strings.

part 2: how do i explain?

'how can i tell you the truth?'

'when you refuse to listen to what i have to say?'

'like you always do.'

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cw: neglect, abuse, mild gore, repeated words, panic attack?

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she begins limping home, still distressed over what had happened.

her vision blurred as she watched the entrance of the palace get closer, although it felt like it was getting further and further away.

her face is warm, warm from blood, warm from tears. her legs feel horrible, like they're killing her. she shouldn't be alive right now, she shouldn't be conscious, she knows this. she doesn't know how she's walking, or how she's thinking, but she is and she should use that wisely.

once she opened the prison-like doors, she sneaked inside to avoid getting caught in the halls. blood staining the carpet as she basically crawled to her room. once there, bursting into another fit of tears. she does her best to tear, pull and hit the triangle from her head, but it's not working. it's stuck. oh god, it's stuck. it's stuck.

she drops to the floor in a panic. it's stuck, it's stuck, it's not coming loose. how does she explain this to her father? her father won't believe her, he never does. if she attempts to explain, she'll get grounded for either making a big deal out of nothing for attention, or she'll get grounded for staying out despite it being bedtime.

her breathing speeds up, tears stain her red sweater. she feels like she's dying. she just hopes no one is hearing her, she'd feel horrible. not only would she be waking people up, but she'd be making a fool out of herself for crying like she is right now. 

before she knew it, her head had gotten lighter, but heavier. as she was laying on the floor, she found it impossible to get back up. her head felt like a heavy weight she could not carry.

her brain got foggy, and so did her eye. she couldn't keep them open anymore. and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, in a pool of blood and tears.

---

the next morning

---

"haze..? hazeee- open your door, father's gonna kill us if you're not up on time-" she heard her little brother say.

she attempted to rub both her eyes, when realizing only one of them was present. she sighed. she pulled herself to a sitting position. "just go to breakfast, i'll show up late." she said softly, but her little brother could still hear her. "are you sure?.." he asked. he received an 'mhm', then haze heard him walk off.

she lied. she wasn't showing up late. she wasn't gonna show up at all.

that was her biggest mistake yet.

her father knocked on the door.

"haze, what in the goddamn do you think you're doing? everyone's waiting for you, you're holding everyone up. hurry up and get your ass out here." she heard him say in an angry tone.

she groaned, setting her foot on the ground and pushing herself up to stand. her legs still feel miserable from yesterday. she turned the doorknob and looked at her father.

he was angry.

"what the HELL is on your face?!" he said, grabbing her chin and pulling her closer. she flinched and attempted to pull back, but his grip was strong. he attempted to tear it off of her face, to which she began crying in pain.

"dad- stop- that hurts-!!" she shrieked.

"what did you do?" he asked in an aggressive tone.

".. i-" she stuttered, "i- went to the forest- and.. there was a triangle.. i don't remember what happened but it's stuck.."

she waited for a response.

it took a while, before he went, "enough of your games. get that damn thing off of your face and come to the table for breakfast, this instant."

"you don't get it-! i can't get it off-!!" she almost yelled. he grabbed her face tighter due to this.

"if you can't get it off, then stay in your room until you do. i will not tolerate having you look like this in any sort of public situation." he let go of her face, nudging her back to her room.

"but dad-"

the door shut on her.

...

she was right.

he never listens. no matter how hard she tries.

she slid down to lean against the door, hugging her knees and crying once again.

"haze..?" she heard her brother again. 

she quickly sucked up her tears, then opened the door a bit.

"o-oh- um- what happened to you..?" he asked.

not wanting to get into it again, she just pat him on the head and replied with, "long story." and signalling him to continue. 

"um.. i got you some food anyway.." he said, before showing the bread, milk and grapes he took with him. he handed them over to her. "i hope you can be there for dinner.."

she smiled, at the gesture, but soon frowned. "i don't think i can, mist."

"why n-"

"i don't want to get into it. just go do what you were gonna do.." she cut him off.

".. okay. love you sis.."

"....."

he left the hall.

"love you too."

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word count: 831

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OH MY GOD? IM ALIVE? HI, YEA! i had a random haze brainrot and decided to put that to good use. maybe this isnt the best thing ive written because i had distracting music on, but i hope its still something worth reading! thank you for your time! see you in like half a year /j

-ali