Ummm…Hey guys, remember me? Yeah, I am still alive. I understand that you're all probably angry over the fact that I haven't updated in a long time and I left you guys on such a cliff hanger, but just hold on before you start throwing your shoes and god knows what else at me!
The chapter is here, finally! I won't blabber on so sit down, breathe and get reading if you're still interested in this story and I'll catch you at the end!

Made Of Scars
Chapter 21

Emily's POV

I couldn't speak. My arms were trembling even as I wrapped them tightly around myself. It felt like an earthquake had just erupted within my body. I couldn't run and hide, nor could I shield myself away from my internal destruction. I had never felt so trapped.
My heart was racing, slamming painfully against my chest with bone shattering force. If it could break through my ribcage, it would do so at any minute. It would escape, run for the hills and never look back. I wouldn't blame it; in fact I'd join it.
I swallowed harshly; wincing at the pain of my saliva attempting to wedge itself passed the invisible rock that had just formed in my throat. Unshed tears stung my eyes but I couldn't bring myself to wipe them away, so they fell like silent bombs down my reddened cheeks.
Naomi – the beautiful blonde who was trying to unravel my deepest, darkest secrets – held onto my shoulders with a gentle but firm grip. She was talking to me, yet I couldn't hear a single word that she was saying. It all just sounded like incoherent noise. She would want me to respond with something, anything… but nothing would come. My brain couldn't understand words, let alone try and produce a full, comprehensible sentence.
Images, however, flashed through my mind like a strobe light. But they weren't just normal images, they were my memories. Memories of a night that had haunted me for 5 years, a night of which I still wished was nothing more than an awful nightmare.
Fear spiked through my heart and I grabbed Naomi's hand suddenly. The blonde jumped in surprise, her eyes widening ever so slightly. I should have apologised but the words still wouldn't come, but my first instant reaction was to seek comfort from the only person who I knew could offer it to me. I pulled her hand away from my shoulder and placed it against my sodden cheek, my eyes closing at the warmth of her skin. I needed her, oh God, did I need her.
Naomi stopped talking, her hand curving against the side of my face as she stepped closer, bringing her body against my own as she wrapped her other arm around my waist. I pressed into her, pushing my face into the curve of her neck. I breathed in Naomi's scent - a mix of perfume and a smell that was just Naomi – and suddenly, I felt safe.
I heaved a sigh, shuddering as I exhaled.
I wouldn't be able to hide forever, the truth was inevitable. There would come a day when I would have to talk about it. These memories had been buried inside of me for 5 years, eating at my insides since the day it happened. Never once had I opened up about that night, nobody knew my story. My family barely knew the ins and outs. All they really knew was that I was the reason my father was dead. They knew it was my fault, and they weren't wrong.
Pulling back slightly, I glanced up at Naomi with watery eyes. She smiled at me, a sad smile, filled with sympathy. She didn't know what was going through my head, but I wish she did. I wish she could just look into my eyes and understand every unspoken thought without me having to utter a word. Nobody should have to be put in a situation like this, but I was glad for the fact that she hadn't run away, she hadn't given up on me yet. I couldn't put it off for any longer, I had already revealed too much. Naomi had stuck by me through thick and thin, and not once had she demanded an explanation. If I continued to shut her out, I would only push her away for good and I would spend the rest of my miserable existence alone with nobody to blame but myself.
Shakily, I untangled myself from Naomi's embrace. My entire body was trembling, I felt like I might collapse. I linked my fingers through Naomi's and tugged, she followed without a word as I lead us to the side of the bed. Sitting down on the floor with my back against the bedframe, I pushed my feet against the radiator. I couldn't sit on the bed, it didn't feel right. I wanted to feel the hardness of the floor beneath me; it kept me connected to reality. I couldn't delve into the comforts of a warm, soft bed when I was about to reveal something that was anything but warm and soft.
