So everyone was angry at me for leaving the chapter where I did so my apologies, I'm trying to write this as quick as I can for you guys :))

My favourite Sam Smith song up top^^^^

I need Jorja Smith and Sam Smith to collab 😩

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, at times, hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best"

-Marilyn Monroe

(Cher from Clueless- Cordelia Whitsworth) imagine who you like :))

On with the chapter ✨...

***************

✨Emilia's POV

Staring in awe, I drop the paper not even blinking when it itched my fingers. My touch disappeared.

Gert bends down picking it up after it fluttered to the floor, I snatch it from her hands tearing it in half, one in mine and one in hers. I take the other half and run off in the opposite direction. Far, far away. Not to Shrek.

Gert's shouts and demand for me to return were dismissed, I couldn't focus on her right now, just my blurry vision.

How did he know the address? What was he talking about when he said he's coming for me? Did he get out of prison?

He is going to kill me.

My eyes trail to the scrunched paper in my hand. Just think how he touched this paper, his pen touched this paper. His saliva touched the envelope that I tore open. He breathed on this very page I hold in my hand.

I was touching him. No! He was touching me, like old times. Like

Charging through the halls, I find myself familiar with the more 'social' side of the house were the bedrooms are, I sprint down the slippery stairs groaning as my body tumbled down the last ten steps. That shall not stop me. I roll over groaning so I'm on my hands and knees.

Pressing my hands to the floor, I grab the paper and pull myself up onto my feet like the strong woman I am.

Rushing into the living room, I open the little latch that allows you add things into the fire, no one can know about this. Not even a soul, if they know they're going to send me back once he's released. That is if he's ever going to be released.

"Emilia what was it?" Gert's shoes clonk behind me.

I ignore her worrying question, oh please don't act like you care when you've never shown an interest before.

"Woah what's going on?" Alessandro enters the room which everybody else.

I use the buttons to try and turn the fire on but it's too difficult, instead I soak the paper with oil and light a match striking not against the box a few times. I did not want any trace of him in my life.

"HEY!" Alessandro shouts as I put the paper to the match, the tingling feeling consuming my fingers and the tips, my blood roared as the layers of skin melted away from my finger tips. Pulling away I drop the small fire to the floor putting my fingers in my mouth taking away the pain.

Diego stomped and stomped on the ground dying it out, unfortunately, the rug had a black, ebony, smokey burn mark on the rug.

"Yikes, come on Emilia," Axel pulled my upper arm into the kitchen where he turned the tap on, he said it needs cleaning. He twists it to the highest power and pulls hand hand under, I scream at the shocking irritation on my fingers. They were bright red and blistered. Gooey, transparent, yellow pus coated my tips; it felt hot and scolding

"I know, shush," Axel dabs my fingers dry and bandages them up, I winced when he would do them too tight. He muttered small apologies but I dismissed them, I'm so careless and stupid.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You can't tell me it's nothing when something great just happened. Stop dismissing your feelings, it bothers me," he kisses the bandage on my fingers and wishes them better.

My ignorance remains impact.

"What was on the paper?"

Foul words, written by the cruddiest handwriting and poured out into a piece of paper by the wicked who raised me. I wish I could say that.

"Emilia you need help, desperately."

I don't need help! I can do this on my own.

"The first step is admitting you need help, I...we can't do a thing until you accept the help given," he whispers.

"Seriously Emilia I'm worried-

"Are you sending me back?" I rush out interrupting his speech.

"Back there? Emilia are you stupid? I would never let you go back there, in fact if I see that man ever I'm going to at able him with my bare hands; I'll pull his heart out and stomp on his brains if I ever see him. That's a promise, why would you think such cruel thoughts?"

I think for a moment before taking a deep breath, I should be honest with him. It's tiring honestly, I can't keep up with my lies any longer because they keep hunting me down.

"He wrote to me," I tap my fingers on my knees.

"Shawn? He wrote to you? Oh when I see him-

"You've already said, dear brother," Alessandro stands in the door, eyes gloomy and dark- dusky and slate.

"How did he find your address? He is not supposed to be in contact to you," his confusion melted with mine, I was wondering the same thing.

"What did the letter say?" Enters Elijah, I gasp at first-his presence shocked me.

My thoughts trail along the past I'd want to forget but just could not. The letter, if only I could go back and retrace the words and print them in my mind to show them; just small, fine, messy words scribbled down on a paper. I couldn't remember anything. Nothing big, nothing exact.

"You guys, h-he said I had to... I can't remember... I had to tell you he was coming? Behave for papa, I'm coming for you. Please don't send me back, don't put me through Hell!"

"Why on Earth would you think that? I love you Emilia, I could never do such things," Alessandro tells me before rushing out of the room looking tensed and stiff.

"Correction: we all love you," Elijah states bopping my nose with his finger, I crack a small smile but it's overcast by a frown.

"I need to go make a call, I'll be right back," he buttons his blazer up wiping away nonexistent crumbs.

"Hello?" I rush to the door pressing my ear against it. He sounded stressed, because of me-in fact everything that has happened, has happened ALL because of me.

