10

99 3 7

by cuberandall

by cuberandall

Alex's POV

I cried in North's shoulder as she held my shaking body. I had to tell her what happened, I couldn't just shove her out the door with tears in my eyes. I looked up at her after a few minutes. "Where does Markus live?" I asked. She sighed, giving me the address.

I stepped out of my room and looked down the hall. Spencer's door was closed and Charlotte was probably wot her. North and I went down the stairs and out of the house. Her car was parked on the street and I walked her to it, saying goodbye and walking to Markus's house. It wasn't far, but it started to rain, so I was soaked when I arrived. I rang the doorbell and waited. Someone opened the door, a young boy, definitely not Markus. "Dad!" He called out. Markus's father walked over and looked at me. "Let her in Leo." He told his son. The boy let me in and went up the stairs.

I followed Carl into the living room and he told me to sit at the table. I sat down and looked at him. "Markus is grounded. But I'm sure you already know why." Carl said. I nodded slowly. "It was my fault. I asked him to come see me." I told him. "Does your mother know you're here?" He asked, ignoring what I said. I shook my head and he sighed. "Well then I'll call her and tell her I'll drop you off at home." He said, reaching for his phone. "I don't think my mom will answer. Something happened at home so she might not be talking to anyone right now." I told Carl. He looked at me questioningly. "Please Mr. Manfred, I'll tell you everything later, but I need to see Markus." I said.

Carl looked down and sighed, then looked back at me. "He's in his room. Up the stairs and to the right." He told me. I smiled sadly and followed his direction. I knocked on the door then let myself in when I didn't get an answer. Markus was on the bed with his headphones on. He took them off when he noticed me. "Your dad let me in." I told him. He smiled sadly and made space in his bed, letting me sit down. "Is everything okay?" He asked, noticing my tear stained face.

"My mom killed my dad. Those sounds I heard when I was eight, they were gunshots. She killed him and told us he left." I told him. Markus looked at me dumbfounded, but instantly held me as the tears started to come back. I cried into his shoulder as he laid us down on the bed. He rubbed my back and tried to sooth my loud cries. There was a knock on the door and Carl walked in, looking at us sadly. "I called your sister, she said she would tell your mother you were here. You're welcome to stay the night if you'd like." He told me. I nodded in response, leaning back into Markus and wiping my tears. After Carl left, I started to feel sleepy and fell asleep on Markus's chest.

Spencer's POV

Charlotte told me Alex was staying at Markus's. How she got there, I don't know, but I'm just glad she's with him at a time like this. Aria came over and I told her everything. She cried with me, as we both couldn't imagine my mother doing something like this. "Alex is probably taking this worse than me." I told her. I never was a daddy's girl like she was. When she forgot something he told her it was okay and helped her remember. When she had headaches due to her condition, he held her until they stopped.

Dad was a good guy. He made a few mistakes in his life, like trying to take us away from mom, but he always had good intentions. And maybe he was right, we shouldn't be with mom, not after this. I loved dad with all my heart, and he loved us kids. Tears went down my face as I thought about old memories.

"Hey dad? Are you coming to my soccer game?" My seven year old self asked. "Oh sweetie, I have to drive your sister to her doctors appointment. We'll see if I can go next time." He told me. I nodded sadly and got into the car with mom, waving goodbye to my twin and father.

My teammate Yvonne Phillips passed the ball to me and I kicked it down the field. There were only a few seconds in the championship game and one kick was all we needed to win. I looked to the crowd for a split second, not seeing my father. My angry swelled in my body as I kicked the ball with a lightening kick, sending it straight into the goal and leaving the goalie lying on her back in defeat. My team cheered and hugged each other. I put my head down and sighed.

"Good job baby!" I turned around and saw my father with a big smile on his face. Alex was perched on his leg clapping. I run over to the bleachers and hugged Dad. "I thought you couldn't come?" I said. "Well, Alex and I decided to reschedule the appointment for tomorrow and come to your game. You know I couldn't miss my little girl winning the little league championship game!" He told me. I smiled ear to ear as he picked me up and cheered all the way to the car while my championship medal was around my neck.

I smiled at the memory and looked at the medal still hanging on my wall from that day. Aria looked at the medal with me and smiled. "Where did you get that?" She asked. "Little league championship nine years ago. I thought my dad wasn't gonna make it because he had to take Alex to a doctor's appointment but he did." I told her. I looked at the time on my alarm clock. It was the usual time for dinner, though I knew no one would sit at the table tonight.

"Are you hungry? It's just about dinner time." I asked. "I could eat." Aria replied. "Good, cause I know an old recipe my dad used to make."