(TEMPORARY HIATUS!!) Reaching Out|Married AU| Book 2 Of "Stuck With The Rain"

Chapter VI: Nerves

"Mom is something wrong?"

"Prefiero no hablar de eso frente a Rain." I nodded and waited for mom as she handed off Rain to Eda so her and I could talk. Once she got back to me she wandered towards the kitchen expectantly waiting for me to follow.

"So what is it?" Mom sighed and avoided eye contact for a moment.

"I'm worried for you Cariño. You're going to see him and he..." She looked away shaking her head. "When we went into debt you were old enough to understand a few things but not everything...you didn't know what he had done."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I wasn't able to bring myself to tell you that he had forced Zander to date you. He was trying to set up the 'ideal life' for you. He knew Zander and his family personally and somehow corrupted him to be just as bad as he was..."

"What? How could you not tell me that?!"

"Luz at that point we were struggling so much I couldn't leave him yet and he was just constantly getting more aggressive. I know what I did wasn't rational but I just didn't want to risk anything." Upon hearing her words I couldn't decide whether to start yelling in anger or to run away from it all. I shook my head desperately trying to clear it.

"Did he hurt you? O-or did he threaten to hurt me, or what? What the hell did he do to make you think it was okay to not tell me I was in a relationship of lies!" I felt tears start to form the second my voice went to a yell.

"He never hurt me Luz he had the common sense not to do that." Despite my tone and bubbling anger Mom kept her voice calm, but my mind wasn't satisfied with that.

"Then what?!"

"He nearly killed his best friend once. When we we're in high school we went to a party and he did every damn drug he could find. I knew what he was capable of after that, especially when under the influence." I felt myself grow tense hearing that. I couldn't help but wonder what happened, why would he attack his best friend? Mom picked up on my reaction and reached towards me, pulling me into a hug. "I never told you cause Zander seemed to make you happy, especially when Eric got worse to deal with."

"B-but none of it was real...I-I..." I pushed myself off Mom and ran into Amity and I's room. I opened the door and shut it behind me, crying as I slid to the floor. I didn't want to hear it. If she had anything else to say it wasn't worth hearing...not right now...

"Luz?" Amity had crouched in front of me immediately worried. "What's wrong?"

"He's gonna do something...fuck it was all just some sick plan again!" I covered my ears shutting my eyes tightly.

"Hey look at me." Amity cautiously lifted my chin forcing me to face her. "What happened?"

"It's going to be a set-up...he never wanted to make amends..."

"We don't know that. You need to calm yourself down for a moment and think clearly, not with your emotions." As much as I wanted Amity's presence to help I couldn't help myself from crying uncontrollably. Amity sighed hugging me gently. "Do you need a moment to yourself again?" I shook my head before trying to wipe my tears.

"Amity...c-can you go with me? I don't want to talk to him alone..."

"Do you even need to ask that? You know I'd never leave your side Luz, I'm here for you." I chuckled slightly which calmed me down a little. After a while I was able to relax and simply sat on our bed thinking about dad while Amity got dressed.

-

"I can't believe you made me wear this." Amity followed me out the door of my car, fidgeting with the beanie I gave her. "I could use an illusion y'know?" Once she caught up to me she grabbed my hand.