"Mia? You there? Great...I need you here right now...I don't care if you're in a meeting get here now please...what do you mean 'why?'"

There was a long pause, I look back at Axel who was smirking at my cheekiness.

"Is Emilia a good enough reason for you to come? She needs you...twenty minutes you say? Okay, just please hurry up," I run back to my original place when I hear footsteps coming closer.

Trying to calm my breathing was difficult since I'd run so fast, I had to look natural, like I didn't even move a muscle.

"Who was on the phone?" I ask already knowing the answer, it wasn't great of me to do if I was 'trying to be natural.' Kelsey would fail that, the only natural thing about her is her bîtchiness and I was grateful she wasn't here right now.

"Nobody, just Gauge," he lies, if I hadn't been eavesdropping he would've fooled me completely. Why can't I be great at lying like him.

Why did he lie? Actually I can answer that question, I'm a very stubborn person and don't accept help from anybody, I become furious when people do things when I tell them not to.

I can't always have it my way, and I'm still trying to get that into my skull.

"Is that all the letter said?" Axel spoke deeply.

"I can't remember."

"Can you try? He shouldn't even be in contact with you, especially after we told the courts what he did to you, he shouldn't be allowed," Axel grits out, he was biting his cheek and his fist were curled tightly.

"You told people?"

"Yes."

"B-but, b-but," I stammer trying hard to find the right words to say.

"But?" He echoes me rudely.

"But," my mind was blanker than a piece of paper.

"Is that a problem?" He temper was high, he was clearly irritated, it was painted on his face.

"I-I just don't want that broadcasted everywhere."

"Yeah well we all don't get what we want? You deal with life and what comes with so if you would excuse me I'm going to speak to the police about this. Thank you for burning the letter because that really helped our case," he says sarcastically leaving me alone in the room.

"Woah what's his deal?" Enters Diego who looked shocked at Axel's response.

I ignore his question pulling down the cuffs over my hands. It was colder than my heart right now.

"How're you feeling?" He unexpectedly pulls me into a tight hug, I don't pull away, instead I my hands clutch the back of his shirt easing into his warmth.

"Terrible," I mumble, his chest vibrates with a chuckle, "expected, but I'm sorry I can't help you, you want to talk about it?"

"Yeah?" The tone that escaped my mouth made it sound like a question, I feel ready to talk.

"No need, boy, I'm here," an all too familiar, tall, slim physique stands there awaiting me with open arms. An over powering smile casts my face into happiness. It's been so long, you could say I missed her.

Diego let's me go and jump up in excitement clapping my hands together - you can call me a seal if you like - she laughs rolling her eyes jokingly. This tinge of excitement felt so unnatural but it felt great to be this way again, like I'd fallen back into my world of cosying, glee and exhilaration. Lovely.

"I've heard you've gotten up to mischief. Is that true?" She asks me with a playful tone.

"Jeez, I wonder who could've told you that," an immediate image of Alessandro and Elijah popped into my head.

"But to answer your question: no. People just annoy me, especially when their name is Kelsey and Cordelia, add the name Gertrude to the list too," just imagine lining these girls up and throwing knives at them. Maybe not Gertrude because she was somewhat nice to me but the others can go suck a crocodile's tail and eat rotten fish and die from food poisoning. I'm smiling now.

"That's awfully specific, glad to see I'm not on the list," she pretends to wipe sweat from her perfect brows.

"Why would you be?"

"I don't know, I've heard you're angry at everyone lately," she points a finger, her long, white nails at the tip of my nose. I went cross eyed for a moment.

"That's not true," I stammer.

"Anyways, I didn't just come here to have a cup of tea, I came to speak to you... would you mind if we have a little chat?"

Tea sounded great, but a conversation didn't. In fact, it's something I'd much rather avoid.

"Fine."

*************

We sat at the kitchen bar just like the last time she came here, that was months ago. Too long if you ask me.

"The window? You want to talk about that?" She clicks the end of her pen on the island.

Oh. Alessandro and I already talked about that...well he talked, I listened and ignored him.

"I wasn't feeling well, I stumbled," I lie.

"You stumbled into a window that caused it to break?"

"Well..." I drag out, I look away in shame.

"Well?"

"I saw Alessandro and Corn kissing and I was angry! No, furious in fact, oh how I wanted to pull my head through the microwave and blow my brains!" She looks at me awe because of my outburst.

"You're green with envy, you're emotionally developing-experiencing new emotions which you might not have experienced before." Huh?

"Either that or you just want him yourself, he's a grown man that makes mature decisions. As much as it pains you, you have to let him move on with his life," she writes down what I said in short terms.

"Yeah, I agree," I sigh accepting defeat, I cannot keep him in my cave of humbleness and care anymore. He can do what ever he likes, just not with Cordelia.

"Great, what about the letter? I haven't heard that much...tell me," she laces her fingers together.

"It's nothing," I shrug uncomfortably.

"That's not what I've heard- look, he should not be in contact with you, he's in deep trouble and if you can tell me what he said I can persuade the judge to not allow him parole."

"He said he coming for me... a-and his friends they uh...know where I am-

"Friends? What friends?" She was intrigued and pulled in.

