In a billionaire's eyes

9: Raelynn

Chapter nine: expect the unexpected.

***

Everything in life happens unexpectedly, and most of the time, it happens for a reason.

I've been let down by people all my life, and it's always the people who I love.

I looked at my mom, whose eyes were red and puffy because her sister broke her heart over the phone.

Mom was always there for her sisters, whether it was physically or mentally. She always went to the hospital when they needed her, and she always gave them money even though we didn't have any.

I watched my dad wrap his arms around my mother because her family failed her.

I wanted a man like my dad; he was the greatest.

My dad never failed to make my mom happy and had always put her first. He fixed everything in this house, and oh if I could only mend his broken heart.

I knew that he thought that he had failed us, but my dad didn't realize that he was the best father.

Now my focus was on my mother, who pushed my dad's hand away from her face. "I don't want anyone to come near me."

"I know that they're your family, but we are your family too, and we will always be here for you," dad said. "You don't need them as long as you have us."

"Mom, they are toxic, and you don't need them at all," Eddie said through the phone I was holding.

My heart broke for her. We didn't fully understand her because we didn't go through what she was going through with her sisters.

At least, not yet.

Eddie, Aiden, and I would always have each other's backs. We were always going to be siblings, no matter what life threw at us.

"My sisters don't care about me," mom cried.  "I am sick, and nobody cares."

My heartbeat was fast. "W-what do you mean?"

"She doesn't mean anything. She's sick mentally!" My dad stood up, scowling at my mom.

"It's my disease, and I am the one who chooses whether to tell them or not," mom looked up at my dad. "I have cancer, and it's destroying my organs."

My heart dropped, and so did the phone.

*

Parents were blessings to everyone. You lost one of them, and you lost yourself. You lost both, and you lost your entire life.

Now that I heard of the heartbreaking news, a part of me wanted to call Theodore and tell him, but another part of me told me not to tell anyone.

I knew for a fact that Theodore wouldn't care. He wouldn't let me finish my sentence to tell me the story of how the gorilla ate the dog.

I frowned as I stared blankly at the phone. I felt like I needed someone to talk to, but I couldn't bring myself to call Grace or Audrey.

I threw myself under my bed to see the journal, and a part of me told me to write everything there.

I grabbed the journal and took a pencil from the drawer next to me. I breathed out, and I opened the journal to an empty page.

Dear Elias,

Oh, how I wish you were here. All my friends turned on me because I wanted the scholarship so bad. They didn't understand that I liked it so bad, because I wanted to help my family.

Everything has changed ever since we last saw you; I feel like my heart will stop working if the problems come back.

Do you remember Theodore, my boyfriend? Well, he is a bad boyfriend, but I can't bring myself to break up with him.

I love him, Elias. I know he hurts me mentally and physically, but I love him so much. I don't understand, is he worth the fight, or is he not worth it at all?

I could feel my handshaking, and the tears filled my eyes.

I proceeded to write down everything.

I hate this life. My mom has cancer.

*

I walked into my school. It was Monday, and for the first time, I had a reason to hate Monday.

Usually, I'd hate Mondays, because it's the start of the day, the beginning of a

I was the good girl who always had good grades, but we didn't enjoy studying like other people; we just cared.

Today was different. The school wasn't the only place I was trying to escape, and I added my home to the list last night.

All night long, my parents had been fighting, and I was alone in the dark. My dad didn't like fighting with my mother, and now I knew why, but he couldn't hold in his anger anymore.

They allowed Aiden to sleep over at our neighbor's house, but they forgot me, who stayed up all night listening to their loud voices.

Mom was blaming dad for her illness, and dad was defending himself.

I reached my locker, looking over at Gracie's locker, but she wasn't there like she's usually been.

This fight was unnecessary, and it was long for no reason at all. I sighed as I opened my locker and threw my books that I wouldn't need for today.

I closed the locker and headed to my first class of the day.

*

I looked around the cafeteria and found the two girls sitting next to Theo's table.

My heart beat fast when I walked closer to them and saw the two girls looking down at their plates.

To everyone else, they looked fine. But to me, my friends looked heartbroken and depressed.

I placed my tray on the table, and I sat next to Gracie. "Gracie, I am sorry. I swear I didn't mean to."

She cut me off. "My dad got into an accident three days ago, and we only knew one day ago. I'm sorry I was rude to you. I care a lot about your future."

My eyes widened, and I immediately wrapped my arms around her. "How is your father right now?"

"He's better than before," she gave me a small smile. "These past two days have been exhausting."

"I'm glad," I smiled slightly at her.

