forum Under The Painted Sky (O/O CLOSED)

Started March 18, 2019 by Deleted user

tune

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Ashley hummed in agreement. “Shh, Luke… She might wake up…”

Lucas nodded, running a hand through his hair again. He waited for Ashley to be done with her so he could see exactly how much damage she’d done to herself.

Ashley stepped back with a sigh after a few minutes and glanced over at Lucas. “Okay, love. I’m done and she’s covered,” she murmured softly.

Lucas pulled himself to feet and turned around to look at his sister. Razor had fallen asleep snuggled next to her, which warmed him up slightly. The cat had always been there for her. His eyes fell on her slightly exposed arm, catching the bandage Ashley had tied there. He gritted his teeth. When would she stop hurting herself and just ask for help? She needed it. It had been two years and she showed no signs of getting better.

Then Eden shifted in her sleep, face twisting into a pained one and let out a small whimper. Lucas’s eyes widened and he immediately reached out to grab her hand, hoping to give her some comfort. Her nightmares had always been so terrible. She hardly ever slept at night even if she wanted to in fear of facing them again. She never said that to him, but Lucas knew. Just before he could touch her, she opened her mouth and spoke, her words freezing him in his spot.

“Don’t go…” she whispered breathlessly in her sleep, a tear escaping her eyes, fists clenching. The pained expression was joined by a fearful one. “Don’t… let me go, Sterling… please…”

Ashley’s eyebrows immediately shot up at the words her friend murmured in her sleep, and she turned to Lucas. Her surprise was evident on her face, eyebrows raised, lips parted slightly, eyes wide. That answered their questions about Sterling, though. If she even wanted him in her nightmares, then the young man was doing something right…

Lucas stared at his sister in surprise. He could feel Ashley’s gaze on him, but he couldn’t look away from the sleeping Eden. How long had it been since she had wanted another male? How long had it been since she seemed human enough? Though he was a little disappointed she chose someone who had a notorious reputation for sleeping with women left and right… at least she was giving some emotions other than the usual coldness and occasional fear.

Then her eyes snapped open and she pulled herself up, blanket wrapped around her middle and looked at her bandaged self. Razor mewled in disapproval, but Eden merely fixed her gaze on her brother and best friend.

Her expression turned to absolute fury.

“You touched me,” her voice was cold, a tremor escaping her lips. ”Get out.”

---

Whether it was through punches or blades, or even her own nails, Eden liked the pain. It made her feel alive, made her numb to the wounds inside of her. It made her feel even a little bit human.

Perhaps that was because she was so used to it that it became second nature to feel it constantly. Every day, she had felt it. It became a part of her. Without it, she felt absolutely miserable. Without the pain, Eden knew she would have given up long ago. Eden knew she wouldn’t have gone this far. Revenge had just been a little oil to the fire. She couldn’t even touch the male who reduced her to this.

His cruel smile. His wicked laughter. His enchanting voice. Once, she had desired it. Desired him. Then the desire turned to absolute fear. It turned her into a puppet only there to please him. It left her as a lifeless doll.

Those hauntingly beautiful blue eyes disappeared from her vision and for the first time, she saw completely different ones.

Warm. Soft. Attentive, careful, gentle brown eyes. Fluffy hair, quirky smile, dorky behavior. A comfortable presence.

Eden reached out for him desperately, but he disappeared right just as she touched him. As it was always supposed to be. She saw him walking away, but it wasn’t just him anymore. She saw his shadow in place of the owner of those brown eyes.

”No. Don’t go,” she whispered desperately, her voice shaking. “Don’t… don’t let me go, Sterling… please…”

He didn’t turn around for her. It wasn’t like she hadn’t expected this, anyway.

Her eyes snapped open, wet from tears she didn’t know she had shed. She felt cold, bitter and she could feel the stinging pain all over her body.

Right. She’d hurt herself again. She always tried not to, but she did it, anyway. Then she noticed the bandages, the lack of clothing. Her heart nearly stopped. She slowly sat up, clutching her blanket around her and looked up to meet the eyes of her brother.

And the fire inside of her turned cold. He saw her like this. Saw her so weak, so miserable. He saw what she was behind the closed doors.

“You touched me…” she whispered, her voice accusing, though she knew he would never. Her eyes flickered to Ashley. ”Get out.”

Ashley winced at the ice in her voice. She met the other girl’s eyes, her own pleading for her to understand.

“Eden… He didn’t touch you. You know he didn’t,” she began softly. “We were worried about you, didn’t want the wounds to get infected. So I cleaned you up and wrapped bandages around you. That’s all. Please, Eden… Try to understand that for me…”

Eden gritted her teeth, feeling dizziness wash over her. Of course she knew Lucas hadn’t touched her. He never, not without her consent. She was far more furious over the fact that she had left herself so exposed. She should have locked the door. She should have been more careful.

The pain on Lucas’s face nearly broke her resolve. She couldn’t let that happen. So she kept her face cold.

“Out,” she repeated. “I didn’t ask for your help. I don’t need it. I don’t need your worry. I don’t care. Get out.”

“Eden…” Ashley’s voice held some of a warning this time as she looked own at her friend. “Lucas is your brother, your twin. I’m your best friend… You think you don’t need anyone or anything, but you know, deep down, that your wrong. You’re just too scared to admit it.”

With the hard but softly spoken words, she stepped out of the room. She didn’t look back, only made her way to Lucas’s room and collapsed onto his bed. With the door shut behind her, unlocked so that Lucas could come in at any time, she curled up in the bed and covered her mouth to muffle the sobs that escaped.

Her words were like ice cold water. Eden froze, her eyes wide, Ashley’s words running through her mind. Her hard words.

