Chapter Fifteen

My father left soon enough, screaming something that sounded like a mix of 'The marriage is off!' and 'I'm calling the cops!'

Which surprised me. Because I would think he wouldn't call the cops – what would his employers think of him when they found out his insane fiancee almost murdered his supposedly suicidal daughter?

He probably wasn't thinking straight.

And neither was I.

My almost-step-mother stayed, looking off in the distance. Tori got a bit protective and pulled me further behind her, which I found cute. As if she could fend off this chick if she decided to try and finish the job.

"You know, Jade," my attacker started. "Your father never stopped loving your mother."

I rolled my eyes, taking a step closer. Tori grabbed my hand, stopping me from getting too far away. "Bullshit. My parents hated each other," I stated confidently.

She got this faraway look in her eyes. "It's not nice to swear," she said calmly. Then she came back, looking me in the eye again. "Your father loved your mother with all his heart. She loved his money. He found out when he invested in the wrong places."

I stared at her, confused. She wasn't right. She couldn't be. Someone as devilish as my father couldn't love.

"He tried to save the marriage," she continued. "He couldn't. So he divorced her, hoping she would realize that she really did love him."

She walked over, sitting on my bed. Tori tried to pull me back, but I held my ground.

She looked at us, analyzing. "She spent all of her money on booze and drank herself to death. He had no idea whether it was because of him or her financial issues," she glanced at me directly. "Why do you think he's so bitter? It's because he still loves her. No one's born that way. Nobody's born evil – it's what God puts us through that makes us betray him."

I remembered back, just a few days ago. Thinking the same things. I can't be like her. But what makes us any different?

She saw I wasn't planning to say a word and continued. "He hates you. Why? Because when he looks at you, it's her he sees. And all that anger, all that frustration towards her, he throws out at you," she said, looking at the ceiling. The circles.

"But you have to understand, Jade. He loves you too. He's just scared to show it. Because the last time he showed how much he loves you, you drank yourself to death." She glanced at me, waiting for my reaction.

I showed nothing.

She smiled, satisfied. "You're the last trace of your mother, honey. I was just trying to help, getting rid of you. Just to help him to move on so he could love me. And now? Now I have nothing," she whispered. "You don't have to worry. I'll plead guilty."

She looked in deep thought for a moment. "Maybe I can get off on insanity. Spend the rest of my life in one of these nice places. Dulled by pills. It's just a prison with more perks." She came out of thought, looking over at me. "I'll have to think about it," she said, smiling. "Have a good day, Jade. Tori."

Then she left.

The second the door closed, Tori's grip on my hand relaxed. She turned me around, pulling me into her. "Don't take anything she said seriously, Jade," she whispered. "She's out of her mind."

I pulled back. "So am I," I said, completely hollow. "Does that mean... does that mean no one should listen to what I have to say?" I choked out.

She gaped. "Of course not! You aren't that insane! You would never kill anybody, no matter what!"

I looked away. I don't know anymore. I'm not even sure of that. If I was in that situation, who's to say I wouldn't? I wasn't even sure I didn't try to kill myself at one point in here.

She had to leave soon afterward, having to be home by dinner. All she did between that time was assure me I wouldn't hurt a fly. Over and over, holding me in the center of the room.

Who's to say I wouldn't?

Hell, if I was in my father's situation, I probably would have killed myself. In every sense.

I don't even know who I am anymore.

A/N - You know, I thought this was gonna be the last chapter. Appearantly, I thought incorrectly.

I don't know where I'm going with this anymore. I got this far, now how the hell do I find a way to make Jade get instantly better?

Sigh.

This is like that time my cousin and I bought that map, then he closed his eyes and pointed at it and made me give him directions to that place.

I didn't realize where we were headed until we drove into the lake.

Let's hope this thing ends better.