Adopted by Superfruit *ANCIENTLY OLD*

Chapter Twelve: Reopening Wounds

My hand clenched into a fist as I glared at the person I once called Mom. "Why are you here?" I seethed, venom seeping from my voice. Scott stood in front of me protectively. He didn't even have to ask who she was. My mom and I looked very much alike.

We had the same hair, the same eyes, complexion, and even similar face structures, except my face was a little taller, and her's more rounded. She had my little brother in her arms. Collin had a blue pacifier in his mouth, and his blue-green eyes stared directly at me.

"I came here because I missed hearing a choir, but I didn't expect that you'd be the accompanist." Her explanation made sense, because she was the choir teacher at the high school. I stepped around Scott. "I can take care of myself." I mouthed to him before I turned my attention back to my mother.

"You've gotten so much better since the last time I saw you, Care." My eyes started brimming with tears as rage slowly filled my head. "Like you have the right to call me that!" I exploded with anger, but hurt gripped my voice, restraining it immensely. "You have no idea what you put me through!"

My gaze darted from my mother, to my little brother. His stare was so pure, so innocent. He took his pacifier in his little hand, and smiled at me. I felt nothing for him. "I see that you replaced me," I growled through clenched teeth. "I could never replace you, sweetheart. Collin just sort of... happened one night." I rolled my eyes.

"I know what happens during unprotected sex, Melanie. I'm not a little kid, and I'm not your kid. You and Andrew gave that up a long time ago." I called my parents by their first names, just to spite my mother. "Caroline, it was never my choice. Your father forced me into it, and for the longest time, I thought he was right. I'm sorry, I was wrong. About everything. Can you please give me another chance? I need you in my life, Care."

She held out a delicate hand to me. Her gaze was so desperate, but I didn't believe her for one second. "No, Melanie. You want me in your life. I don't need to do anything for you. You blew it, and you don't get a second chance!" I was shaking with rage by the time I was done, tears streaming down my face.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered to me, her eyes becoming remorseful. "Band-Aids don't fix bullet holes, Melanie." I breathed back to her. I started running out of the auditorium, tears streaming down my face. When I burst out the front door, tears blurred my vision so much that I couldn't see the car coming.

Before it could hit me, someone yanked me back onto the safety of the sidewalk. Scott pulled me into an embrace as the fear set in. I shook as he lightly stroked my red-blonde hair. "Shh, it's okay, Carrie. It's going to be okay..." I felt extremely guilty that I didn't believe a word he said.

~*~

(Scott's POV)

I stood outside Caroline's door for no particular reason. She hadn't come out of her room since we got home from that concert last night. Because she was so shaken up, I called the school to tell them that she was 'sick'.

I held my hand up to knock on the door, but I just couldn't do it. I sighed in defeat, and sat down on the couch next to Mitch. "Still won't come out?" I shook my head slowly. "She's pretty f*cked up. Her mom absolutely ruined her by showing up. How could she even think of asking Carrie to come back? You can't just bounce back after the crap she's been through happens."

I put my hand to my forehead in defeat. Mitch handed me my White Chocolate Mocha and pat my back. "It'll be okay, Scottie. Caroline will get better. She's starting to accept you a little more every day." Mitch encouraged me, which I appreciated very much, and he was right.

The first time she let me hug her willingly, it felt amazing. So did the first time she hugged me first. And when she said "I love you". They were all moments I'll never forget. I took a sip of my coffee, then stood up to go check on Caroline. I lightly knocked on her door. "Carol? Can I come in?" I didn't want to just barge in. "It's unlocked..." Her voice was faint.

I opened the door a crack, then swung it open a little more. Caroline's eyes were red and puffy. Her nose was a little red, too. On the floor next to her bed, I saw little blood-covered strings. She had picked the stitches out of her hand. "Caroline, why did you do that?" I sat down next to her on her bed and examined her hand. It was bleeding, but not too badly.

"I don't know. Something to distract me from yesterday." Caroline's voice was shaky and weak, probably from trying not to break down crying in front of me. "Carrie, it's okay to cry." Her face twisted in sadness, and her bottom lip quivered as tears streamed down her cheeks. "But I just stopped," She whimpered as she leaned against my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her as her body shook with sobs. She was getting my shirt a little wet, but that didn't matter to me. In an attempt to comfort her, I started to sing. "I can't win, I can't reign, I will never win this game without you, without you " Her crying slowed, and she looked up at me with those heather-blue eyes I've come to adore.

"I am lost, I am vain, I will never be the same without you, without you," She stopped full-on crying, and just sat there, letting the tears fall from her eyes. "I won't win, I won't fly, I won't ever make it by without you, without you, I won't rest, I won't fight, all I need is you and I, without you, without, you." Caroline sat up straight and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Better?" She nodded. "Not one-hundred percent, but, yeah. Thanks, Scottie." She pulled a blanket over her slim shoulders as she leaned against her pillow. "Can you get me some ice cream, please?" She tilted her head to the side a bit, letting her messy strawberry blonde hair drape down her shoulder.

"Sure, Carrie." I looked down at my feet when I heard a soft, rhythmic thudding sound. "Oh, looks like someone wants to see you." I lifted Wyatt onto Caroline's bed. He explored the bed a little bit, before deciding to lie down and rest his head on Caroline's lap.

"Hey, bud." She rasped, lightly stroking his hairless head. Wyatt let out a rusty purring sound as he shut his eyes. "Uh, can you hand me my laptop?" Caroline pointed to the ground next to her nightstand, where a Windows laptop was charging. I lifted it on the bed in front of her. "Thanks." She thanked me as she opened the laptop.

"No problem. I'll go get your ice cream." I lightly shut the door on my way out. "No luck?" Mitch asked me, taking a sip of his coffee. I simply looked over at him and sighed.

"She'll come out when she's ready, Mitch. Just give her some time."