Caged

27

"Izzy?" A soft voice called out. "Can I come in?"

I peeled open my eyes slowly, blinking as I adjusted to the light. Before I could say anything, the door opened and revealed Amina.

"Caleb let me in," Amina explained, offering me a small smile. "He's downstairs, no one else seems to be home."

"Oh."

She studied my face for a few seconds and I had to look away from the sympathy in her eyes. I figured it was obvious I wasn't doing well.

"How are you?" She asked.

"I'm okay."

Amina moved and took a seat on the edge of my bed. I felt her rest her hand on my arm and squeeze gently.

"Are you really?" She said quietly.

I didn't respond.

It was quiet, but it was comfortable. Amina's presence made me feel safe. I felt like I had someone to go to when I spent so long alone.

"Did Elijah do something?"

I didn't react.

I didn't know how she knew that and I didn't want to find out. It made me wonder if everyone knew who he was except me.

She brushed some hair out of my face and spoke again.

"If you're wondering how I know, it's because I saw Sophia go through the same thing."

At her words, my eyes flew open and I picked my head up to look at her.

I watched her visibly swallow and for the first time, I noticed how she looked awake. She didn't look as exhausted and worn out as she had the day we were at her house.

It surprised me how quickly she seemed to get over what happened to her parents.

"It started in high school. She was okay at first, but then as months passed I'd notice little things that told me something was wrong. Sometimes, it looked like she didn't sleep all night, and other times, she was too awake. Some days she wouldn't talk at all and other days I wouldn't get a word in." She paused and her hand went to her necklace as she gathered her thoughts.

"Sometimes, she wouldn't pick up my calls for days. I'd come over, and I'd find her laying in her bed in the middle of the day. Her room would be a mess, and there'd be cups of water and plates all over as if she hadn't left it for days. It was like she couldn't get herself out of bed. I'd have to force her to take showers and eat and get herself ready because I didn't want her to come to a point where she couldn't get up at all."

My eyes filled with tears at her words as I realized what she meant. Sophia had gone through what I was going through. And I still had no idea what exactly I was going through. I had no idea what was happening to me, why I was feeling this way, and why my family was this way.

"What caused it?" I whispered.

Amina met my gaze. "Your family."

The answer would've surprised me any other time, but all I could do now was listen.

She continued. "I think you've figured out what your brothers do for a living - none of it is exactly...moral." She grabbed my hand and I squeezed. It seemed we both needed the comfort. "Sophia started becoming suspicious when she was around your age, maybe a little older. It was after Elijah got custody. She would tell me everything that she noticed. How Elijah would take Ethan and Kaiden out in the middle of the night. How they'd be gone for days, and come back home whenever they wanted. How she'd notice Elijah talking to men she didn't recognize on your driveway when he thought all of you were asleep. How she'd constantly see your brothers injured or how there would be news stories that never made any sense."