Beneath The Light

12. We Only Hurt The Ones We Love

We Only Hurt The Ones We Love

Topaz tried the whole car-ride to the hotel to try and pry the truth out of Zac. He refused to tell her what bothered him so much. He just sat in silence, unspeaking, unblinking, staring off into space with a glassy expression. "Topaz!" Alice yelled from the front of the car as Topaz persistently poked Zac in the arm, singing his name over and over. "Will you just give it a rest, please!" The Angel shouted. Topaz fell silent and folded her arms, staring out Robert's car window with tearful eyes. She wanted nothing more than to rewind time back to last month, when she'd been able to hug her mother as she'd walked out the door, laugh and joke with Zac about stupid things like Louise and Kye. But now, things were so different. She hadn't properly laughed in what felt like forever, and Zac rarely let her out of his sight without knowing where she was. She felt suffocated by her parents' death, their memory still pushing down on her even if they weren't around to pressure her themselves.

"In here, Aden." Zac's voice broke Topaz's reverie and she looked at her older brother in shock, disbelieving that he'd spoken and that it was to inform the Angel of where to park. "Are you sure?" Aden asked, pulling into a small square car-park randomly positioned in the centre of town. "There's a hotel a few buildings back." The mermaid mumbled before climbing out the car. Topaz sat for a few moments in shock as the car emptied, Zac undoing Robert's handcuffs and gently awaking him. "C'mon Paz," Aden said, extending his hand inside the car towards the mermaid. She took it blankly and let the Angel pull her out of the car. "You okay?" He asked softly, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. She nodded her head blankly, saying nothing. "You should do a patrol." Zac told the pair from the side of the car. "Are you talking to us?!" Topaz shouted, clicking round the car angrily, her hair blazing auburn. "Yes I am, and I'm telling you to go patrol, Topaz!" Zac yelled, turning on his heel. Robert was fully awake now, and watching the pair wide-eyed as if he was completely confused with everything around him. Well he wasn't the only one. "Why should I do one thing you tell me?!" Topaz yelled, her eyes piercing red. Aden hurried round the car to join the pair, Alice slamming the boot closed, the bags bundled at her feet. "Because I'm your brother and you should just shut up and do as you're told for once!"

"For once?! That's all I've been doing since mum and dad wound up dead, and you know it! I've done everything you've asked me to, and what thanks do I get?! None! You just treat me like a kid!"

"Can you blame me when you act like one?!"

"Because of the way you continue to treat me! I'm not an animal, Zac! And you're not my dad, so stop bloody acting like it!" Suddenly something white and solid smacked out and collided with Topaz's right cheek. She squealed in shock and her hand rushed to her face, blood swarming inside her mouth, flooding her eyes. "Topaz!" Zac gasped in shock as he realised what he'd just done. No words came from Topaz as she turned and ran down the street, away from her brothers and the Angels.

"What the Hell was that Zac?!" Aden yelled at the mermaid standing staring after Topaz. Her horrified expression was imprinted behind the Angel's eyelids. "I...I..." Zac was lost for words. "You have no idea how much she looks up to you. You're the last person she has left, and you've screwed her over!"

"I've not done that, Aden..."

"No, you've just gave her a black eye, congratulations!"

"Aden..." Alice's warning tone came behind him. "Stay out of this Alice," Aden snapped at his sister. "The fact that you're in love with my sister bothers me, but as long as you make her happy, I'm okay with that, because I quite like yours too, but you constantly treat her like crap. You're the only father figure left in her family, and I don't think you even care."

"Of course I care..." Zac whispered, still avoiding Aden's eyes. "Well you better start bloody showing it, otherwise, you're gonna wake up one day and she's gonna be gone..." Robert was staring at Aden in shock, his expression becoming more and more confused with every word. "You better sort this, and you better sort it soon. But until you do, I'll go comfort Topaz." Aden grabbed his backpack off the ground at Alice's feet and swung it over his shoulder before heading away from the car park. "Aden," Zac called, snatching the Angel's wrist. Aden looked down at the mermaids fingers tightly gripping him. "I only hurt her because I love her," He whispered, releasing his grip. Aden looked into the mermaid's eyes and saw nothing but pain and anguish there. "Tell her I'm sorry," Zac said. Aden opened his mouth before closing it with a fierce snap. "Thank you." Zac whispered. Aden nodded his head before turning away and leaving the mermaid standing there in the street.