angela

thirty eight

after i cried for a few more minutes with matt holding me on the ground, he helped to get up to take care of the scratches and the bruises on my neck. i only looked at it once that evening. it was pretty bad and it made me want to cry more, so i only turned around and let matt do his job. he kissed my forehead after he finished it and asked if i wanted to eat something. i shook my head, telling him that i just needed to rest for a bit. i laid on my bed with him, laying my head on his chest, feeling grateful that i wasn't alone anymore.

the next day, i woke up with a few people talking at the door. i patted the bed trying to find matthew, but he wasn't there. i looked at my phone and my alarm was about to ring. i was up earlier than normal. i got up going to see who was at the door. for my surprise, there stood my mom, my dad and my siblings. i frowned. "what are you guys doing here?" i asked in a whisper. the five pairs of eyes looked at me instantly, my mom was fast to wrap her arms around me in comfortable hug.

i hugged her back, feeling my eyes full of tears again. i cried so much yesterday that now my head was pounding and i couldn't keep my eyes open properly. "matt called us, we came here as fast as we could." she mumbled and stepped away, holding my face with her hands carefully. i watched her teary eyes scan my entire body.

"it was just the neck." i told her making my mom hug me again.

"i'm so sorry." she sniffed. "this is all my fault."

i shook my head and my dad stepped closet, putting his hand on her back, trying to comfort her too. "it's not mom, you weren't the one who did this."

she let go of me so the other could talk to me, carina crying like a baby, brandon promising me that he would kill him. my dad only grabbed my hand and looked at me with a serious look on his face. "matthew told us that you don't want to report this, why? don't tell me it is because you're afraid, because we all know you here, you are not that type of person."

with my free hand, i pushed my messy hair back, taking a deep breath. "he's a powerful man," i glanced over at my mom. "you know that." she looked down, crossing her arms. "he threatened to hurt me once and he did that." i pointed to my neck. "he managed to find my address, to get inside my building and to knock at my door just to try to kill me!" my body shook with the memories of the prior day. "he said he would come back if i dared to open my mouth to the police, he threatened all of you," i stopped my gaze at matt. "including you... and david." matt bit his bottom lip. "i can't risk that many people just because of a report." that sounded really stupid, but it's what i needed to do. "also... i'm a woman, i would probably be humiliated in court and he would win, as i said, he's powerful and he could bribe everyone there, i wouldn't doubt that." i let go of my dad's hand, walking to sit down on my couch. "i'm a woman, who's just starting her music career, i won't risk that either."

they didn't say anything for a good minute, just looking at each other trying to argue back, but they knew i was right. it was my choice anyways. there was nothing that they could do or say that would make me change my mind. there was so many things at risk, i'm not that stupid. he warned me once, i didn't listen, and here was i.

when no one tried to protest, i stood up again. "i need to change to go to my rehearsal." i mumbled going to grab some clothes to take a quick shower.

"angela..." brandon started but i only raised my hand, gesturing for him to stop. i entered the bathroom and locked the door behind me.

i took my clothes off, stopping to look at myself in the mirror. my neck was a nightmare, a few scratches now healing and two huge bruises turning into a mix of purple and blue. my wrists were okay. it wasn't that bad compared to my neck. nothing that a lot of makeup can't cover, or even a turtleneck. sighing, i entered the shower, not taking that long in there since i didn't have much time.

i used a ton of foundation on my neck, tapping slightly, but it didn't happen anything, it was still visible. i put on the shirt that i chose, getting out of the bathroom to look for a turtleneck. i felt everyone staring me as i went through my clothes, grabbing a crop top turtleneck go put on, locking myself back in the bathroom. after putting the shirt on, i put some makeup on my wrists, these ones being fully covered. i brushed teeth and fixed my hair before leaving the bathroom once more.

after putting my shoes on, i looked at my family, all of them curious to what i was about to do. "i need to go my rehearsal right now." i pointed to the door.

carina was the first one to speak: "are you sure you're okay to go?"

i nodded. "i don't have an option, besides, i need to continue with my life, i can't let this change my routine and everything."

"okay then." carina gave me a small smile.

brandon looked at our parents. "we're only here for one day because of work, so what do you need us to do?"

i shrugged. "i don't know, i have to leave now, but if you guys want to stay here, i won't mind."

he nodded, leaning against the couch. "i guess, mom and dad have a lot to talk anyways."

me and carinae chuckled, looking at them. my mom rolled her beautiful blue eyes. "we do have, brandon," she shot him a glare, making him raise his arms in redemption. "but it's not important right now, what matters is our daughter."

my dad couldn't help but smile with the pronoun she used and so did i. we didn't know she would say that she considered him my dad, but after all this shitty show, it was the most reasonable thing to do.

after that, i grabbed my stuff and was about to leave when i turned around to talk to them. "matt, can you take me? i don't wanna go alone..." i trailed off.

he quickly nodded, grabbing his cars keys and approached me. "sure, let's go." he put one hand on my lower back. "see you guys later." he smiled to everyone and we both left.

___

okayy so i was thinking, theres more stuff coming (like the whole plot) and i planned, at first, on making another book to write the rest (because there's a lot of things about to happen, it's all connected, i swear). but sometimes people end up not reading the second book and all, and i know i don't have a big audience with this book to write another one that won't flop. with that being said, i think i'll extend this fic just ten more chapters than i'd planned. i don't know why i'm saying that, i just don't want people to find this plot overwhelming yk? yeah, k thanks :)