They glance over at each other but remain silent.

"I'm going to homecoming."

Silence follows my statement. My parents stare at me with blank expressions.

"No. You're not." My dad is the first to speak.

"I have to agree with your father," my mom says, avoiding my gaze.

"I will not allow Joshua to continue to control me. This is my life. I will not hide away from the world because of what happened to me."

My dad stands up from his chair and turns away from me. "Dad?"

"I said no."

"Dad, just listen."

My dad turns around then. His body is shaking, and anger fills his eyes. "No, you listen. You kept this from us. You didn't tell us what happened to you for months. You are my baby girl, and he hurt you. I wasn't able to protect you. Ever since you were born, I vowed to always protect you, and I couldn't."

"Dad. This is a mistake I made. I didn't tell you because I was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of telling you after you guys let me attend public school. If I didn't sneak out that night. If I didn't go to his house. If I just turned away when I got this overwhelming feeling to run away. Then maybe it would have never happened." I walk up closer to my dad. "But I can't live with the what ifs, and the maybes. I refuse to continue to live in fear of him. Going to homecoming will show everyone that he didn't destroy me."

A hand on my shoulder makes me turn to see my mom. Her face is pale and wet from tears. "How are you so strong after all this?"

I give her a weak smile. "Because you guys are my parents. I got my strength from you."

I take a deep breath and look at each of them. "I won't lie, I am scared. Part of me wants to stay in my bedroom for the rest of my life and never face the world again. But then there is a part of me telling me my life is not over. The old me might have died that night, but a new me was also born. I want to go to homecoming because I am no longer hiding."

Both my parents hug me, my dad's arms wrap around my shoulders, and my mom's arms wrap around my waist.

"We love you, bug."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I snuck out that night. I'm sorry this all happened." My own tears stream down my face.

Pulling back from me, my dad brings his hands up to wipe away my tears. "This is not your fault. None of this is your fault. Don't ever think that. He is the one that will be sorry after I'm done with him."

"Ren...." My mom says with a threatening tone.

"Fine, but our lawyer is a different story. We have the best one out there. He will burn him to the ground."

"A lawyer? But Officer Cunnings says we don't have enough proof to go to court?"

"That little shit is running scared because he knows he is done for. When we find him, he will wish he never messed with my baby girl."

My mom reaches up from my waist and pinches my dad on his arm. "Watch your language."

My dad shrugs. "Once a sailor, always a sailor."

I don't even have to look at my mom to know she is rolling her eyes. For the first time in days, I laugh. I feel my mom's body shaking in laughter as she hugs me, and then my dad cracks a smile. Soon we are all laughing, hugging, and crying.

Standing there with my parents, my heart feels lighter. I know this isn't over. This is far from over, but I am on the road to recovery.

After we all calm down enough to talk, my dad sighs with defeat. "Okay, you can go. But! You are to call us every hour. Do you understand?"

I nod my head and give him one last hug. "Thank you."

I move away from him and run for my room in excitement. I can't wait to let Seth know I can go. As I near my door, I hear my mom call my name. "Paige."

"Yeah?"

"Do Seth and Anna know?"

"I told Seth first. Anna found out on her own."

"For the past week, Seth has been picking you up after school. Where does he take you?"

"He has been teaching me how to defend myself if... Joshua ever... does anything again."

"Good. I'm glad." My mom sighs in relief. "Seth has a good head on his shoulders. Do you like him?"

The question catches me off guard. "What?"

My mom lets out a small chuckle. "I'm just glad to see you happy after everything that happened."

My shoulders slump. "After everything that happened, he shouldn't want anything to do with me."

My mom slides a hand on my shoulder. "I think he wouldn't be teaching you to defend yourself or want to take you to homecoming if he wanted nothing to do with you."

My mom kisses me on the cheek and leaves me to go back to the living room where the TV starts up again.

Opening my door, I smile to myself. My mom was right. Seth wasn't only helping me physically, but he was helping the chains around my heart slowly break apart.