Page 54 of Redeeming the Villain
The backs of my eyes burn, but I push it away, forcing the sensation back until it disappears. I won’t cry for his love.
“Yeah,” I whisper, pursing my lips and twisting them to the side.
“Have the room as long as you need.” He gathers his belongings and walks to the door. “I love you.”
I hesitate for just a second, wondering if I want to repeat the words to him. But at the end of the day, as crazy as he might have become, he’s still my dad, and parts of me will always love him.
“I love you too,” I murmur.
I hear the knob twist and then a brief hesitation. But a second later, he’s gone, and I’m shut inside as my mind starts to race.
What just happened?
A few minutes pass by, and after drinking nearly half of my water bottle, I slowly stand up and walk to the door, feeling much better.
At least today is over, and I can just relax and hang out with Sunny for the rest of the day and maybe play some piano. Which is all I ever really want.
Strolling outside of the Administration building, I walk down the stairs and take a left to head back to my dorm. As I round the corner, I see my father and Malik face-to-face in what looks like a heated conversation. I freeze, stopping dead in my tracks as my veins run cold.
Tucking myself behind some overgrown vines that cascade down the building, I sink into the shadows. A perfect hideaway. They’re too far away for me to hear anything, but I can tell from here that they’re both fuming mad. Malik’s fists are clenched at his sides, his face beet red.
What the actual hell is going on?
An entire minute passes, and they’re still talking.
What could they possibly be discussing?
Malik steps forward, inching closer to my father’s face. He says one more thing to him and then storms off in the opposite direction, his pace fast and aggressive.
My dad scans his surroundings out of habit, looking to see if anyone’s watching with a smile on his face. His gaze passes right over me, but he doesn’t seem to see me—thankfully.
He strolls away slowly and effortlessly, with his hands in his pockets, as if whatever just happeneddidn’t.
Once he’s out of sight, I untangle myself from the vines and continue walking home, the light breeze brushing my hair back and off my shoulders, the aroma of flowers floating in the wind.
My mind drifts away. I somehow feel even more confused than before, and I’m left with far more questions than answers.
It was odd enough to see the two of them talking in general. But that’s not the part that leaves me unsettled. It’s how they talked. There was a familiarity to it, like it wasn’t the first time.
Music thumps in my headphones as I stroll through campus with my hood up, head down, and hands in my joggers pockets, heading toward World History. The class I have with some of my teammates, along with Lumi, Blair, and Alora.
This will be the first time I’ll actually face her since that day in the elevator. I’ve been avoiding her like it’s my job.
I’m confused enough with the emotions going through me without seeing her. But I can’t do that forever, especially if I want to keep my grades up for my scholarship.
When I walk beneath a large willow tree, a few drops of this morning’s rain trickle down onto my shoulders, the gloominess of the day matching how I feel inside.
A sense of dread always begins weighing me down this time of year. Nearing Micah’s birthday and the anniversary of his death brings all the darkness to the surface. Like the demons inside of me know I’ll be weak for a little while and take advantage—letting their anger out on anyone in our path.
Usually, during this time, I distance myself and isolate from everyone in my life. But last year, when I was ready to do the same, Griffin knew something was up and refused to let me be alone. The man slept on the floor of my dorm for three nights straight and woke me from my nightmares, and I from his. That stretch of a few days transformed our relationship completely, and we realized we were far more alike than we ever could have imagined.
He’s my best friend, and I trust him with my past and pain—most of it anyway. Since last year, we’ve been inseparable. Except for when he’s with Blair, I suppose.
I couldn’t be happier for those two though. They’re a perfect balance to each other. I’ve never seen Griffin smile as much as he does when he’s with her.
They’ve got something really special.
Somehow, those two lovebirds allowed me to move in. The dorms had been killing me. I couldn’t stand the noise and parties constantly going on. Which is ironic since I’m typically the first one to agree to attend them.
