Honey and spice

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 16

"I don't think you should be treating us like this. We are both adults now capable of making our own decisions and dealing with the consequences on our own. People make mistakes, you shouldn't be punishing Brooke for a mistake when she has spent years trying to make it up to you."

It's true. I have spent years trying to be the perfect daughter after my series of mistakes. I don't think I could ever make it up to my family for what I did. The very thought of it shakes me to my core and I know I will never forgive myself for it. So I do deserve the punishment, the insults and everything in between. The pain is all I know, it's almost a comfort. I feel almost ashamed for it. Almost.

I look up at my fathers fuming face and instantly feel dread on behalf of Jaden.

"Get in the basement," He seethes.

"The basement?" I whimper. 

"I never thought Jaden would stoop to your level but here we are, both of my children are disappointments," He sighs. "You are a disgraced woman, you have given me ungrateful kids who don't deserve love!" He waves his arm vigorously at our mother, as if somehow she was to blame for our mistakes.

She doesn't flinch, not a single emotion on her face. How can you be such an emotionless mother?

"Please...I'll do anything I-" I begin but the glare Jaden gives me tells me otherwise.

He knows that if I stand in fathers way I will be taken into the basement too. He's my big brother, he just wants to protect me. He has faced fathers wrath twice before when he was younger. He used to be a jerk until somewhere along the way his brotherly instincts kicked in. Maybe college had that effect on him.

I listen to him, not because I want to but because he will suffer more knowing he couldn't do anything to help.

I watch as Jaden willingly gets into the basement with my father right behind him carrying the wooden cane he keeps behind the front door in an umbrella stand. Hidden plain in sight, seemingly innocent to visitors. If only they knew that he used it to hit us regularly. Usually on our backs where the marks aren't visible but sometimes he would hit us over our knuckles. If anyone asked, we got angry and hit the wall or something fell on our hands. No one ever asked questions or had a reason to worry so things were okay. Right?

As soon as Jaden is out of sight I look at my mother who is staring blankly out the dining room window in the chair she hasn't left since I got here. It's like nothing is behind those eyes. 

Nothing. 

"How could you let this happen to us?" I ask with tears spilling over down my cheeks like two small river streams.

She says nothing.

"Fine," I swallow and run upstairs. 

I need Fayne.

The tears stop as I realise what I need to do. While father is occupied in the basement with Jaden and mother is a fricken zombie I have the chance to get out of this wretched house. I can't stand it here knowing Jaden is downstairs being caned because of me. I need the one person who doesn't get scared of anyone or anything, someone who knows I'm not some perfect stuck up girl. I can't stand this lie. 

I open my window to assess the situation and I quickly realise I'm way out of my league. How do people sneak out in the movies?

It's not that far down...just two stories. That won't kill me, right?

You can't do this Brooke, you'll kill yourself before you even get out of this place.

Okay, so jumping out of a second story window is out of the question but what about the ground floor. Yes, the bathroom downstairs has a window I can fit out of. 

I sneak downstairs while checking my surroundings. Getting to the bathroom was easier than I had thought but climbing through a window was another thing entirely. I stand on the toilet seat, the closest step up to the window. It gets stuck about three quarters up and I find myself flailing around trying to fit my body through. Eventually I fall face first onto the grass, barely catching myself into a sideways roll. My shoulder immediately starts to ache but I ignore it the best I can.

Suddenly it hits me. I forgot my phone, again.

What is it with me and phones these days?

~

I'm finally getting back into writing after losing my parent last year. I forgot how much I loved writing. Thank you for reading and thank you for 2k reads. I'm so grateful.

On another note, would you guys want pictures included with the chapters? Or possibly a character profile chapter with extra details about each character. Let me know.