For a moment, I stayed silent, my mind racing with thoughts. How the hell could I do this? Naomi's soft hand was encased in my own, a silent reminder that I wasn't alone, a rock to grasp onto. That was what I needed, an ounce of her strength to give me the courage to get through this. I took a deep breath, feeling the nausea in the pit of my stomach begin to rise. I pulled my cigarette tin out of my pocket and motioned to Naomi.
"Is it okay if I smoke in here?" I asked quietly. She smiled and nodded.
I lit the stick, hoping the nicotine would calm me down but I needed an entire pack to make that happen, and a bottle of Jack Daniels. I exhaled slowly, pushing smoke out of my lungs. It was now or never.

"It was December 14th, 2009…" I began.

Snow was falling from the black sky like a thousand balls of shimmering light, it hadn't stopped all day. The ground was disguised by a thick, fluffy white sheet; the roads were wet, coated with grit and grey sludgy lumps of what was once snow. With beauty sure came ugliness.
The paths were beginning to freeze; puddles were forming into miniature ice rinks. People had to walk as though they had wet themselves just to ensure that they wouldn't slip over, myself included.
The sharp, icy breeze bit at my skin just like mosquitos on a warm, summer's day as I carefully walked down the street with my hands buried into my coat pockets and my face half wrapped in a scarf. Normally on a cold, snowy afternoon after finishing school, I would be at home with a warm blanket, a good book and a cheeky mug of hot chocolate. For a fifteen year old, I was pretty old fashioned. I gained more pleasure from reading and spending time at home than I did from going out with friends, which was my sister's preference.
So, why am I out now? You ask. Well, recently things had been a little different for me. A special someone had come into my life like a whirlwind, changing everything I had once known, but for the better. Her name is Molly, and I might have always known that I liked girls' but she was by far the most beautiful person who I had ever laid eyes on.
Molly was in the year above me, and was the enemy of one of Katie's bitchy bimbo friends, which automatically made her my idol. My entire life, I had lived in Katie's shadow, too afraid to break away and stand proudly amongst the unknown. I was shy, awkward and damn right uncomfortable in most social situations so of course I never had the confidence to leave the side of my overprotective and dominating twin. Molly changed all of that.
We were at school, a standard day of me being picked on by Katie and her sniggering group of mindless robots who she called friends. As always, they were picking on my style of clothing (which by the way, was a simple pair of dark jeans and The Rolling Stones band t-shirt) when Katie took the bullying a step too far by calling me "a frumpy loser who has no taste." I could still hear their screechy laughter ringing in my ears, and the look of pride upon Katie's face. Katie had always been a bitch, but public humiliation to impress her friends was something I just couldn't take any longer, so I told her to go and fuck herself before I stormed off in angry embarrassment.
Molly had somehow overheard the entire thing; she sought after me and confidently stated that she liked my style and that I shouldn't allow Katie to put me down like that. Of course I was stupefied by her appearance, tongue tied and sputtering like an idiot. Like some creepy stalker, I had watched Molly around school, what was not to like? She was gorgeous with dark blue eyes and blonde hair that was streaked with black and a ring through her nose. She was confident, dressed like a rock chic and a complete bad arse that was always getting into fights and being suspended for standing up for what she believed in. She was everything I wasn't, and everything I wished I could be. Imagine my surprise when she came up and befriended a loser like me.
Molly was the kind of friend who I could talk to for hours on end about pointless crap, but she was also down to earth and so open about her feelings, so with her perseverance and eagerness to listen to my every word, I was finally able to vent years of pent up frustration from Katie's endless bullying. And boy, did it feel good.
Not only that, but she also gave me the confidence to finally admit to myself and to her that I was gay and fuck, she did it in the best possible way. A night of getting drunk in her bedroom led to spilling our secrets, and as soon as I admitted that I liked girls, Molly was kissing me. It was my very first kiss and was better than anything I could have ever imagined. When we were both finally sober, we revealed our feelings to one another and have been dating in secrecy for nearly 3 months. Even now, I smile when I think about it. Neither of us was ready to come out to our friends or my family (her mum already knew) but we were getting there. The day would soon come when we would burst out of the closet, hand in hand with our heads raised high with pride and no fucks given.
