Between Us

Chapter 27

I was expecting for his eyes to go wide or for him to go 'what the hell?!' but he didn't react in that way at all. He silently waited for me to continue, and kind of made me feel like maybe it wasn't a big deal, after all. That, even though it hurt us, she had made the decision herself and we didn't need to punish ourselves for it.

"She never showed us a sign that she was thinking of doing that. She was always the bubbly, upbeat one. None of us knew she was thinking of running away, that she was unhappy with us or...or anything. I mean, my parents were strict but Indian parents usually are." I tried to slow down, knowing that I was rambling. I clenched my hands into fists. "She was pregnant. And I only knew because of all the tests in the bin. The fact that she couldn't tell me, her own sister..." I broke off, wiping my cheeks as the tears streamed endlessly. "All she left was a note for us on the day. Ever since then I just feel like I failed as a sister. She never tried to contact me or my parents after she left. She never...I don't think she even cares, wherever she is."

Nothing but the wind fluttered around me, showing me any signs of life in the dark, bleak night. "That's why you moved here," stated Caden, speaking for the first time. There was no sympathy, no pity.

Just...him.

"To get away from everything that reminded us of her," I agreed. "And that's why I was homeschooled. My parents were afraid I'd turn out like her but now they think being lenient is the answer."

"They think they're going to drive you away."

"Exactly." Caden didn't need to say anything else. He nudged my shoulder, letting me know that he was there. That he understood. It was the most I'd gotten from him in the little time I knew him, and that was all I needed.

"Even if your sister's gone," he began, "your parents aren't." There was a deep pain hiding beneath his eyes when he said those words. More than ever, I wanted to know more about him.

"And your parents?"

"Gone," he deadpanned.

"Gone? As in—"

He didn't say anything for a long time. So long I thought I'd crossed a line. But then he said, "Dead to me."

Oh. "That bad?"

Caden chuckled, but it was dark and forced. "That bad." This time, I didn't force him to say anything. If he wanted to tell me, he would in due time. When he opened his mouth again, I hadn't expected him to actually tell me. "I was an accident." I held my breath. "My parents still had me. They were planning to give me away, but uh," he let out a bitter chuckle, "it didn't work out."

He tilted his head back, letting the wind rip through his curls. It gave me a clear view of the side of his face, the cords in his neck stretching and the jaw muscles grinding.

Caden was trying hard to hold back.

"Then we found out my dad was having an affair. He had a boyfriend, a whole other life." What the hell? I thought, my lips slowly parting. "When he left us for him my mom spiralled into depression. She blamed it on me and decided she didn't want to raise me anymore."

I didn't want to speak in case I said something stupid. But the words tumbled out of me anyway. "What happened then?"

"We became strangers in the same house. She would give me the money I needed and I would do everything myself. Food was my comfort so in time, I became overweight. And you know how fucked up kids can be."

"You got bullied?" I asked, not believing the words coming out of my mouth.

He pointed to the crooked nose, the bruise from the bar fight still very apparent. "A gift," he stated. What was I supposed to say to all this? It was heavy. The pain that I always saw him hold. No wonder it threatened to choke him and everyone else around him. He had hardened his heart because his own parents turned their back on him.