Shattered (The Academy)

Chapter 26: The Ugly Truth.

Mina's point of view.

"It's time, Elizabeth. She'll know. Are you sure you'll stop protecting her? I've done bad things"
"As you said, it's time. And maybe it's time for us too"
"I'm not leaving just yet. She deserves more of her own medicine. I regret nothing"
"Maybe you could do your last act. And leave"
"What about Eleazar?"
She doesn't answer.

Sang's point of view.

My hearts beats fast against my chest this morning when I put on my shoes and leave my room. There is a voicemail from dad, saying the house bills have been paid and he is gonna be gone longer. He also said there is money for food in a drawer.
And looking at the phone, I have this feeling that he is evoiding coming back home.
I take the piece of paper where I wrote down the address of Rosemund Clinic and take my keys too. The Rosemund ID burns in the back of my pockets, almost as if it's too heavy.
Walking out the door, I start walking to the bus stop until I hear someone calling my name.
"Sang!" It's Luke, walking to me "Hey, cupcake. What are you doing up so early?"
A wave of ebarrasament makes me blush and be breathless. Yesterday in the sleep over he may have seen one of my many crazy sides, and I don't know which one. I don't know if they noticed the change in me. So I pretend. And maybe he does too.
"Hi, Luke. I'm actually gonna run some errands" Behind him, I notice a sleppy Kota getting out of his house, the coutioness in his face present when looking at us. I try to smile to him to show everything is okay, to keep pretending, but I think it wavers a little before I finally let it fall down.
"Good morning, Sang"
"Good morning, Kota"
"She was just saying she's running errands. We could go together and crush at that little Chinese restaurant. It's gonna be amazing!"
I blink.
"Uh... You don't have to come with me. I know my way around" I lie. Lies, lies, lies. Even when mom died and we moved here after, her presence is still over me like a shadow. As if she'd come around if she came to know I was disobeying. Sometimes I can't even get out of bed.
"We'd love to go with you. The rest of the guys can handle breakfast for themselves" Kota says, still rubbing his eyes.
"I..."
Luke smiles.
"Perfect! Let me just put on something else than pijama pants"
"Luke, I-" I make a pausr, doubting about my next words "I'm sorry. Is kind of personal"
They exchange look, almost in a secret language kind of way, one I can't understand. But there is something very specific about the way they do, something that tells me I was right and they know. They know about Elizabeth or the others.
I'm absolutely terrefied in this instant. I feel like I can't breathe.
They look at me, concerned.
"Sang?"
"Are you okay?"
And I lie, trying to get myself together as much as I can.
"Yes, yes! Of course!" I laugh " I have to keep going, okay? See you!"
I turn around to leave, but someone grabs my wrist and makes me stop and turn around. Luke's eyes find mine.
"You are the worst liar I have ever seen" he says.
I've been caught. And I don't know what to say.
"If this is for the whole Jojo, Elizabeth, Lake and Mina thing then, get over it. We know Cupcake. Do you... do you remember?"
"Luke" Kota says, as a warning.
Luke glances at him.
I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the rejection.
"No" My voice is shaky, unstable. It's done. It's really over for me. Maybe Mother and Mina were right after all: Boys are not a good idea. "I have to go"
"Sang. None of this changes anything" Kota steps towards me.
I'm a monster.

Luke's point of view.

