Escaping you |EDITING|

Chapter 5-Everette

She pulls me into a hug. I wince when she touches my side. She lifts up my shirt and when she sees my side, her eyes widen in concern. Just then her brother Zach walks down the stairs and sees me Bloody and bruised. He looks shocked, concerned even. Atlas tells me to go sit in the bathroom downstairs and I do. I hear her explaining what happened to Zach from the bathroom.

Atlas walks in the bathroom a few minutes later and cleans my face.

"Thank you for doing this." I say. " I feel kind of pathetic honestly." I admit. "

Why?" She questions. "Because I know I can defend myself against him, against my father and my mother. I just haven't because I don't want them to take it out on Athena."

I look down, almost ashamed I never did anything beforehand. "You were trying to protect your sister Ev. That's not pathetic. I'd do the same thing."

"I could've helped her though. I could've just taken her and left. I could've defended us."

"Oh Ev. No you couldn't have. That would've only made things worse. They would've hit you harder and her too. You did the right thing. I just wish you would've told me sooner."

"You barley know me. I couldn't burden you with that." I say Looking her in the face. She cups my face softly.

"I know you enough." She says.

Fuck why is she so..... good. That's the only way I can describe her. She's so soft, and pure, I don't understand it.

"How'd you get out?" She asks me. "My dad, he told us to go. He made athena sit there and watch as punched and fucking kicked me. he eventually got tired and told me to get me and Athena's stuff and leave. So I did."

"Where are you gonna stay?"

I shrug. "I'm not sure. I have our clothes in the car. I'll probably just go to James or something until I can find something for me and Athena." I state.

"Stay here." She says.

"Atlas no, you already have so many people here and your parents don't know and I just- I can't put this all on you, I only came here because I didn't know what to do."

" you're staying here. I'm gonna tell my parents what happend. They'll be fine with it. Athena can stay in Paige's room or mine and leah's, you can stay in Zach's room since he's gone at university."

"You don't have to."

"I want to." She says. "I'll be right back".

She comes back a few minutes later.

"My parents agree. They're gonna do something about your parents, get them arrested or something. And you're staying here. Athena will stay with Paige and you're staying in Zach's room. We have an extra mattress for Athena."

I nod and hug her again. "Thank you, for everything" I say softly.

"It's not a problem. I'm sorry you've been put through so much horrible shit.

My parents are gonna come talk to you later." She says, gesturing up to Eli's room. I walk into Eli's room and he shows me around, showing me where I'll sleep and what not. I really appreciate what they are all doing  for me and Athena.

A while later I'm sitting with Athena on the couch, holding her, trying to convince her everything's okay now. She's still scared. River and Carlos come in the living room and explain that they have a good lawyer and are going to help get my parents arrested, in which case me and my sister would go live with our grandmother.

She lives close by, but she had never really been an option because she's a horrible person, and she'd never believe me if I told her what her son and his wife did to us, but she'd never hurt us physically. So I guess it's our best option.
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