SEASON ONE,
CHAPTER 30:
FAILURE OF A MOTHER
"I hate you, Mom."
WARNING:
this chapter contains
physical and verbal abuse from a parent
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WALKING AWAY FROM the argument against her best friends was the best thing that Delilah could've done before anything worse could risk being said — not like it would. The girl proceeded to walk the whole way home, just to make a point about how she wants to be left alone. Her legs are aching with exhaustion from the long trek, but was slightly confused on how she didn't see JJ along the way.
Delilah fumbles around at the front door as she searches for the key that she usually hides beneath a dying rose bush. But it cannot be found and causes her brows to furrow together in confusion, unable to think of a reasoning as to why. She reaches out for the door handle and twists it to see that it's already been unlocked. Then, she cautiously enters through the doorway, making sure to keep her guard up for any intruders that may be inside.
However, the teenager freezes as her eyes rest on someone she wasn't expecting to see after everything that's happened today. The 'intruder' is in fact her own mother, only catching her by surprise because she wasn't informed about the arrival. The brown haired woman is sitting upon the old couch with a bottle of wine clutched at hand. Most of the contents of the alcoholic liquid has already been indulged. But instead of feeling happy to see her only family, the girl is both confused and angry.
"Mom?" Delilah calls.
"Delilah." Her mother, Julie, greets.
"What are you doing here?" Delilah asks, a hint of venom peaking through her voice.
"I got told that you know now." Julie says as she rises to her feet.
"Know what? That you've been lying for all of my teenage years? That you claimed to be getting money for us but instead was using what little of what we have to buy drugs?" Delilah fires back. "Yeah, I found out."
"I'm sorry." Julie apologises.
Immediately after saying that, the mother lifts the bottle up to her lips and takes another swig from it. This only proves to the redhead that she doesn't mean that apology, and never will.
"When pigs fly." Delilah mutters.
"What did you say?" Julie asks, her voice becoming slightly raised.
"My friends have been helping me ever since you chose to give up caring for your only child. They've been helping me survive without you or Dad in my life. I've learnt something much more about the meaning of family around them than you." Delilah states, tears welling up her eyes. "Don't try to come back and act like you're changing because you're not."
"You know what your problem is?" Julie angrily begins, stepping forwards. "You're a spoilt little brat that leeches off of other people that don't care about her. They're not your friends, Delilah."
"Don't fucking talk about me or my friends like that." Delilah demands. "You don't know shit about my life and what I get up to everyday because you don't care. You've never cared. What, Dad finds someone better than us and fucks off so you decide to give up?"
"Do not mention him!" Julie demands..
Without a second thought, the mother steps towards her daughter and slaps her harshly across the face. The contact echoes around the room from the mere force that was applied. Delilah inhales sharply with shock at the sudden action, hand raising to rest on her cheek where she was slapped.
"What the fuck?" Delilah exclaims.
"This is still my goddamnhouse, Delilah. I own this place, and I own you. I can easily ruin your life, you little bitch." Julie threatens.
"Do your worst, Julie." Delilah challenges, using her mom's name. "The worst happened when I was younger. I'm fine now, I don't care anymore. I stopped caring when you disappeared on your 'business trips'. And you don't own me. I'm just the daughter that you decided to give up on, give her one of the worst lives possible."
Julie doesn't take this statement lightly, even more anger bubbling in her blood. She smashes the wine glass across her daughters head, causing Delilah to stumble backwards and bump into the table before crashing down to the hard floor. Warm liquid runs down the girls face, soaking into her ginger hair and clothing. Her finger touches just above her eyebrow and pulls out a small glass shard that wedged itself into her skin — not deep enough for stitches, luckily. Never in Delilah's life has her mother abused her, this just taking her back with shock.
"I see someone already did a number on you; bruised cheek, hand marks on your neck from being strangled." Julie lists, crouching down in front of her bleeding daughter. "You sure do get up to a lot of fights. Oh, and I heard the one about the gun on the beach too with your friend drowning? He should've drowned that day."
