MOST IMPORTANT A/N AT THE VERY END OF THE CHAPTER
- MUST READ -
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Chapter Thirty-Six: Only Us
[Isabelle's POV]
Waking up the next morning was unusual. For one thing, Chase wasn't there when I woke up, instead I'm left with a suspicious note from him saying that he's sorry that he left during the night because he had something he had to do at that time.
Well, in my mind, what event could Chase possibly have at 12 - 8am? That boy never wakes up in time for classes last time I checked. I decide that I wouldn't bombard him with questions since hopefully, our relationship had healed it's pain.
Walking down the quiet stairs and into the kitchen, memories of last night flooded my mind. Sometimes I wish dreams could be reality right now.
My mother, she has cancer. Breast cancer.
My father's in jail and won't be out for another three months... and my mom could possibly pass by then - no. No, this isn't happening. It can't be.
Placing my hands down on the island counter, my head was spinning.
Would that mean Rocco and I would be alone? Without a real family? Would we only have each other?
"Mornin' shithead." My head turns to look over my shoulder to find my older brother, Rocco, leaning against the door frame with an energy drink held firmly in his hand.
"Morning." I say rather dense, his eyes narrow down at me, intently watching my emotions.
"Is everything okay? Where's Chase?"
"He, um, He had to go during the night." I answer. Slience was filling the air, Rocco stands beside me by the island counter taking a sip of his drink. It was all fine, until-
"How long have you known about mom?" I burst, "How long did you know about her?"
His brows frowned forming wrinkle lines on top of his forehead, "I've know mom for my whole life. She's the one that gave birth to us, remember?" He said sarcastically, I roll my eyes.
Rocco must have not known that our mom told me about her health condition late last night.
"Rocco." I call out, his eyes meet mine, "How long have you known that mom has cancer?"
His brown eyes widen a little but quickly hides his emotions with a mutual face, "What are you talking about Isabelle?"
He's playing dumb with me.
"Mom, d-doesn't have cancer." He laughs fakely, "I don't know what you're talking abou-"
"She told me. Last night, mom told me she had cancer." I hold back painful tears that we're threating to come out, Rocco's eyes widen fully.
"She told you?"
"How long did you think you, mom and dad could keep it from me? Telling the whole family except me. Why? Do you think that I don't care? That I don't care about mom?"
"No, Isabelle-"
"Is it because I'm never around anymore? Because I'm so busy working on college?"
"Isabelle!" He shouts, me shutting up. My brother's hands raises up to my shoulders as he attempts to calm me, my vision becomes more blurry than before as I watch my brother.
"We never wanted to tell you because..." He trails off but then rephrases his sentence, "Mom never wanted to tell you because she didn't want you to worry."
"Why not? I'm her daughter, I should have the right to know as much as you and dad." I argue, "What happened about family, Rocco?"
He stays silent for a moment, "Do you want to know the truth?"
"Yes I do. What is happening to our family? Dad's in prision, mom has cancer, you live in California and I'm so caught up with my life at college. What is going to happen?"
"We're all breaking apart." He answers firmly, my expression drains as if all the emotion has left, "Think about it, Isabelle. In the end, you and I both know that we'll only have each other."
Pushing his body away to increase the distance, I look at him in awe, "How could you say that, Rocco?"
"You wanted the truth and now I'm giving you the truth." He folds his arms across his chest, "You better wake up from dreams, little sis, Otherwise you'll get left behind in reality."
I scoff, "I'd rather let myself dream every second of my life to escape this hell-hole what you call 'reality'."
Dean after me, Chase gone, Father in prison for another three months, My mom having cancer for ten months... my life is becoming a roller-coaster, and an awful one at that.
"I'll look after you." My brother states, "I always will."
"What about mom? dad?"
"Dad's still in prison, he can't come out. You know that. And mom... she-"
"Do you know how long she could possibly survive?" I whispered, it was a cut in my throat as Rocco nodded his head and looked at the ground.
"The doctor told me exactly how long before we have to say goodbye to her."
"How long would that be?" I questioned, his eyes looks into mine.
"You don't need to know that, Isabelle."
My temper was boiling, "How come? Just tell me Rocco."
Heavily huffing out a breath, his body walks over to mine as he wraps his arms around me in comfort of what's to come, "She only has two months." He kisses the top of my forehead, "Two months until we have to say goodbye."
My chest clenches as if someone had stabbed a butcher knife into it. My eyes couldn't hold the water of tears anymore since they had rapidly fallen down my cheeks. Holding onto my brother tightly, I ask him, "Will it only be us afterwards?"