Anyway, back to the point. Since Molly and I became friends, we had been inseparable, even more so since we started dating. She had been off school for a couple of days with a cold, so as her girlfriend, I believed it was my duty to go and take care of her. Hence why I was not curled up with a blanket and a book, guess I was finally growing up.
I grinned to myself and picked up the pace, eager to see my girl and get out of the cold. It took a further 5 minutes before I was jogging up to Molly's front door, rapping on the wood with my cold knuckles and practically dancing on the spot to keep myself warm. It wasn't long until the door opened and an older blonde woman stood before me.
"Emily," Molly's mum greeted me with a smile, which I returned as she stepped aside to let me enter. I was met by delightful warmth and a delicious smell of spiced apples. "What a pleasure to see you. Molly didn't say you were coming."
"Hi, Susan," I replied cheerfully, she scolded me if I called her Ms Turner. "Molly doesn't know I'm here, I thought I'd surprise her. I hope that's okay."
Susan was a kind woman with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Molly. She had always been nice to me, even when she walked in on Molly and me kissing. She had simply grinned and claimed that she already knew, calling it "a mother's instinct." I wish all mother's had that instinct, but my mum didn't pay enough attention to know whether or not I liked a boy, let alone a girl. If she did, it would make coming out a whole lot easier.
"Oh, you are good to her." Susan practically swooned before leaping in to take my coat. "Let me put this on the radiator so it dries, I don't want you catching a cold. Molly's in her room, Jake is here too, he came to bring her coursework round."
I thanked Susan as I handed her my coat and bounded up the stairs. I was a little miffed that we would have no privacy but I liked Jake, he was a good friend and Molly had known him most of her life so my insides still squirmed with excitement. Music resonated from behind Molly's bedroom door so at least she wouldn't have heard my arrival. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The reality that awaited me behind the door propelled my world spiralling out of control. My eyes were graced by an image so devastatingly horrible it would scar them for eternity, and triggered my heart to physically crack within my aching chest. Being continuously punched in the heart with a steel mace would hurt less than this, I was sure.
Discarded clothes littered the bedroom floor, including a crumpled duvet which had been pushed off the bed in a moment of heated madness. Even blaring music vibrating off each wall couldn't disguise the grunts and moans of pleasure; I would have given anything just to stab something long and sharp directly into my eardrums so I wasn't obligated to listen.
The girl I loved, who was supposed to love me, wore nothing but a black bra and knickers. On her hands and knees, Molly was bent over Jake's slouched body; he wore nothing but boxers around his knees and Molly's mouth around his cock.
I stood paralyzed with my heart in my throat, urging me to puke. My lungs were deflated, crushed by some invisible force. Voices in my head screamed at me to look away, to turn and run but I couldn't tear myself away, couldn't stop enduring the torture as I watched Molly go to town on Jake's cock, devouring it like it was her last ever meal. With closed eyes, Molly was blissfully unaware of my attendance. Her hands rubbed along Jake's length, teasing his balls, caressing every inch of his disgusting manhood whilst he grunted like a pig. His hand was tangled in Molly's blonde locks, the other down the front of her black panties, pleasuring her at the same time.
A moan rumbled in Molly's throat and flipped a switch inside of me, snapping me out of my stupor. Hurt transformed into a white hot rage, I wasn't going to stand and cry, not like a love-struck fool. Clenching my fists, I cleared my throat loudly and watched in sick satisfaction as their movements froze, eyes snapping open, landing hesitantly upon me and limbs flailing in surprise as they scrambled to retain their shredded dignity.
Molly snatched her t-shirt from the floor and held it in front of her body, shielding it away from my watching eyes as if I had never seen her naked before. It's funny how guilt can make someone self-conscious even when it came to their supposed partner. Her hair was a mess, blue eyes wide with shock and her face flustered. There was no denying that she was effortlessly beautiful, but I could no longer stand the sight of my girlfriend, not with those images burnt into my mind.
"Emily," Molly panted "What the fuck are you doing here?"
