Lies, Lies And More Lies✔️

20: This Not So Lovely Midnight

A/N:

This is a double update. Please be sure to have read the previous chapter. ❤️

"Tiara? It's midnight. Couldn't this wait till morning?" Derek's raspy voice came through as soon as he picked up the call.

"Derrek, can you please come pick me up?"

"Now?" He sounded annoyed.

"Please." I choked out and I guess he could hear the desperation in my voice cause the next thing he said was;

"I'm on my way."

Derrek called me up the minute he arrived and I snuck out of the house with a duffel bag filled with my clothes and essentials. No, I wasn't running away but I needed sometime to clear my head. I needed to be away from the disappointed looks and accusatory statements.

My parents had been boiling with anger after Ruby fell down the stairs, luckily, she had caught herself on the railing, so, she hadn't been too badly injured, save for a few scratches and bruises on her knees and lower leg, also, an ankle sprain. They had refused to speak to me as they tended to Ruby and after that, they had yelled at and scolded me, telling me that I could've killed her. Ruby had succeeded in finally turning my parents against me and making herself out to be the victim. My parents had always trusted her for some reason. I was always wrong and she was always right. Whatever she said was the truth and if I countered it, I must have been lying.

They were supposed to be my parents. They were supposed to be on my side and not the side of a girl they only saw once or twice a year. Ruby must have cast some kind of spell on them. That must have been it because nothing else made sense.

Derrek was leaning on his car when I walked out. He was in gray sweatpants and a matching hoodie with the hood pulled over his head, casting a shadow over his face. His arms were crossed over his chest and his head was tilted down to the ground. He looked up at the sound of the gate closing and brushed the hood off his head. He glanced from my face to the duffel bag strapped over my shoulder, then, glanced back at me with a hint of worry on his face. He stood up straight and walked up to me.

"Tiara, what's wrong?" He asked with his eyes searched my face for an answer. I broke down immediately. I dropped my bag to the floor and wrapped my arms around him. I let out the sob I had been holding in all day. I let out all the pain in my heart, hoping to feel at ease once again. Derrek stilled for a moment before his arms were hesitantly wrapped around me. I felt the comfort I had been seeking for so long in his arms and I sobbed even harder. I had been holding in so much pain for so long and I was sick and tired. I wanted to be happy, genuinely. I wanted my parents to love me as much as they had love my siblings and cousin. I wanted to live my dream of becoming a world renowned artist. I wanted a man who would love me like I wanted to be loved.

"I'm here for you. Just let it all out." Derrek said as he began to stroke my hair and I did as I clung onto his shirt, scared that he was going to disappear and I was going be left alone swimming in a pool of my own tears.

A few moments later, I wiped away my tears and pulled away from Derrek, staring at the ground. I was way too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Can I please crash at your place?" I asked, rubbing my lower arm as I waited for his reply. It was quite chilly out but I hadn't noticed as Derrek body had been so warm. Strangely, I felt so cold and lonely without him close to me.

No. What am I saying?

"That's alright." Derrek answered and I slowly glanced up at him. I had been expecting him to refuse or even ask me why I had wanted to leave with him but he didn't and I was grateful for it. "Let me get that for you." He gestured behind me and I turned to see my duffel bag on its side on the ground.