Be easy. Take your time. You're coming home. To yourself.
"Where were you ?"
It was the first thing June heard as she entered her apartment.
"Alex, I don't believe that you have the complete freedom to enter my house whenever you want"
"And you best believe at Sebastian's is a wrong answer" Alex said ignoring June's remark. His legs were crossed against June's favorite coffee table and his arms were crossed against his chest in a whimsy manner.
"What's your business anyway, I might've slept with you but that doesn't mean you own me now" June threw her bag on the sofa and removed her coat.
"I don't find the way you're speaking suitable for someone who knows what I'm capable of doing"
"You're a coward, Alex. Even for someone like me who may seem to not have any morals—what you did is purely inhuman" she spat the last part bitterly. "Get out of my house. Now"
Alex grabbed his things and headed to the door. He stood in front of June, " Oh ? So now you're going to act like you gave yourself to me to protect Sebastian and not your interests ? Have a great time convincing someone other than me because I'm not buying your shit June"
He leaned in closer so their lips were few inches away, "if he gets to know that you were the one who got his father into that car accident, you'll never get to see his face. He'll never forgive you. Who would've thought that you'd fall for his son the next thing ? Be careful June, you'll burn yourself in this game in the end "
June's eyes were wide and glossy, "how do you know all of this ?" She whispered, her throat too dry by now.
"Your enemy's enemy is your friend" Alex said in a monotonous tone and then left leaving June a mess.
June ran to search for her phone, she dialed her aunt's number and waited for her to pick up. She fell down to her knees as she felt her breaths became shallow.
"June ? Is everything okay ?"
June gripped her chest tightly, feeling uneasiness envelope her. Her chest became too smaller. She couldn't breathe, unable to monitor her breaths anymore.
She took quick breaths feeling as if her soul was leaving her body. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She closed them, allowing them to flow down like a river. She let them flow like she's been holding them all her life.
"June! Breathe, it's okay sweetheart ! Where are you ? What happened ? Breathe ! What's wrong! Tell me !"
"He knows! He kno- knows that- that we planned Carte-Carte-Carter's death !" June placed her hand over her mouth, trying her best to stop sobs from escaping her mouth.
"He'll never forgive me ! He'll be disgusted by me. I love him." June wiped her tears furiously, "No ! No !" She repeated the word like a hopeless prayer coming out of her lips.
"What ? Who knows ? What are you talking about ? Who knows what ?!"
"Al-Alex"
"What ? How did- wait, when did you meet him, you know what, I'm coming ! Just don't do anything stupid"
"He did that to you ?" Poll whispered, shock freezing her . "Why did you let him" she whispered.
June shook her head as she cried her guts out, "I didn't- didn't have a choice"
Poll looked at her niece with pity. She was too young yet she looked like she lived a thousand years of sorrow. Her eyes were always sad and they've lost their shine a long time ago.
"I want her back. To hold me. Please. Tell her to come back"
Sixteen years. Sixteen cold years passed and June never complained even once about her mother's absence. She didn't complain when Poll started combing her hair for school instead of her mother or when her tiffin box was empty throughout her school years from any fruits. She's always been strong...even as a kid.
It was alright to her if no one was willing to help her with her homework or that speech she had to prepare. She never cried when no one volunteered to read her any bedtime stories like her mother or come see her at night to check if she was feeling warm and all covered with her favorite blanket but today...today she cried. She placed her hands lightly on her own cheeks feeling the warm tears run down her freely.
She always pulled herself together....too well that she couldn't do it today.
Poll pulled June into her embrace, "I've lost a sister but you ....you've lost a mother." She took a deep breath, " I know. I know. I'm sorry that you had to go through this. I'm sorry that I'll never be able to replace her"
June only cried harder. She placed her head on her aunt's shoulder as she played with her hair. There was a deep lose and emptiness inside her. She couldn't see it but she could feel it. He brought her back to life. And somehow made her wounds sting a little less.
I'm sorry....was all Poll could say. She never saw how June was really affected by her mother's absence. She was too good at hiding it that not even she herself could see it. She felt as if she owed June an apology. An apology for being insensitive to her pain. For not being able to at least take her mother's simple roles.
She let the tears wash her pain. But those tears couldn't wash away almost two decades of pain. Not even if she cried years to come.
Poll poured some milk into the coffee and handed it to Sebastian.
"I'm sorry, I really don't know why you want me to be here but I'm sure she doesn't want me to b-"
Poll sat opposite of Sebastian, her legs together and hands in her lap, "June"
Sebastian looked up his coffee.
Now she had his ears.
"She's asleep in the next room. She takes pills to sleep so even if she wanted to wake up she wouldn't be able to " Poll said softly, her heart in pain for her niece.
She looked down to her hands, "June was a ray of sunshine" she laughed bitterly as Sebastian looked at her warily. " I know, hard to believe but it's the truth. June was one of the happiest kids you could possibly until"
Poll took a deep breath, " Until she turned ten, June's mom" Poll swallowed the lump in her throat, "and my sister...got killed"
Sebastian's eyes went wide, "that's not what was mentioned in t-"
Poll nodded, " it was classified as a suicide but everyone knew that it was anything but. June was an only kid and naturally she got a lot of love from her mom even with the absence of a father figure, June was doing alright. She had her mom and that was enough for her but when Karen- excuse me" Poll said as she took a tissue and wiped her wet cheek.
"When Karen was gone, no one knew what to do with June. Harrison was yet to understand that he had a daughter and my other sisters were all trying their best to raise June and their own kids and then there was me, I didn't know how to help her"
Poll's eyes got watery, " I tried to do everything her mother did but I couldn't replace her. She was too young but she never complained and she always tried even as a child to not appear as a burden"
"Karen was June's world and when she left she took June with her" Poll whispered as she looked around her in vain, "June is the strongest woman I know"
She took a box from the table next to her and opened it. There were a couple of pictures in it. Poll handed Sebastian one. "This was June when she was five, she was playing hide and seek with her mom"
Sebastian took the photo from Poll and examined it. June was very tiny with a huge grin on her face and was standing in an open garden with her hands glued to her eyes. Her mom, who was the one probably hiding behind a tree was taking pictures of her.
"She looks so happy" Sebastian said as Poll gave him more pictures.
"But why are you showing me all of this ?"
"June experienced trauma at a young age and it surely left a scar but she's really someone very fragile and kind...even if she acts otherwise, it's only because she feels that's the way things should be"
Poll sighed. "She really loves you"
Sebastian eyes went wide at Poll's words, "What ?"
"I know I shouldn't be the one telling you this but she really cares about you and believe me she rarely shows this but with you ...it's a different story"
"What's happening to her lately ?" Sebastian asked, his eyes in pain.
He desperately wanted to love June and be everything she needs but she was pushing him away and he was clueless about how to help her.
Poll shook her head, "I can't tell you"
"I want to help her but she r-"
"You can help her" Poll blurted out .
Sebastian's eyes lit up, "I'll do everything and anything for her"
"Stay away from her"
Hey guys!!!! Now you know a lot about June's past and what she went through. This whole chapter was full of bombs How's this chapter ? I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it . Comment down what do you think of all characters. I'd love to know what do you think of
June ?
Sebastian ?
Poll?
Alex ?
And who's your favorite character and why ?
Next update in six days
Anyways I'll see you in the next chapter
Bye ❤️