There was a touch of anger in Molly's voice and I flinched, she didn't have the best temper and I had never been a fan of it. But I wasn't deterred, she had taught me to stand up for myself; I wasn't going to let her take it all back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you'd be busy, you know with the whole "being ill" thing." I snapped with a snarky tone. "I guess Jake's done a good job of taking care of you."
Anger fled from Molly's face and instead was masked by guilt. She reached out for me but I backed away before she even managed to touch me, glaring at her hand after having watched where it had been just moments before.
Molly's face fell and she withdrew her hand. "Baby, it isn't what it looks like." She pleaded.
I scoffed incredulously. "Then what was it like, Molly? Does Jake's cock produce some miracle cure for a cold? You certainly don't look ill to me."
Tremors vibrated through my body, my stomach was screwing itself up into the tightest knot and I would be surprised if I ever stopped feeling nauseous from the damage it was causing. It was unbearable, the pain, the anger… All I wanted to do was punch things, break down into tears and forget that any of this ever happened. Tears welled up in my eyes but I blinked them away, I couldn't let them fall. Molly bowed her head, appearing small and fragile before me and I couldn't stand to see it, but she was the one who had caused all of this.
"Guys," Jake piped up timidly; he had been so quiet that I would have forgotten he was even here if it wasn't for the burned image of his dick in my girlfriend's mouth. "What's going on?"
"Shut up, Jake." Molly and I snapped in synchronisation. Once that would have made me smile, now it was just a sad reminder of her betrayal and what she'd thrown away. Jake visibly shrunk into himself, it was wrong to blame him considering he had no idea that Molly and I were dating but I couldn't help it. I hated them both for doing this to me.
"Emily…please try to understand." Molly hesitated, her voice quivering. "I…I'm confused."
I rolled my eyes, why did cheaters always try to justify their actions with petty excuses? I had heard enough of them before from Katie's ex-boyfriends.
"If you're confused, you talk to me about it, you don't fucking cheat on me!" I yelled, throwing my arms out in frustration.
"Wait, you two are dating?" Jake asked in surprise, confusion etched across his face.
I glared at him just as Molly shouted "No we're fucking not, would you shut up?"
Her words crushed me all over again.
"If we're not together, why did you ask me to be your girlfriend?" I questioned through gritted teeth, my voice laced with hurt.
Molly rolled her eyes, tugged her t-shirt over her head and sighed. "It's all in your head, Emily. You've been obsessed with me since day one."
I gaped at her, unable to believe what I was hearing. I trusted this girl enough to give her my heart and my body on so many occasions, just to have it thrown back in my face. She had filled me up with sweet nothings, pulled me along with empty promises only to tell me that it wasn't real. All of those times we curled up together underneath her duvet, hiding from the world and just looking into each other's eyes…touching soft skin…sharing passionate kisses, it was all a lie. All those times she said she loved me… Just lies. Molly was many things, I didn't realise spiteful was one of them.
"Fuck you." I whispered harshly, unable to muster the force to shout, my lungs felt like they were collapsing.
I had to leave; I couldn't stay here in amongst all the harsh words, bitter emotions, sights and smells. I spun on my heel, ready to flee from the room when I was grabbed from behind and wrenched back, only for Molly to slam me into the wall with the power of her body against mine. I gasped in surprise, my already frantic heartbeat increased tenfold. She didn't waste a second, grabbing me around the back of the neck and forcing our lips together, hard enough that it felt like it would bruise. I struggled against her, slamming my hands into her shoulders just enough to break the contact as she stumbled backwards.
"Get off me." I growled furiously.
"Baby, please." She begged and grabbed my shirt, pulling me into her and ripping the material.
"Fuck off, I hate you!" I cried, still trying to get away.
Molly's eyes narrowed, grabbing a fistful of my hair, she crushed her lips against mine once again. I winced in pain, feeling like she was ripping each strand out of my scalp but I managed to twist my head to the side in spite of it.
"You don't mean that." She breathed against my ear and I shuddered in disgust, which she seemed to take as an invitation to kiss my lobe. "Kiss me."