"My brother is in jail," Audrey sighed, and she looked up at us with sad eyes. "Gracie, both our families didn't want me to tell you, but I can't just sit here and hide it from you. You are my best friend, and you deserve to know that my brother is in jail."

"No offense, Audrey, but why would I be upset if your brother is in jail? I will feel bad for you, but why would I be upset?" Gracie turned to look at Audrey.

"My brother is in jail because he was the one who hit your father."

*

I held Gracie in my arms as she cried on my shoulder. "It's not Audrey's fault, Gracie, and you know it."

"I know," she sobbed. "I know it's not her fault, but it still hurts."

I went back home with Gracie, and I wasn't going to let her alone that night. We all knew that it wasn't Audrey's fault, but Grace needed a little bit of time to think.

"Look at the bright side, Gracie. Your father is okay," I reminded her.

Audrey's brother, Jake, was under the influence when he hit Gracie's father. Gracie wasn't close to her father since he was abusive, but he was still her dad.

"You want me to look at the bright side? The bright side in this situation is that my mom wouldn't have to sleep with her eyes opened, that my siblings won't have to cry anymore because my dad can't hit us anymore," she sobbed louder than before.

If she looked at it that way, then yes, it did count as a bright side.

"We all wished him to die, but now that he had an accident, we take it back," she sniffed.

Gracie was the oldest amongst her siblings. She had three sisters and one brother. She was responsible for them when her mom was at work and was always their protector at nights when her father was drunk.

It was heartbreaking, and it killed me to see my best friend like that, but if I could make her life easy, then I would in a heartbeat.

My phone rang in my pocket, and I answered the phone before apologizing to Gracie. It was my dad.

"Hey, Rae," he greeted. "How is Gracie doing?"

"She is still crying. I can't seem to calm her down," I sighed, and I rubbed my forehead.

"I don't mean to ruin this for you, but can you by any chance come back here to babysit Aiden for me, please?" He asked. "I know that you don't want to leave your friend, but I have an unplanned meeting in fifteen minutes at my work, so please try to come?"

"Yes, of course, I will," I nodded, even though I did not want to leave Gracie alone.

As I closed the phone, I looked at Gracie, and I didn't know how to tell her that I had to head home.

I sighed and took a seat on her bed. "Listen, I have to go back home."

"It's okay," Gracie smiled slightly, looking at me with red and puffy eyes. "Thank you, Rae."

"No need," I shook my head.

*

I wish I stayed in Gracie's.

My dad had lied to me about him going to work because ever since I came back, both of my parents hadn't stopped fighting.

I reminded my dad to go easy on my mom, but he kept telling me that my mother didn't want easy, meaning that she didn't want my dad to treat her like a child.

I saw that my dad treated her like a queen, but she didn't want to see what we were all seeing.

I didn't know why she was acting this way. Indeed, this was hard on her, but at least she should've accepted my dad's help.

Aiden was in the room with me, and he was crying. "Is mom okay?"

I looked at him in shock. "Yes, mom is okay."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Are they getting a divorce?"

I didn't utter a word, but my lips parted. I couldn't answer Aiden because I knew deep down that they wouldn't have a divorce.

"No, they are not getting a divorce," I assured him. "They are normal parents, Aiden, and all couples get into fights. It's okay, trust me."

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing my dad. "She made me late to work. For God's sake, she thinks everything revolves around her."

"Aiden, go back to your room," I looked at Aiden.

"I'm ten, not five!" He complained.

"Aiden," my dad told him. "Go back to your room."

Aiden huffed as he got up from the bed and made his way out of my room. After I made sure that he had disappeared, I looked back at my dad.

"Dad, you have to go easy on mom," I reminded him again. "I know she's being so hard, but I know that you're a very patient man."

"I know I am," dad nodded. "But your mom is not giving up those unnecessary fights. I think she misses Eddie, that's all."

I chuckled. "Of course mom does. I think we all miss Eddie."

"Enough about your mother. How is Grace doing?" He asked.

"She slept when I left," I replied. "So, I am waiting till tomorrow comes, but I don't think she's attending school tomorrow."

"She knows it's not Audrey's fault, eh?" Dad raised his eyebrows.

I nodded. "Yeah, but Gracie needs space."

"I hope Theo is not bothering you at all," dad shuffled my hair.

I hadn't talked to Theo ever since I saw him with Audrey, which is a relief from my side.

Also, I missed him so that I might see him tomorrow at school.

"You have to sleep now," dad stood up, and he kissed my forehead. "I am going to tuck your brother in."

"Alright, goodnight, dad," I smiled at him.

"Goodnight, Rae."

***