010~ THE DEFIANT
1655 Words
Aria
The day had finally concluded, and my steps were a testament to the fatigue that clung to my every fibre. The photo shoot had stretched longer than anticipated, frustrations simmering until the actress managed to salvage the project. The memory lingered, but with its resolution, a sense of accomplishment whispered through the echoes of camera clicks.
This venture marked my initiation into headquarters, a significant project that held weight not just professionally but personally. I couldn't afford to falter; I didn't want my mom to regret entrusting me with such responsibility.
As I walked past the silent room, a conspicuous void lingered with my mother's absence. Normally engrossed in her favourite show around this time, her empty chair betrayed an unusual deviation. Business engagements were the only exception for such deviations, and no such engagements had been communicated to me.
Weary, I ascended the staircase, the hope of a warm bath, and undisturbed sleep becoming the singular focus. However, the sight of my mother's partially open door on the first floor hijacked my thoughts. Hushed voices emanated, curiosity overpowering my fatigue. The warmth of the bath would have to wait.
Approaching her room, the clarity of voices heightened. My parents were engaged in a heated exchange.
"What do you think you will achieve going there?" My dad's voice struggled to maintain composure.
"Do you expect me to sit here and act like nothing happened? For heaven's sake, Michael, that son of a b***h, cheated on your daughter. She has been going through this all alone, and that bastard never once asked after her, and you want me to calm down?" My mother's impassioned retort permeated the air.
The heavy oak door stood slightly ajar, offering me a glimpse into the room. As I stepped forward, the intensity within the room seemed to swell, a palpable tension hanging in the air. My mother, already clad in her nightwear, clutched her car keys tightly, and my dad, dressed in a sombre suit, stood behind her, gently restraining her arm.
The creases on his suit suggested he had come directly from a business meeting.
Entering the space, the air felt thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. The muted lighting cast elongated shadows, enhancing the sense of gravity that clung to the room.
"What is happening?" I questioned, and both of them turned to me, their expressions reflecting startled surprise.
In an attempt to appear composed, my father asked about my return home. Yet, beneath the façade, his tired face revealed an undercurrent of hurt that he couldn't conceal.
This was more serious than I had initially thought.
My mother, avoiding the directness of my gaze, blinked back tears. She turned away, running her fingers through her black hair.
The gnawing feeling persisted, an unsettling awareness that their heated exchange revolved around Liam, Leah's husband. Initially, I believed Leah's absence from home was merely the result of a typical argument.
I assumed she needed a cooling-off period before reconciling, as it had always been in the past. But this revelation about cheating shattered my assumptions.
"Is this about, Leah?" I questioned, the words hanging heavily in the charged atmosphere.
My father, desperate to deflect my attention, urged me to go have a shower, insisting that I looked tired. However, I refused to divert from seeking the truth.
"I could say the same for you, Dad. You look exhausted. Why don't you tell me? I'm not a seventeen-year-old," I demanded, my frustration boiling beneath the surface.
If Liam had, indeed, betrayed Leah, I wasn't going to let it slide. I felt a surge of anger that clenched my fists, and my blood pulsated with an intensity I hadn't experienced before.
This was a betrayal that cut deep, demanding a response beyond the ordinary.
I contemplated joining my mother in the impending confrontation with Liam, feeling an obligation to defend my sister against the heartbreak he had inflicted.
That piece of s**t.
"Are you guys going to beat him up or what? Will that change anything?" Leah's voice cut through the room, and I turned immediately, surprised by her unexpected humour in the face of such adversity.
Leaning on the door, her smile appeared more pained than cheerful. My heart ached, realizing she had been silently enduring this agony alone.
Why hadn't she confided in anyone? If she had, our family would have rallied around her. But ours was a family accustomed to concealing pain, silently enduring to shield others from potential hurt.
"I will make him pay," Mom threatened, her determination evident. Despite knowing she wouldn't necessarily prevail in a physical confrontation with him, I found myself supporting her.
"I will deal with this alone. I don't think I would find closure if I let you fight for me. I have been running from the truth for a month now, and I think it is time I face this," Leah declared, her words holding a weight of profound resignation.
