Song Rec': You're Gonna Go Far - Noah Kahan.
Broken (acoustic )- Kaestrings.
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My eyes creaked open, and my eyeballs scanned my environment. I was here. In my room. Where was I? The afterlife? An alternate universe?
I got my answer when I tried to sit up but was restrained by a drip sealed on my left hand.
"You're awake, thank goodness." a female voice alerted me, and I turned to see a nurse, dropping the magazine she was reading on my study desk and walked to me,her Crocs squeaking with each step.
I grabbed a fistful of my duvet shakily. "Am I... a-alive?" I stuttered, placing my hand on my stomach. I looked at the nurse again. "Is the baby a-alive?"
She gave a slow nod in affirmation. "You and your baby are alright. You've been asleep for three days, everyone's been worried, and —"
Moisture gathered in my eyes.
"Why?" I exploded.
"I'm sorry, but everything will be fine, okay? And —"
"Shut up! What do you know? Why didn't you just let me die? Who saved me? Why did you do this?" I screamed as an endless line of tears pricked at my eyes.
I angrily pulled out the needle connecting the drip and made my way to the balcony when the nurse quickly grabbed hold of me by my waist.
"Let me go! Leave me alone!" I cried out in exasperation.
"Enough!" A loud voice vibrated through the room, and my body locked in place. "Let her go and get out, we'd like to have a word with our daughter," my father ordered, and the nurse made her exit, shutting the door behind her.
My mother, who was standing beside him, said nothing but made her way to lock the balcony door and shut the windows.
I felt weak in my knees, and I managed to turn to their direction with my head low.
"Come here, Elspeth, and do not let me repeat myself." my father spat, his anger slowly building up as I approached him slowly.
"I'm going to ask you this just once, and I want a decent answer. Who's the father of that bastard you're carrying?" he barked.
"I-I don't know." I whispered.
My father's reaction was a stir-fried hot slap on my cheek for the first time in my life, sending me to the cold vinyl floor. I clutched my cheek as tears blurred my vision. I couldn't blame him; I deserved everything that was coming for me.
"George!" My mother cried, rushing to help me from the floor.
My father chuckled. "Vanessa, she doesn't know."
"Oh, give the girl a break, she's been unconscious for three days. Let her recuperate first." Mother urged, lifting me up and patting my back gently.
His eyebrows furrowed as his face reddened. "She wasn't recuperating when she opened her legs like a wh_re for that stupid boy."
His words cut through me like a knife.
"George! How can you even say something like that about your own daughter?"
"I will say whatever I want! Are you aware that she went to a club? Elspeth has a boyfriend behind our back. She's probably trying to defend the loser while he's left the country without any trace."
I could feel Mother's arms around me tremble as she carefully let me go. "Elsie, is this true?" she asked, being her usual self of not judging before hearing both sides of the story.
My gaze couldn't meet hers. I went on my knees with my head low. "It's true, I'm so sorry. I'm aware of the shame that I've brought upon this family, I'm so sorry." I croaked.
Mother quietly sat on my bed, a piece of me shattered into multiple pieces when I noticed that she was crying.
"Why, Elspeth, why? Is there anything that we haven't done? We've tried to be present, we've showered you with nothing but love, care, and gifts. What more did he give you that we couldn't?" she queried, slowly breaking down.
"A baby." Father threw his hands in the air with a laugh. Mother glared at him, and he fixed his face. He pinched his creased temple as he walked back and forth, uttering more words. "Doctor Barry said she can't have an abortion because of her heart transplant two years back. Just look at the mess you've put yourself into, Elspeth."
"I'm sorry." I muttered. Reality was indeed a bitter pill to swallow, the heiress of Loughton's business empire now pregnant at eighteen for a deadbeat loser who ran to avoid his responsibility.
"Surely there's something we can do, we can't just leave her like this. If word gets out, then it'll be over for all of us." Mother said, casting a disappointed gaze at me.
Father let out a deep breath and stopped in his tracks. "Get ready, you're going to meet your grandparents in Ireland."
My eyes widened as I glanced at him. "Ireland?"
"Your grandmother requested that you come there, and you do not have a say in this matter. You'll go to Ireland and have that child, then you'll return here."
"What'll happen to the child?" Mother asked.
"Let's decide after she gives birth," He shrugged mildly before making his way to the door. "I expected better from you, Elsie, this is disappointing." He spoke finally and took his leave with my mother following him behind.
Later that night, father broke my phone in two and gave me a new one, strictly warning me not to speak to anyone from England, not even Sally, until I returned. The nurse, doctor and domestic staff were also warned to keep shut else their life was on the line.
My bags were packed with a few things that I would need, and Mother kept struggling to hold herself together as she assured me that all would be okay and they would visit soon.
Soon, I was at the back seat of our black Bentley with my mother holding my hand as the car wheeled off to the airport.
My gaze remained fixed on Heather leaning on the door, mockingly waving goodbye with a lopsided grin etched on her lips.
I clenched my fists tightly as my brows furrowed. Enjoy it while it lasts because I'll make sure you pay for this even if it's the last thing I do.