At the sound of the woman talking about her best friends in that way, Delilah places her hands upon Julie's shoulder where she then pushes her back with force. This causes the woman to fall to the floor with a loud thud, the side of her stomach knocking into the same table Del had hit. Winces of pain can be heard hissing loudly in the room.
"You little shit!" Julie yells.
The brunette staggers to her feet once more, tackling her daughter to the ground and pinning her down before repeatedly throwing punches. Delilah can't do anything but scream in agony, trying to squirm out of the hard grip to try fight back. Then, the teenager feels her ginger hair being yanked at where her head is forcefully raised before being slammed back down against the ground. A searing pain shoots through the girls head for a moment.
Finally, Delilah manages to muster enough strength together to fight back so that she's able to survive. Her feet connect with the womans stomach where she then roughest kicks Julie off of her own bruised and bleeding body. Taking this as an opportunity to leave, the teenage girl ignores the exhausted and agony trying to take over as she rises back to her feet in order to get out of the house as soon as she can.
Just as she reaches the front door and is about to walk through the doorway, the daughter spins back around to look at her mother pulling herself to her feet once again. Julie's hard gaze is already resting on Delilah, chest rising up and down as she struggles for breath due to the amount of energy being put into the fight. Tears are only rolling down the young girls cheeks that mix in with her blood.
"I hate you, Mom." Delilah announces. "I hate you so fucking much."
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After walking through the streets for a second time today, the injured and beaten redhead now finds herself perched on the ledge just outside of Sarah Cameron's bedroom window. The girl came to this place because she knows that the Pogues will only bombard her with questions and worry about what happened. She can only hope that the Kook is willing to help Delilah and prove that she can be trusted.
Knocking on the window, the white blinds are pulled open only seconds later to reveal the tired blonde standing there. Her brown eyes instantly widen at the sight of Delilah's battered body while tears are still streaming down her bloodied cheeks. Sarah is quick to yank the window open and help the girl inside of the bedroom, instructing her to be quiet.
"What happened? Do you need John B?" Sarah asks.
"I, uh... I actually came here for you." Delilah replies, truthfully. "Can you help patch me up, please? I don't want the others to worry."
"They're going to worry because they care about you, Delilah." Sarah states.
"Sarah, please." Delilah begs.
The blonde girl hesitates for a split second before nodding in response, agreeing to help. She fumbles through the drawers in her room and eventually pulls out an emergency first aid kit. Then, Sarah sits Delilah down onto the bed where the redhead grabs one of the many decorative pillows and cuddles it. Tears are still rolling down her cheeks and don't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
The Kook tends to the many cuts inflicted upon her friends face, making sure to clean them properly to ensure that it won't become infected from any dirt or bacteria that's left over. Winces of pain can be heard through the Pogue's constant sharp inhales, almost sounding like hisses. Both the pressure applied onto the wound and the stinging pain from the rubbing alcohol is becoming too much.
"What happened?" Sarah asks, worry showing in her voice since she's concerned for the girl.
"I'd rather not say." Delilah replies.
Sarah lets out a short sigh, understanding that it's probably difficult to talk about in this moment of time. A couple butterfly bandages are placed onto the cut above Delilah's eyebrow, as well as an ice pack being pressed against the bruised cheek to refuse the swelling. The blonde then puts the first aid kit back into drawer before taking a seat on the chair at her desk, pulling it closer to where Delilah sits on the bed. Concern has crossed over her face.
"I'm sorry for earlier." Delilah apologises. "I was just angry and didn't mean to drag your situation into it."
"It's okay, I understand." Sarah assures.
"Can you not tell John B that I came here like this, please?" Delilah rolls her.
"Yeah, okay." Sarah replies with a nod. "Are you sure you'll be okay? Are you safe from anymore harm?"
"I'll be fine." Delilah reassures, almost trying to convince herself at the same time.