"Tate...and Michael."

A small memory came to me, the night Tate hurt me with a blade, when he touched me everywhere. He called it a birthday gift.

"Who're these people, you need to tell me," there was no more jokes, I knew I had to tell her something. But I'm scared if I tell the truth they're going to hunt me down and kill me.

"They're mean, nasty people-hurt you if you disobey them one time. One stare from them could end your life. They hurt me!" I cry out my shaky and mind blowing away. I stare at the reflection in the fridge, not much to see.

"Hurt you how?"

"You need to tell me, Emilia, this is important," she points her own my way.

"I think you already know," she probably did, no doubt my brothers told her everything, down to every last detail.

"No I don't actually, this is the first I've heard about them, tell me."

I squeeze my eyes tight and take deep breaths, "they touched me, everywhere, I wasn't there long enough for it be serious, at least I got out of there in time...right? Even on my birthday it was torture, the day I turn into a teenagers in pain. Gotta love life," I shrug looking away.

"That's so not the point, they touched you without consent," she thinks for a moment picking apart my first question, I turn red with embarrassment.

"Am I allowed to write that down?"

That shocks me, she wanted my permission to write that down, that's so sweet of her, why couldn't she be Alessandro's girlfriend? I mean, Elijah looks like he's missing a girl, I should try and set them up.

"Yea- okay."

"Can you tell me more please, I really want to help you and the smallest detail can change that."

"Michael, tell me about him."

"He hated me, for no reason at all, when ever he would come over he'd get a little touchy-feely with me. It wasn't just him, Tate and him were the worst combination when they were drunk. And let me tell you they were drunk a lot," I laugh for a short moment, "but they would tell me I wanted to be touched when really I was repulsed by their stench," I squirm almost smelling them again. The alcohol infused smokey breath.

"Touchy?"

"Well... it never got to a point where it got too serious, I'm thankful for my brothers for that," I small smile creeps it's way to my face.

"So they never actually..."

"NO!" I ensure she knows the facts and doesn't assume anything. It pains me to talk about this, it's just pushing my old life into my new life.

New life, new brothers.

Literally new brothers, I always wanted to know why they never tried looking for me if they knew I existed-instead they let me stay in Hell with the devil. A year I spent in torture and not once were they there. But they're here now, that's what matters now, I'm more free than a bird.

"Anything else? Tell me about Shawn's behaviour on the daily..." she waits for me to speak.

"Uh it's really simple, he'd wake up, go to work, come home, drink, invite 'the boys' over, pass out drunk, and repeat."

Avoiding too much detail worked on my half, the mess I spoke about him the less I had to see the portrait of him in my mind.

"Behaviour, not his daily routine," she corrects me writing down the previous information. Why could I talk to her more than my own family?

I stumble over my words for a minute, how do I phrase my torture and pain into one sentence to cover an entire year?

"Well- you see- I- uhh- bad."

"Huh?"

"Bad, disgusting, he was really attracted to bottles it seems," a quick image of the green, slim beer bottles being launched at the wall shattering on the ground.

"Oh."

"Look, Mia as much as I enjoy your company I don't really feel like talking about this right now, I've answered everything I can and now I'm going to watch Damon's interviews on YouTube. Thanks for your service but I must get going," I rush out spitting on my words and make an exit slamming the door shut, the door vibrates a little, so does the windows but I wouldn't care if they broke. Don't annoy me.

I keep my eyes focused to the ground and follow the familiar route upstairs. I had no idea where I was going to go but I was going somewhere. Maybe Axel's room. Listen to some music I don't really know, just get me out of here.

"Woah what's wrong with you?" Diego pulls on my arm as I try and walk up the stairs, I stumbled a little on the slippery fabric.

"Can I go?"

"I thought we could hang out, you've abandoned me," you want to talk about being abandoned? Let's talk.

But my promise to Cassidy, I promised I'd get closer to Diego, he's a nice guy and I should be close with him.

"Fine, okay," Diego smiles intertwining our fingers together rubbing up the steps, at this point he was practically pulling and dragging me. He must be quicker than a panther.

"I thought we could play a game?" He suggests opening his room.

"Wow!" I stare in awe twirling around a little.

His entire room looked like an different movie or theme. Anime and many different characters that I've never seen before were pinned up covering the entire wall. He had marvel on another wall, little figurines of Thanos, Iron man, Spider-Man etc suited the theme. Mini Thanos looked kinda cute.

On the other two walls there was a futuristic and dystopian world on them, no traces of wallpaper and paint behind them, it just looked so colourful and fun. Oh I wish I had a room like this as a teen, but pastel pink rocks. You can do anything you want when you're rich.

I noticed we had the same book shelf, but his looked so much better, I parade over to the books and take a deeper look. He was so organised, "alphabetical order? I had no idea you was this organised."

Carefully, I trace my finger across the spines enjoying the bumpy feeling.

It was shocking how organised his studies were despite having a chaotic room. This looked like a museum more than a room.

"You like it?"

"Like it? Love it! I've always dreamt of a room this colourful, it's pretty...and awfully expensive," I turn to face him, his dimples slightly showing.