“She’s right, you know,” her brother’s voice interrupted her chain of thoughts. “You know you need help. You know you can’t do this alone. You aren’t even trying. You’re too scared to do it. But you know, you don’t have to do this alone. Ash and I are here. Mom and dad are, and we always will be. You just need to realize that.”

Eden unfroze, her eyes flickering to her brother’s again. They hardened once more.

“Get out,” she repeated for the third time. Lucas did so, shutting the door behind him. The second he did, Eden collapsed on the bed, curling up and letting the tears escape.

”You think you don’t need anyone or anything, but you know, deep down, that you’re wrong. You’re just too scared to admit it.”

Eden was furious. At Lucas, at herself, at Ashley. How dare they. When she needed them the most, they realized nothing. When she had been crying and screaming for help, nobody helped. And now they suddenly wanted to, when she didn’t any? Now they wanted to play the hero, when she could clearly walk on her own?

She didn’t need them. She didn’t need her mother, her father, Lucas, Ashley. She didn’t need Sterling. She didn’t need that monster.

She had herself. That was fine for her. Nothing to expect, nothing to defend but herself.

So why was there still a part of her screaming for help just like how it done two years ago?

---

Lucas entered his room and heard his girlfriend’s muffled sobs. His heart squeezed in his chest as he shut the door and crawled into bed with her, pulling her into his arms. He didn’t say anything. He just held her.

[Time skip: The next day]

Eden hadn’t been in any of the classes Sterling shared with her, and after yesterday, he was starting to get worried. He had no idea where she was or what she was doing, just that he had last seen her hurt and broken. And it scared him.

The girl got into fights because she said the pain felt good. If she thought that, then who knew what she would end up doing to herself? She could be seriously hurt, and he would have no way of knowing, except…

“Lucas!” Sterling called the name of her twin, having almost run into him. “Have I seen Eden? I haven’t seen her since yesterday, and she missed a test today. I’m… I’m starting to her really worried about her…”

Lucas stopped walking when he heard his name being called. Then Sterling continued and Lucas felt a spark of bitterness take over him. His sister, who had refused to let anyone touch her without her consent, had let another male, whom she didn’t even know very well, hold her. It was so frustrating knowing your own sister didn’t need you, but needed the presence of someone else.

But then again, it was a good thing. If he was around, then she’d get better. She had to, if she wanted him.

“She’s at home,” Lucas said slowly as if he didn’t want to be there, either. He couldn’t even miss school, either. He was the Student Council President. “She isn’t feeling very well, so she stayed home.”

Sterling let out a breath, nodding slowly in relief. “Good, good. I saw her yesterday, and… I don’t know what’s happened to her, but I wish I could do something to help her,” he sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his hair. “Will you let me know if she gets better? Please? I’m… worried about her…”

Lucas stared at Sterling, the relief that took over his face and he sighed, turning around fully to face him.

“I’ll let you know,” he finally responded. “What exactly happened to her yesterday? Do you know what triggered her?”

“I have no idea. I’m sorry. She just— We we’re taking a walk, and we had gone to this park near the elementary school. We had been swinging for a while before we decided to continue walking. And then once we had, something happened and she just sort of… snapped. She was trembling and obviously very, very frightened. She begged me to take her home, but she wouldn’t even let me touch her. So I walked a step behind her as we walked back to your apartment. And when we got here, she completely broke down. She cried, and when I tried to comfort her, she told me to leave. When insisted, she told me even more forcefully. So I did,” Sterling explained quietly, so that Lucas was the only one hearing him. “So I don’t know what has happened to her in the past, but I hope you can help her through it if she won’t let me.”

Lucas swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair in distress. She had been frightened—she had been crying. He only saw her doing that when she was having a nightmare, or when it was thundering. But she had been in pain from whatever that had happened—emotional pain—and that was why she hurt herself.

“She won’t let me help, either,” Lucas sighed. “Ash and I saw you both last weekend. You had her in your lap. She looked peaceful. I have never seen my sister look so peaceful before. And knowing her, she’s going to push you away because you make her feel at peace. That’s Eden for you, but Ash and I hope you remain persistent. There’s only so much we can do for her.”

Sterling nodded once, agreeing with him. “I had no idea you saw us, but… I’m glad you’re not upset about it,” he joked with a chuckle. “But I will. I will keep trying to help her the best that I can. I— I like her… a lot, Lucas. I just want you to know that, and that I’ll do anything to keep her safe and happy.”

He likes her. Sterling admitted to liking his sister. If he hadn’t seen them together that night, Lucas wouldn’t have believed him.

“I’m glad you think that, Sterling,” he said slowly. “But I swear to you, if my sister gets worse and you’re the cause for it, I won’t let it slide.”

“If she gets worse because of me, you have my full permission to beat the crap out of me,” Sterling muttered, his gaze serious.

“I don’t need your permission to do that,” Lucas responded with a shrug. “But it’s nice to know you care about her. Anyway, I’ll let you know how she’s feeling when I see her at home. You should get to class. You’ll be late.”

Sterling snorted and shook his head with a wry smile. “I’d like to see you try without my permission. By thank you. Will you… Would you mind just letting her know that I was asking about her? That I was worried for her?”

Lucas shot him an amused look before it melted into a serious expression.

“Yeah, I’ll let her know,” he replied, fixing his glasses on his nose. “But you should tell her that yourself, too, when you see her.”

“I will. Think she’ll be back by tomorrow? Or should I stop by later?” Sterling asked, shoving his hands into his back pockets.

“She’ll be back by tomorrow, though not for a reason we’d like,” Lucas winced. “But if she’s not, then you should see her.”

“Okay. Then I’ll catch you later, Lucas. Thank you,” Sterling said, fitting his grin back on his face. “Say hello to your girlfriend for me, too.”