Thantophobia | Adam Banks (4)

It'll hurt

The three teens had stayed hugging for a long period of time, just enjoying each others embrace.

Charlie continued to apologise for his father but Lexi wouldn't have it, explaining to him it wasn't his fault and he was nothing like his father.

"I always knew he was a bad person, he broke me 12 years ago and he is still breaking me now" the girl whispered as she pulled away from her brother and her boyfriend.

The girl realised what he had said and silently cursed, knowing they'd both heard her.

She stood silent, hoping they'd just ignore it, she hoped they wouldn't ask her to elaborate on what she meant.

Charlie raised a brow at the girl, "what do you mean?" he questioned, causing Lexi to shake her head. "You don't want to know Char, trust me" she spoke.

Charlie shook his head, not taking no for an answer. "Lexi tell me".

The girl felt tears slip out of her eyes and she continued to shake her head, eyes pleading with her brother.

"It'll hurt you, you don't want to know. Please, please stop asking". The girl begged, turning her attention to Adam, hoping he would tell Charlie to leave it, she was wrong though because Adam was just as desperate to know what had happened.

"Just tell me Lex" the boy spoke, a bit more forceful, Lexi couldn't help herself, she spilled the beans not being able to convince her brother to leave it.

"He touched me okay! He touched me" the girl spoke, tone getting quieter at the end, tears continuing to stream down her face.

The girl looked at her brother and watched his face twist into confusion, "You're lying, he'd never" the boy spoke, not wanting to believe his dad was capable of such things.

Lexi let out a sad sigh, causing Charlie to once again look at her "please tell me you're lying" the boy begged softly, his heart couldn't take anymore.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't want you to remember your father as a monster. Zac knew and he told our Mom and I think that could be one of the reasons your fath- Josh killed her, she was going to the police," the girl said as she looked at her brother, tears brimming her eyes.

Adam Banks and Charlie Conway stood still, their mouths agape and tears forming in their eyes. "I'll actually kill him, oh my god" Adam muttered, fists clenched as anger took over his features.

"My dad, touched you?" Charlie said, getting the girl to snap her attention to him, his face showed sadness and guilt, he took two long strides and once again pulled his sister into his arms. "I'm so so sorry Lex" the boy spoke sadly, beginning to once again apologise for his deadbeat father.

The girl squeezed him back, reassuring him that it was okay before pulling away and swallowing, ready to tell her story.

"It only happened once, when I was three, two days before he killed my mother, he told me it was okay, he told me that's what families do.." the girl spoke trailing off towards the end of her sentence, shaking her head slowly.  *confronting themes ahead*

A three-year-old Lexi laid in her bed trying her best to fall asleep, her mom and dad were out for date night so Charlie and his parents had come over to look after Lexi and her eight-year-old brother.

The girl tossed and turned for a few minutes, unable to get to sleep, she continued to lay still though, she didn't want to disturb anyone.

"Hi, Uncle Joshy" the girl grinned as she made out his figure in the darkness. He continued to approach her and sat down on her bed.