Chapter 25 - Chapter 24

Quincey and Serenity's laughter rang all throughout the four corners of Galene's room. Galene let out a sigh as she stares at her friend's faces. She had told them about the recent incident where Aslan had found out that she and Drystan weren't dating yet.

"Well, I don't get why you two aren't together yet"

"Seriously though, what's the holdup?"

Galene let out a sigh and stared at her friends. It was just the three of them inside her hospital room and she thought that maybe she could get some of her feelings out of the way.

Over the course of days, she thought about it long and hard. She knew that Drystan loves her and she does too but Is she willing to be with him forever? Could she finally let go of her ideals about love? That love is feeble?

"Are you still not sure?"

Quincey who seemingly knew what Galene was thinking asked her to which Galene only gave out a sigh.

"About my love for him? right now I am sure. But what about the future? Can I be sure that his love won't change? If we were put in a difficult situation could we still say that we love each other?"

"You always do think so complicated when it comes to these things"

"Right"

Galene looked at Quincey and Serenity who were laughing at her now.

"Galene just you thinking about the future with him meant that to some extent you are willing to spend some part of it with Drystan"

Galene stopped to look at Serenity who was smiling widely at her.

"Plus you should just focus on the present, if Drystan ever leaves you or breaks your heart, we'll be here breaking his face"

Quincey laughed at Serenity, most of the time the one to say these things was Quincey but hearing Serenity say it made Galene laugh too. 

Galene pondered on the thought. She does admit that she tends to overthink every single thing that's why she fell for Drystan. Because when she's with Drystan, everything just flies away and she's able to enjoy her present. Bickering, arguing and even just talking with him makes her think less about complicated things. 

Galene let out a sigh again and just stared at her friends. 

"Once this is over, I'll sort everything out with Drystan"

Quincey and Serenity just exchanged worried looks before nodding at her. They knew what she meant by 'once this is over'.

The police had arrested her parents and had put them in jail. They were under the charges of child abuse, attempted murder, and possession of illegal drugs that had been found on their house. Aslan had already made the necessary arrangements to the court and once Galene gets a green light from her doctor, she'll be able to attend the trials too.

After all, the attempted murder was her case and she was more than ready to face her past.

Atleast that was what she thought. But when she and Aslan decided to meet their parents in private every scar in her cell opened up. And when their father had shouted insults and was ready to break their necks, all the pent-up frustration and anger boiled up. Galene had thought that the moment she saw her parents locked up in jail, she would be able to forget all the trauma they had brought into her life.

However, she stands corrected.

"Alene you don't need to do this"

Galene looked at Aslan who was worriedly staring at her, she smiled back at her older brother as an answer before her gaze went to the single person sitting across the table. Right on the corner were police officers who were in charge in case something happened. 

Galene let out a sigh before staring at their mother who was fixated on her ruined nails. Galene gritted out her teeth.

"Did you ever regret it? What you did?"

This caught her attention, her mom looked up at her, a cold expression on her face. There was a moment of silence before she answered Galene.

"You were my child, you came from me, you were supposed to be mine, to obey everything I ever say"

A tear fell in Galene's eyes as she absorbed everything her mother was telling her. 

"I don't regret anything, a child should just obey what her parents especially what her mother wants. Because if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be alive. Was it wrong for me to take back the life that I gave you?"

Galene wanted to believe that her mother would atleast show some remorse because after everything else she was her mother. She had chosen to give birth to her when she had the right to do so, so she atleast wanted to believe that her mother had loved her.

"I do regret giving birth to the three of you. I never should have given birth to such ungrateful brats like—"

Galene abruptly stood up cutting off her mother, she couldn't stand hearing anymore of it. What she wanted to hear never came out from her lips and she felt stupid because she was actually waiting for them to apologize for everything they did. She believed that her mother would change but she didn't and that's what's breaking her heart more.

"I should still say thank you for giving birth to me, but aside from that, I want you to know that I will never forgive you"

Galene did not wait for Aslan nor her mother to say anything and stormed off of the police station, her tears dripping down her face one at a time.

She made a fool of herself and yet she could feel her heart breaking into tiny pieces. Why couldn't she have parents who loved her and her siblings? Why didn't they show any remorse? Why didn't they just apologize and tell her that they had loved her? Why did they have to give her so much pain and trauma?

And just when she thought that fate was being cruel to her again she finds herself staring at the person who was willing to give her all the love she deserves.

"Hey"

Drystan who had been waiting for them outside the police station stood from the bench and approached Galene. He let out a sigh as he wordlessly wiped Galene's tears that were continuously running down.

"Zael"

Galene couldn't find any other words to say, she felt hopeless and weak. But when she stared at Drystan's worried eyes, she knew that he wasn't waiting for any words.

"It's alright Astraea, just let it out"

And she did, every bit of pain that was holding her back. All of the bad memories that had come crashing down on her, and all of the scars that she thought had closed up. A life-long pain that she didn't think she had, she had let it all out.

And for once, Galene finally felt at peace.