Strange Addiction

Chapter 41

Elena's POV

I was curled up in a ball on the top of my bed hearing the moans and squeaks of the bed coming from my mother's room. When I came home last night, they were still going at it like two horny teenagers. I sat up, breaking from my little ball of misery, getting a message from Ms. Rivers for the last rehearsals for tonight's show and I didn't know how I would be able to perform when my heart was broken and lost in an endless loop of agony.

I got out of bed, heading straight towards the shower, grabbed a pair of black leggings, and picked up a black oversized t-shirt but immediately stopped once I knew whose this was. I pressed my nose on the smooth fabric, breaking with a sob, shoved the shirt across the room, and covered my face.

It had to be done. It had to be done. He can't find you now. You're safe. Are you?

I sighed before heading towards the bathroom with one of my shirts. I shut the bathroom door and turned the faucet, watching the water pour down into the tub and I turned the showerhead on watching water descend. Removing my clothes, I made sure the door was locked before hopping inside underneath the showerhead, feeling warm water and I sighed as it massages my sore muscles.

"This is hurting me. Baby, it's hurting me so fucking bad. Can you feel it? My heart will be ripped out of my chest if you do this."

I replayed his words in my head over and over wanting to take away every ounce of his pain but I couldn't. I fell on my ass in the hard cold tub and tuck in my legs into my chest, letting my sobs consume me and the water drown me.

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Rehearsals were a pain in the ass because each time, I failed to do the high note at the end because it wasn't in my vocal range which pissed me off watching as Allen laughed making me want to fork his head off. Allen and I were singing a duet, Lovely by Billie Eilish. The song could relate to how I was feeling so I was able to connect more with the song by digging deep into the lyrics.

Walking down the path to the sidewalk my body came to a stop once I heard voices calling my name and my hands dropped everything before turning around, stumbling back unable to believe what I'm seeing. No, it can't be.

Dominic and Isabelle were side by side only feet away from me and my hands flew to my mouth in shock, disbelief broke in my chest and I pitched my arm, hoping this wasn't a dream. Once I looked back, they were still there.

I let out a heartfelt laugh before running towards them and hearing them doing the same. Once we met halfway, my arms flew in the air and wrapped around both of them. We all went tumbling to the ground, laughing but the laughing soon dialed down and the crying began.

I held them close, trying to gather words to say but I couldn't because just holding them was enough. "Well, you've gotten stronger." Dominic was the first to break the silence with his humor and I sat up basically on top of them both, laughing. I raised my arm, showing them my "very big biceps". "Of course. I've been working out."

All of us tried to stay silent and the words me working out but that ended in a disaster, all of us began laughing and what made us break into tears of Isabella's little snort she does every time she had a good laugh. Dominic threw his head back, in tears and Isabelle shoved our shoulders. "God, I've missed you two," I whispered, grabbing my arms around them both. "My family's back together," Dominic whispered in my ear and I smiled, squeezing them tighter. I always belonged with the two of them.

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Dominic and Isabelle took me to this retro diner that he says serve the best milkshakes he's ever tasted. We had a tradition when it came to milkshakes, we each ordered for one another never for ourselves. Sometimes we're nice and we choose a good flavor, and sometimes we decide to be a little evil and probably get something more allergic to just to see the reaction and laugh about it. Isabella usually does it to Dominic. Dominic usually gets me vanilla because he knows I despise it. I like vanilla but not all the time it just feels so plain to me. And finally, I usually do it to Isabella.