Hedda Mikaelson

Chapter 26 - Finn's Dilemma

Memories flash through my mind as 'Lijah forces his way into them. It's scary and I don't like it. I push him away, resisting hard and he grunts from exertion.

"I'm trying to help you Hedda," he grits his teeth, pressing back against me.

I haven't spoken since Bekah found me a few days ago. I haven't left my room, I've stayed hidden under my covers and my whole family is very worried.

"You have to let me in so I'll understand," my big brother continues to insist he needs access to my memories.

But I'm terrified. I know I'll re-live them too if I open my mind.

Tears slip out of my eyes as I refuse his entry. He seems frustrated but pulls away once he realises he can't convince me.

I won't do it.

"Hedda, I need to know what happened," he explains his reasoning as he sits beside me on the edge of my pink bed.

"No," I whisper, surprising him as it's the first time I've spoken since I was hurt. At last my throat has healed.

"Can we talk about who hurt you?" He tries again, unwilling to give up. It makes me feel very scared to even think about what happened.

I back away, feeling uncertain and sad.

"Will you let me take a look at what else you remember? I know you won't want to have a bath but I need to know why."

I shake my head again.

"No?" He queries.

"I don't want you to," my voice is quiet but he hears me well enough.

He sighs in defeat but lets it go because it's the first time I'm willing to talk again now I'm healed.

"Can we talk about school?" He suggests but I tense up again, thinking about Miss Fell who gave me away so the Pastor could hurt me.

I thought she was nice but she's not.

I liked her. I'm sad she was cruel to me. When I think about it for too long it makes me cry.

"I won't make you go back to school but you need to learn, it's important," 'Lijah tells me and I'm relieved I will never see that building again. "I'll teach you. Let's write our names out?"

He grabs a new sketchbook from the dressing table adjacent to my bed. Placing a pack of pencils on my bed for us to use he starts to write.

E L I J A H

I don't know what it says. Is that my name or his?

"Will you write your name for me?" 'Lijah gestures to a pencil, encouraging me to pick it up and write.

Instead, I stare at what he's written, unable to decipher what is on the page. It's humiliating.

He thinks I can do it but I can't. I don't know anything and it makes me very sad. I just want my friends now I have my family.

"Can I still see my best friends?" I ask instead, shifting subtly where I'm sat.

"Edey and Stella?"

I nod before worrying. "Did they get hurt too?"

"No, they're safe. You have a very clever friend Hedda, Edey was able to alert me when she realised something wasn't right."

"Edey told you?" This is the first I'm hearing of it.

"She sent me about thirty of her little notes, just like the one you wrote to me on your first day," he acknowledges and I don't correct him. Edey wrote all the notes, not me. She's clever unlike me.