And then it happens. She changes before my eyes.
It's not something magical or physically noticeable, but something subtle and a second lenght. Something changes in her eyes.
It's the way I know.
"Sang?"
She tilts her head aside, as a curious bird.
"No. Sorry"
Oh. God. I exchange looks with Kota, but he only takes a breath.
"Who are you?" He asks.
"I don't think we've met before. My name is Shannon. It's nice to meet you" She pauses and moves her head again "But I think Mina was right. Things have changed. Don't break Sang's heart again, that brings Kaylan out"
How many are they?
"We only want to help" He keeps talking. I stay silent by his side.
Her curious and adorable face cracks until her true self comes out
"YOU CAN'T HELP! GOD IS PUNISHING ME FOR ALL MY SINS. I TRY TO BE NICE TO THEM BUT I WANT THEM GONE!" She fists Kota's shirt as the tears roll down her face " I'm a monster! I'M A MONSTER!"
"Shannon" Kota begins, slowly. As if talking to a snake "Calm down. You are not a monster"
"But I am! God punished me by gathering other sinners in one body! Oh, those girls! Amanda and Kaylan are the only reason I'm okay. But I can't take it anymore! How could any of you? "
"We can get you help" I say.
"They don't want help!" She cries "They don't want to dissapear!"
She breaks down in tears, mumbling something about forgiveness and mercy. She crashes is Kota's arms, and he has nothing else to do than holding her and brushing her hair with his hands. Mine ache to touch her too, but suddenly I don't think it's a good idea.
"Shannon "I call her calmly, when she's stop crying "Where is Sang?"
"Inside. You had this conversation with Jojo before. When we're not out here we're inside!"
"Did she call for you?" Kota asks her. She steps away from him, shaking her head and wipping her tears.
"Yeah. But she doesn't know. She won't remember a thing"
"Where was she going?"
She narrows her eyes at us.
"I ment it when I said you shouldn't be friends! Mina will do bad things!"
"We don't care"
"People will get hurt. Maybe that's part of god's punishment. Only he would join my soul with other sinners after death"
She looks so... disturbed. Crazy disturbed.
"After death?" I ask her.
"Don't you believe in reincarnation?
"God doesn't punish like that. Reincarnation is not on the bible. People don't get second chanches" Kota tells her.
"He came back! He can do whatever he wants. He is breaking the rules just to punish me. I must have been an horrible person before He decided to send me back! Like this! And I am an horrible person now too! Oh, I am! The devil has taken over. I'm sorry! I never ment it!"
Oh, shit. Suddenly I start to get the impression this one is crazier than Lake.
"Shannon" Kota calls for her attention. She does, for a second, but I can still she the daze in her eyes. "Do you want to go?
She pauses, then says "Yes. My sins are unforgivable!"
"That's okay"
"Mina won't let you help Sang. She never wants to go. She's not done yet"
"We'll deal with that" I say "We want to help Sang get better".
"Elizabeth is in love"
We frown.
"What?"
"She wants to do the right thing, but she's in love. She doesn't want to go"
This gets harder and harder.
"Aggele mou?" Silas' sleepy voice comes from the door. He is already dressed. He gives a lazy smile and comes towards her. He holds her in his arms "Hey. It's nice to see you"
Even when it's not Sang, seeing Shannon cuddling up to him reminds me of our tension. Will this break us?
"Hi, Silas"
"It's Shannon" I shoot, my shoulders tense.
Silas' head shoots up to look at us and then back down to her. "Hi" he says again without letting go.
Shannon smiles. Does she prefer him than us?
The insecurities run through my head and I can see them too in Kota's face.
"Are you okay? " Silas asks, finally letting her go "You were crying"
"I'm okay. Thank you"
"Shannon" Kota calls for her again " Where was Sang going? It's not safe. There's people after you. You know that , right?"
"We do" She nodds "She is not sure. We kind of didn't tell her in the video"
"What video?"
"We made a video. It was Jojo 's idea, after talking to all of you. We let her know we are here and what role we have in her life. Why we're here"
"And why are you here?" I ask her.
"I think I was that part of her that wanted to believe in something. She wanted to hold on. But as many of us, I evolved with time. It happens. My sins will haunt me forever " she shrugs, then sighs "She was gonna go to Rosemund Clinic"
We exchange looks.
"Not for that reason. She's figuring it out"
"What thing?"
She looks away from us, straight to the opposite side of the street.
"It's time"

Sang's point of view.