He nods lightly and sighs, "Only us." His hug tightens around me and I do the same to him.
***
[Chase's POV]
- The time where he sneaked out during the night and left Isabelle a note. -
I know it's wrong to leave your girlfriend alone during the night after you had just healed your relationship together but there was something I needed to do, for her.
It's 1am in the morning and I'm sure that this person isn't the slightest bit tired. Driving down a familiar rode, the dimmed street lights were poor showing the way.
After arriving at the destination, I look at the house.
Hmm, it seems more broken then it was before last time I saw.
Unbuckling my seat belt, I step out of the car and lock it shut, fixing my jacket, I make my way up to their doorstep and bang hardly on the wooden frame. It took a good minute before a recognisable face had opened the door.
"Chase, mate. Long time no see." He slurred. Bloodshot grey eyes, dark tousled black hair, it was him. One third of the main people who was responsible for Ellie's murder.
"Where's Dean?" I barge in the room to find different men with different girls all drinking alcohol and smoking weed. My eyes trailed from across the room to the other, I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"Remember the good ole days, Chase?" The male patted, "You use to be one of us, remember?"
"You haven't changed, Hunter." I say, he smirks.
"I'm surprised you remember my name."
I scoff, "How could I forget about one of the three people who murdered my brother's girlfriend?"
"Touché."
"Well, look who's here." I snap my head in the direction of the voice. Dean. A female about 5'2 with light brown wavy hair and light green eyes was beside him, she looked so familiar.
"Got a new women to snatch, Dean?" I say sarcastically, the girl starts looking uncomfortable but Dean seems to be amused.
"Mate, the only women next in line for me to 'snatch' is your girl, Isabelle."
Rolling my eyes, I laugh at his pathetic attempt to make me angry, "She's going to be safe with me."
Dean brings a bottle of vodka up to his lips and eyes me. As he hands over the bottle to the brunette girl beside him, he walks over closer to me, "Why did you come here then?" he asks seriously.
I stand my ground, "I'm here to tell you to fucking stay away from Belle."
"So she told you, hasn't she?"
"Told me what?"
He looks over to Hunter and Bryce who were part of his group and signals them something before he makes his attention back at me, "Didn't she tell you that I was after her? That I've had contact with her over the past few days?"
W-What?
"Didn't your girlfriend tell you what really happened at Spencer's party? Didn't she tell you what I said to her the night you guys got back together?" His voice was echoing in my mind.
"How do you know that we even broke up in the first place? Have you been watching her?" I questioned, he laughs dryly.
"I think you forgot what I told you the night that Ellie died." Dean smirks.
"Oh yeah? And what was that?"
He takes a step closer, "I told you that I'd make sure the person you love the most would be taken away from you like how Ellie got taken away from your brother, Luke." He folds his arms over his chest, "And so far, I'm almost there."
Without thinking but no hesitation, I fist my right hand and throw a hard solid punch on the side of Dean's face, he stumbles back.
My head was spinning. After all this time, I was trying to protect Belle - but whatever I did, no matter how hard I tried, Dean always found another way to find her.
I thought that ending my relationship with Isabelle would make Dean think that I don't love her anymore, therefore he wouldn't hurt her... but it wasn't enough.
I stood there like a statue, frozen in time. Everything was moving in slow motion from eyes as I felt Hunter and Bryce take hold of each of my arms and forced me to kneel down on the ground. My head was bowed down and my arms were behind my back.
"You fucking son of a bitch." Dean spat rising his left hook and bashing me on the side of my face over and over again.
The only thing I could do was let it happen since I was held captive.
Dean keels to my level and forces my head to look up at him by grabbing a fist of my hair and pulling it up to face him, "Any last words?"
"Yeah," I say, "Fuck you."
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IMPORTANT A/N (MUST READ)
Hello guys, I hoped you like this chapter. :) Okay, so I'll get to the point right now:
Would you guys like if I made LTBB as a SEQUEL or just FINISH this book as it is?
The reason I'm asking you this is because there's no point in writing another book of LTBB 2 if no one is interested and also, it all depends if you guys would like me to write another book that continues this to decide the fate of these characters in the story.
If you guys want me to continue this book as a sequel, comment 'YES' if not, comment 'NO'
Remember it all depends on wether you would like to see what happens next in this story. If I do the SEQUEL, everything will all end differently for this book then if I just END IT AS IT IS. :)
I don't mind either way because I think it's a good ending both ways.
PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS, IT ALL COUNTS XX.