"Get away from me, you slut!"
"Molly, let her go!" Jake's voice sounded from behind.
I pulled back my head just in time to see Molly's face contort in anger, but I couldn't get away in time to stop her skull from connecting with my face. I heard a sickening crunch, and I fell to the floor with a cry, my face exploding with an agonising pain. I clutched my broken nose; blood spurting between my fingers. A weight was suddenly upon me. I opened my eyes, Molly was straddling me, seething with rage and shaking from the overload of it. I had seen this look before, she was having an episode.
"You can't leave me!" She snarled.
Hands wrapped around my throat, crushing my windpipe. I tried to gasp for breath, my eyes bulging out of their sockets. I struggled, slapping, scratching and attempting to pull Molly's hands away but the more I tried, the harder she pressed into my throat until my lungs were burning and dark spots began to cloud my vision.
As quickly as it happened, her weight was gone and the last thing I saw was Jake holding her back before I rolled onto my side and coughed profusely, heaving and sputtering as I desperately pulled precious oxygen into my lungs. My hearing was muffled but I could still make out the sound of Molly's angry screams and I knew I needed to get away as quickly as possible. Fear and shock produced adrenaline kicked in; I rolled onto my stomach and pushed myself up half way before rushing out of the door. Racing down the stairs, I nearly knocked Susan straight back down them. I heard her call out to me but I didn't stop, didn't apologise or explain. My body was running on autopilot, my mind in flight mode and nothing was going to stop me from getting away. I ripped open the front door and raced out into the cold.

I wasn't entirely sure how long I ran for, or how many times I slipped over on the ice but eventually I gave up, curled up and quivering in amongst a pile of snow. Every inch of me hurt…physically, mentally and emotionally, it was all too much to take. In the rush to escape, I had forgotten my coat so I was chilled straight through to the bone like my blood had also turned to ice. I was shivering violently, unable to build up any warmth. Eventually I found the strength to push myself back up onto my feet, but it wasn't long until I collapsed from exhaustion once again but this time I found a low brick wall to sit on.
My face throbbed unbearably, the swelling and dried blood making my skin tight and uncomfortable. I must have looked a state, either homeless or a drug addict who had crossed the wrong person. I was thankful that the streets were dark and barely anyone was out, though I didn't care for anyone's thoughts, I preferred not to deal with their stares or probing questions.
Tears slipped down my cheeks and my chest heaved with painful sobs. Everything was so fucked up when it was all so perfect before. Why did it have to change? How could Molly do this to me? If this was how someone acted when in love, I hoped I never fell in love ever again. My first time falling in love and it had ended just as devastatingly as it had started wonderfully. My heart was shattered and each shard was stabbing through my chest, threatening to rip me wide open.
I cried until I felt completely hollow inside, until I could no longer feel the broken pieces of my heart. Shuddering, hiccupping and breathing raggedly, I was a mess and I was pretty sure somebody had embedded a sledgehammer into my skull. Everything around me was spinning out of control, not just my life, but my vision too and bile kept rising into my throat. I wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep forever.
I shook my head, trying to clear away some of the grogginess but I groaned out in pain, not a good move. I needed to get home, a long sleep and an incredibly hot bath was what I needed, although I did need to go to hospital and check whether or not my nose was broken but it was too far to walk and I couldn't remember the way even if I tried. It would have to wait.
Lowering myself down from the brick wall, I began my journey home. It wasn't too far, except I kept forgetting which way to turn and convincing myself that I was going the wrong way. How I managed to get back home, I didn't know and managing to get the key into the lock was a whole other question.
Heat rushed to meet me; it hurt worse than the cold, my skin stung as if I'd been pricked by a thousand needles. I was shivering uncontrollably now, even struggling to move, so much so that I fell over, crashing into the wall. I struggled to right myself, I hurt too badly. I practically had to crawl along the wall to get to the kitchen where I could hear movement coming from within. A female voice called out, it sounded like my name, I couldn't be sure but I made my way towards it.