Through a dirty glass, I see the flash of a mom chasing a little redhaired girl who runs on the sidewalk.
What?
The movement of the car startles me, making me look around. By my side is Luke, looking at me. He leans in.
"Shannon?"
The knowledge hits me hard.
"Oh, my god!"
"Lake?" Silas asks from the front sit, turning his head. I meet Kota's eyes in the review mirror.
"Oh, my god!" I repet "She was here too?"
Luke's eyes shine bright.
"Sang! Is that you?"
I nod, mortified.
"Where are we going?"
"Shannon said you were heading to Rosemund Clinic, so we decided to go with you" Kota states.
"But..." My mouth gets dry.
"Sang, do you know what day is today? What is the last thing you remember?"
"Waking up in my room the day after the sleep over"
"Yeah, well" Luke shrugs as if nothing "Stuff happened"
"Like what?" I cry . I'm freaking out.
"Luke" Kota's warning voice stops him.
"No, tell me!"
Kota sighs.
"I think we've met all of your "sisters'"
I break down and cry.
"Aggele mou! Don't cry! You're breaking my heart"
"Oh my god!" I can't stop repeating it over and over again.
Luke holds tight me in his arms and hides his head in my neck.
"Oh, Cupcake. It's okay"
"It's not okay! You'll think I'm a freak and then I'll be lonly again!"
Suddenly, Kota makes a fast turn and stops in some store's parking lot.
"You will never be lonly again, Sang. I promise"
"You didn't even like me!"
"Of course I liked you, I just... Listen, Sang. We are your friends. We want to help you. Why don't you start by telling us what's in Rosemund Clinic?"
I'm stunned by his words. He did? He liked me? He likes me?
"I don't know" I mumble, looking for the ID on my pocket of that person who isn't me.
Silas holds the ID on his hands, checking it up.
"It's not me" I point out "But I found it"
Kota grabs the ID and inspects it.
"It's old. If you didn't find it before is for one reason. They wanted you to know"
"Shannon said it was time" Luke nods "Let's go to Rosemund Clinic"

The way there is quiet, but Luke holds my hand while they tell me everything is gonna be okay. But it seems forced. Tense.
In the front desk, there is a girl who smiles at me. Not the kind of kind way, but the it's-good-to-see-you-again look.
"Miss Sorenson, honey! I was just wondering about you. She's in the pottery course right now in the dinning room. I see you brought friends"
I fake a smile. Just to pretend I actually know what's happening.
"Yeah" I nod, looking at the boys behind me, looking protective and cautious "Is it okay?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll just give them visitor cards. Do you have your ID on you, honey?"
"Oh, yeah" I give it to her. She types on the computer and thrn gives it back to me.
"You look different" She comments.
Shit.
"I feel different"
She smiles.
"Different good?" She gives me the three visitor cards.
"I think" I smile, giving the card to the boys. They smile at her and thank her, then I walk randomly.
"Where is the dinning room?" I mutter.
"Should we split?" Asks Luke.
Kota shakes his head.
"No. We have to be together"
We go around a little bit until we find it. I don't know who she is, so I look at all the people in the tables decorating pottery. There are all kinds of people here, and I don't think I've ever seen any of them. And then I see the back of a head, and there is something about it that I know. The angles. The shape.
"Sang?" Kota asks behind me, but I can't focus. Not anymore.
No.
No.
This can't be.
This isn't possible.
"Mother"
She turns her head, and for a moment her eyes are full of nothingness. And then, it's the opposite. I see fear. I see desperation.
She drops her pottery piece and it cracks on the floor, the pieces all shattered around us.
"Mina" she breathes.
"Mother?"
I'm breathless
"Go away, you monster!"
"...What?"
Silas puts his hand in my waist and I step backwards, crushing against his front.
"What do you want, monster? I'm not gonna tell you nothing, even if you kill me. Kill me like Marie!"
Kill me like Marie.
Mina.
My world starts spinning around.

I know. I know. It's been so long. But I have so much homework I can barely sleep. Third semester is hell. Biology is stressfull. Tests sucks. I need vacation.