Cruel Kisses (It's Just High School #2) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,30

than I know myself and today, how fucked up is it to be connected in this kind of tragedy and devastation? That your mother abused your brother because your father loved him and not her?

Liam looks away, then walks over to our mother, who’s now a whimpering, trembling mess.

I have no idea what happened to Nicky but she’s no longer in the room, having done her work, why would she stick around for the aftermath?

Liam stops in front of her, and she looks up at him, desperation in her eyes.

“Liam, please forgi—"

But Liam cuts her off.

“I never want to see your ugly, blotched up face ever again in my life,” he whispers, his eyes flat, his voice low and scratchy. His body is tense and I know, he really means it.

“No, no, Liam…”

“Have a fucking good life, mother.”

And with that, Liam shoots me a withering look, turns on his heel and leaves.

A deafening silence falls over us until all I can hear are soft cries and the demand in my own dark soul to let lose.

Dread washes over me. This is bad. This is so fucking bad. I should follow after Liam; God knows what he’ll do right now.

“I got it,” Cole says, his voice low and he goes after Liam without a backward glance, leaving me with my lying, deceitful, abusive mother.

Courtney turns to look at me, her eyes pleading, but she should know better than that.

“Where is she?” I demand.

She frowns but I know she knows who I’m talking about.

“Julian, she’s no good for you. There are things you don’t know, that she doesn’t know. Your father—"

“Where the fuck is she?” I seethe, my voice low as I stare at… a stranger. This woman is no longer my mother. She hasn’t been for years, but I see the reason why now.

There was always something hovering in the shadows, a nagging suspicion, but I never could put my finger on it until today.

Mom wipes away her tears, scrambling to put herself together but fails miserably.

“I don’t know where she is.”

“But you knew she’d leave.” It’s not a question, it’s a fact. My mother knew what she was doing when she talked to Mia last night.

“Yes,” she admits, her gaze hard, but tears still run down her cheeks.

“How did you know?”

“She saw something.”

“What?”

“Your father in bed with the love of his life.”

I almost roll my eyes, but I stop, studying her closely. The love of my father’s life?

“By love of his life I know you don’t mean yourself,” I taunt.

“And I don’t mean that tramp with a big mouth either,” she counters, her voice still hoarse but the truth is so clear in front of me that I freeze.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

I try my fucking best not to react but she sees the shock in my eyes, and she scoffs.

“Yeah, you see how fucked up this is, don’t you? Now do you see? I was only trying to look out for you…”

“Don’t”

“What?” she gasps.

“Don’t pretend like you care,” I grit out. “You forfeited all rights to be my mother when you abused Aiden, physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

“Julian…”

“I swear to God, if he was still alive, I’d make sure they lock you up and throw the damn key away.”

She gasps, fear in her eyes.

“But he’s gone,” I state, ignoring the bite of pain in my chest. “Now, my brother said he never wants to see you again. I agree with him.”

“No…”

“And you better pray that wherever Mia is, she’s all right because I know you made sure she saw that shit last night. I know you wanted her gone and I know you’re a cold, heartless bitch who never had a drop of love in her life so you decided to take away whatever hopes any of us would have at love,” I growl, each word laced with so much hate and venom, she actually takes several steps back. “For your own good, mother, stay the hell away from us.”

And with that, I turn around, ignoring her cries and the vacant look in her eyes ignoring the fact that they look so much like the pair I see in the mirror. And to think Mia looked into those very eyes as she came in arms, then when I broke her heart, all over again.

The anger in me needs an outlet and I know just where to release it.

Without knocking, I burst into dad’s office, not caring about the distraught look on his face as he stares blankly at the muted TV screen