I understood her sentiment, yet the anger within me yearned to confront Liam immediately, delivering a justice of my own.
My mom, ready to object, was halted by my dad, emphasizing the importance of respecting Leah's wishes. My mom sank onto the bed, her face hidden behind her palm, while my dad stood, silently watching her.
The room resonated with an unspoken agony, a heavy atmosphere of pain and sorrow that lingered in the air.
"Nice having you back, Aria," Leah said, enveloping me in a warm embrace.
I blinked back tears, holding her tightly, my jaw resting on her shoulders.
Leah, is such a sweet girl, the sweetest I've ever known. She didn't deserve this betrayal from Liam. He didn't deserve her, and he would undoubtedly regret his actions.
"You didn't say anything about beating up his ass after you confront him."
Leah's laughter filled the room, a genuine and relieving sound. I smiled, grateful that I could bring a moment of happiness to her.
Mom extended an invitation to Dad to join us for dinner, sensing that we all needed to support Leah. Ivy arrived home, surprised to see Leah back. The truth was hidden from her since no one could prevent Ivy from confronting Liam that night. She was prepared to make a scene, and despite my desire to join her, we needed to respect Leah's wishes.
However, this didn't mean Ivy wasn't suspicious. The next day, Mom was called to the station. CCTV footage from Liam's place caught Ivy using a steel pole to smash his car.
Leah mentioned not confronting him directly, but she didn't specify anything about taking a creative approach to his car, did she?
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Two days have passed since Leah's return, unaware of Ivy's car-smashing escapade. Liam, discovering Ivy's involvement, chose not to press charges, revealing his cowardice by avoiding the police station altogether.
Dad lingered at home, citing a lack of important engagements. His presence didn't irk Mom, and he mentioned leaving after a few more days. Our childhood memories lacked glimpses of Dad, a consequence of his perpetual busyness.
Immersed in work, he lost sight of what truly mattered – family. Eventually, Mom and Dad's marriage succumbed to the strain, leading to their divorce. The day Mom initiated the separation, silent tears marked her solitude.
Dad, too, bore the weight of a broken heart. Amidst the initial awkwardness, they learned to navigate a friendship, an endeavour challenging in the face of lingering love they both hesitated to acknowledge.
I lay on my bed, absorbed in the rhythmic dance of my pencil on the sketchbook. The design for a dress unfolded under my fingertips, each stroke a dance step in the creation of beauty. The door opened, and I looked up to see my sister waving at me. A smile painted itself on my face as I sat up.
"Thought you were sleeping," she said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed after closing the door. Her eyes fell on the sketch I'd been working on, and she reached for the sketchbook. Tracing the lines with her finger, she smiled, "It's beautiful."
"Thank you. I designed it with you in mind. I think it would suit you perfectly," I said, excitement gleaming in my eyes.
"Anything looks good on me," she teased, and I was delighted to see her brightening up over the past two days, even though she hadn't confronted Liam yet.
The room fell silent, and the weight of unspoken words lingered. Ever since the revelation of Liam's betrayal, everyone had been cautious with their words around me. Leah took a deep breath, her face shifting into a serious expression.
"I need to tell you something. Something Dad and Mom don't know," she confessed, rubbing her arm nervously.
A heavy tension filled the air, and my heart raced. Was there more to Liam's betrayal?
"I'm pregnant," Leah revealed.
My eyes widened, and emotions swirling within me. Confusion, anger, and concern. After a moment of stunned silence and locked gazes, I finally found my voice.
"Leah, I... I don't even know where to begin. How are you feeling about this? What do you want to do? Does he know about the baby?" I asked, my mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts.
Tears welled up in Leah's eyes as she confessed her vulnerability, "He doesn't know. I'm scared, Aria. I didn't expect any of this. I thought about divorcing Liam throughout the month, but now there's a baby on the way, I'm confused. I love him, but it's harder to stay in the relationship."
I crawled to my sister, enveloping her in a comforting hug as tears streamed down her face. "I've been enduring this for a year now. Kept telling myself I could bear it, but I couldn't."
Tears glistened in my eyes as I kissed her on the forehead, "I'm here for you, Leah. We'll figure this out together."
- Writer