The light in the kitchen was excruciatingly bright but I could now see just how clearly everything was spinning around me. Vertigo took hold, I could hear my blood pounding in my eardrums and I stumbled, crashing into one of the worktops, my chest wheezing as I struggled to breathe. The last thing I saw was Katie and my mum rushing towards me before everything blurred and I slipped into darkness.

I awoke groggy and incredibly disoriented. Every inch of me hurt, like I had run a long, dirty marathon only to be beaten up and skinned along the way. A chill resided beneath my skin, biting into my bones but I was wrapped in blankets and a warm breeze was blowing against my face. Snuggled in a delightfully warm cocoon, I didn't want to open my eyes.
Something was vibrating all around me and the sound of a low rumbling reached my ears, sounding very much like a car. My eyes snapped open, my heart rate instantly increasing as nerves ate away at my stomach. Why was I in a car? How did I get here? I couldn't remember anything but…
My mind recovered from its temporary amnesia and the flood gates opened, reality came crashing through like a tidal wave, ripping my heart open all over again. The wounded organ clenched painfully in my chest and I gasped, only to recoil at the pain that shot through my face like knives. Oh yeah, forgot about the possibly broken nose.
"Emsy?" I was startled by the deep voice that came from beside me.
As I turned my head, my eyes landed upon my Dad in the driver's seat. He glanced at me quickly, trying to keep his concern filled eyes on the road as well as on me. I released a sigh of relief, my body relaxing.
"Where are we going?" I croaked, my voice dry and raspy. I tried to clear my throat but the bruising made it difficult.
"To the hospital, love." Rob replied gently.
He was a tall, well built, muscular man with a thick scouse accent and an intimidating stare that would send just about anybody running in the opposite direction. But to his family, Rob was about as hard as a teddy bear which was why I was glad to be with him right now rather than my mother. Rob had a soft and gentle approach, whereas Jenna would probe me with constant demanding questions until I'd crawl back even further into my shell. She means well, but her tactics aren't the most tactful.
"You were going into shock from the cold and the…loss of blood." He continued bitterly. His face was scrunched up in anger, eyebrows knitting together in a tight frown. I had seen this look be whenever Katie mentioned a boy.
"I feel okay now." I lied, in fact I felt absolutely horrendous but I wanted to distract him from the bad thoughts he was obviously thinking.
Rob smiled softly and reached over, placing one of his large hands over my own. "Just want to be sure, kiddo." He said, giving my hand a gently squeeze which I feebly returned.
We drove in silence for a few minutes and I was left to the entertainment of my own torturing thoughts. Images replayed in my mind, the events of tonight haunted my every thought no matter how hard I tried to push them out, even as I internally begged for it all to stop. Witnessing Molly's betrayal was bad enough the first time; I didn't need to see it all over again, the pain was making my head spin. I gripped the car door handle for support, keeping myself from falling over despite the fact that I was already sitting down.
I didn't know if I would ever recover from this. My love for Molly was a real as the air around me, so how could she do something so dreadful? It should make a difference when somebody loves you, shouldn't it? Well it was obvious now, she either didn't love me or she had a fucked up idea of love. Whatever the reason, her betrayal was unforgivable, her anger knew no bounds, and maybe I was better off being away from her. So why did it hurt so badly?
I bit down on my lip until it bled, trying to force back the tears that had welled up without my permission. Scowling fiercely, I dashed them away with the back of my hand, ignoring the pain that shot through my face from doing so. I was angry at myself for crying over somebody who didn't deserve my tears, but I couldn't stop myself from loving Molly, no matter how badly she had hurt me.
Rob's eyes were on me, I could feel it like some sixth sense so there was no way I could hide, good thing I was getting sick of hiding. Nobody knew me anymore; I was pretending to be everything I wasn't just to fit into society's idea of "normal." I wanted to be known, accepted and loved for being me, not this stranger.
"Who did this to you, Emily? You look like you've been roughed up by a boy." Rob asked cautiously so to not scare me back into hiding. I wasn't going to be a coward anymore.
"It wasn't a boy…it was a girl." I admitted solemnly.
"You've been fighting with a girl? That's not very lady-like." He asked, puzzlement etched into his voice and face, though I could have sworn he deflated a little.
"No, I've been making love to a girl… I'm gay, Dad, and I love Molly." I whispered sadly, holding back tears. "We've been dating in secrecy; we weren't ready to tell anyone yet. I thought we were good, so I went to see her after school because she's been off with a cold and I…" I choked on a sob, saying it out loud made it seem more real than before. My heart was breaking all over again.
"I walked in whilst she was cheating on me with Jake. Molly has a temper, we argued and I tried to leave and she got angry, she did this to me. I can't believe she'd do this to me." I cried. "Please don't hate me. I can't change who I am or how I feel, but I'm still Emily." I begged weakly, watching through watery eyes.
"Emsy…" Rob breathed softly, squeezing my hand and shooting a smile in my direction. "From the day you were born, I always knew there was something different about you. You've always been dominated by Katie, but you're nothing like your sister. I love Katie, don't get me wrong, but she tries too hard to impress your mother which isn't necessarily a bad thing but she isn't her own person, not like you love. Your mum and Katie will walk over anyone to get what they want, but they won't stop to think about who they might hurt in the process. You've never been like that, you're compassionate, and you care about the people who should mean nothing to you, people who you've never even met before. You heart is so full of love, and you will throw it at the first person who shows your kindness even if you end up hurt at the end of it. You don't know the pride I feel when I look at you and see the beautiful, wonderful young lady you've grown into. Nothing could ever make me love you any less, and that includes you being gay because you're still my daughter."
For the first time that night, happy tears streamed down my face and the cracks in my heart were suddenly filled by the love I felt for my father. I felt lighter than I had in months, possibly even years. It was like somebody had just cut the rope that tied the anchor to my leg, and for the first time in so long, I could move freely. After all this time, I was finally out and still loved for it, and that was all I needed to become remotely whole again.
I would recover from this, I knew that now. In some strange way, everything happens for a reason, and I might not have ever gained the courage to come out to my father, or anybody for that matter if tonight never happened. I could have spent months or years trapped in Molly's web of lies and excuses, only to discover at a later date that she was unfaithful which would have only destroyed me worse than she already has, or her abusive sides could have become a regular occurrence. Deep down, despite the hurt, maybe I had a lucky escape. For now I could seek comfort in that thought.
We were nearing the hospital, and a part of me was relieved to see it, if I had a broken nose, it needed to be fixed as soon as possible, the last thing I wanted was a crooked nose, but I wasn't looking forward to the process or the questions.
Rob took a sharp right turn, the wheels of the car suddenly slipped along a layer ice, the momentum causing the rear end to spin out before Rob could get it under control, taking the front end with it. I slammed into the passenger door as we spun out into the middle of the road, straight into oncoming traffic.
"Shit!" Rob swore, clutching the wheel tightly as he frantically spun it in an attempt to right the car.
I looked up through the windscreen, eyes widening as headlights suddenly glared upon us. All of a sudden, time seemed to not exist. The bright lights bared down on us, too close to stop. My heart pummelled into my ribcage, blood roaring in my ears. I glanced at my father, heart leaping at the sight of terror on his face; no words could leave my mouth in time before something crashed directly into the driver's side. Glass exploded, metal crumpled and I was thrown to the side, head cracking against the window and I was encased in darkness once again.

So…. Can I come out of hiding now?
I swear I didn't mean for this chapter to take so long, but as always, life gets in the way. I struggled with this chapter for a long time, and when I finally decided to put my head down and begin working on it again, my laptop all of sudden died! So I had to start all over again but I'm glad I did, I prefer this version to the last.
I want to let you all know that I have no intention of giving up on this story, I think about it and all of you here at fanfiction quite a lot, I just can't promise how regularly the updates will be, but for now, it's good to be back!

So, as always, please leave me your thoughts and opinions, criticism really helps to make me a better writer so I'd appreciate any advice! HIT THE REVIEW BUTTON AND ILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!

Until next time,

KairiM xx