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  “What the hell are you doing here?” Stephanie snapped. I was stunned and startled both by her tone and how she looked. She had a huge bruise starting to form around her neck and one that was forming on the side of her face. Stephanie had bandages around her left arm, both of her legs and as she shifted I could see some bandages across her stomach. She also had a split lip and most of her knuckles were bloody.

  “What happened to you?” I asked stunned and angry. I had a fairly good idea who had done this and I wasn’t the least bit happy.

  “Why would you care?” Stephanie replied angrily. I must’ve looked confused because she gave an exasperated sigh and shaded her eyes with her hand.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked completely confused and slightly irritated. “Of course I care about you.”

  “Then why did I have to learn who you were from Hayley and your Stepmother?” Stephanie questioned still furious. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were part of the Mafia?”

  “I was going to tell you tonight but then I got called away to handle some business and…” but Stephanie cut me off. “I don’t care because of you my entire family took a beating from their freaking goons. You didn’t even tell me that you were engaged to be married to Hayley, I had to learn that the hard way too.”

  “Wait a second I hate Hayley, why the hell would I be engaged to her?” I asked as the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. Hayley had been talking to Darcy on the phone at school. She had planned this whole thing from the beginning. Hayley was a spy for Darcy.

  “Don’t ask me ask your stepmother,” Stephanie muttered. “Now leave I have some things I need to attend to myself.”

  “Wait,” I said putting my foot in the door before it closed on me. “Stephanie I would never do anything to hurt you or your family, I was set up. Look if you don’t believe me I will find the evidence to prove that I was set up.” I took off my necklace and handed it to Stephanie, but she backed away from it.

  “It was my mothers’,” I commented. “She gave it to me shortly before she died. I just need you to watch it until I can find out what is going on, okay?”

  I saw that Stephanie was hesitant to take it. But I also saw that she was thinking about what I had said. She narrowed her eyes at me as she reached out to take the necklace. I dropped it into her hand and stepped away from the door.

  “I hate Hayley too, didn’t believe her story for a minute,” Stephanie muttered and then sighed. “You just have to figure out if what your stepmother says is true. But there is one thing I want to say before you go. The Mafia killed my mother and the police never found my father’s body. They left my mother alive just enough so that we could see her before she died.”

  “I’m not them,” I replied. “I didn’t even want to be part of the Mafia. I wanted to help my mother in her flower shop. I know it doesn’t sound right coming from me but that’s what I wanted to do.”

  “I sure hope you are right about being set up,” Stephanie sighed and shut the door. I was furious. I can’t believe that they would set me like that. Heck I didn’t even know that Hayley knew where they lived. I ground my teeth together and hopped on to my bike. I put my helmet on and floored it. I was going to find some answers one way or another.

  Chapter 17

  Stephanie Wilson

  Boston 7:03 pm Friday February 16th 2029

  I closed the door on Antonio. I felt betrayed and angry. I leaned against the door and tried to relax. He was part of the Mafia. I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming. I knew he was too good to be true, and yet I kind of hoped he was that good of a guy.

  I got up from the door and limped into the living room. There was blood everywhere and I’m happy to say not all of it was ours. I was going to have to clean it up relatively soon or it would stain the wood, the curtains, the couch and the walls. I sighed and went to the kitchen to get a wet rag to start cleaning off the blood that was on the walls. At least I wouldn’t have to go to school tomorrow so I could keep cleaning all through the night and then sleep for some of tomorrow.

  I was sore and stiff so it was difficult to go down on my knees or just to bend down period. But I got pretty much all of the blood off of the walls and the floor. The couch was going to be a problem. We had moved Alexander to Kevin’s bedroom before we were attack. They hadn’t bothered to look through the rest of the house. As soon as they spotted me they didn’t bother to leave the living room.

  I rubbed my neck where I had seen a little bit of bruising earlier. It was defiantly going to be much worse tomorrow. One of their goons had tried to strangle some answers out of me. I guess he didn’t know I was armed with a gun. I shot him in the arm at close range and he dropped me like a sack of hot potatoes.

  I smiled to myself as I remembered what had happened. I got a couple of those guys good, so did my brothers. Everyone was resting and after some arguing I finally got my mothers to bed too. I went to the hall closet and searched around for the bleach. I don’t even know why we have white couches but we do. I try not to have people bleed all over them but it gets difficult when you bring home wounded people every other week.

  I found the bleach at the back of the closet behind some linen’s. I grabbed it but it felt kind of light in my grasp. I shook it lightly there was still some in it but I would have to go shopping soon for some more. I closed the closet and went back out to the living room. I cleaned off the couch to the best of my ability but it was still kind of an off shade of white. As I cleaned the couches I thought about what Antonio had said to me and what I had said to him.

  My heart had left like it had dropped into my stomach when Darcy had said that Antonio was part of the Mafia. My heart still felt heavy but it had jumped in my chest when I saw Antonio again. Man, why did my life have to be so complicated? I think that I might’ve fallen for him just a little bit. But I couldn’t have, I had sworn to myself that I wouldn’t fall in love again.

  I sighed. I guess life likes to throw you curve balls every now and again to keep things interesting. Well I was getting kind of bored of just Hayley trying to kill me. Now I have the Mafia heating up my ass as well, just another day at the house of the poor and socially inept. I sighed again and finished cleaning up the couches. I was exhausted and sore from the fighting and the beatings.

  I walked unsteadily to me and my brother’s bedroom at the end of the hall. I opened the door and tried to be quiet as I made my way to my brother’s bed. Alexander was sleeping in my bed as he has been for a while. I laid down beside my brother, Kevin, and tried to catch some sleep. Kevin probably sensing my restlessness rolled over and put his arm around me before going back to sleep. I felt a bit more relaxed like that and soon exhaustion took over and I was out like a light.

  In the morning I could barely move. Opening my eyes was the only thing that didn’t seem to hurt. I moved my arm to try to hoist myself up into a sitting position but my arms were too sore to hold my weight, and I collapsed back on to the bed. I groaned and tried again, this time using my legs too. The best that I could do was to get into a sitting position. However I was leaning against the wall with my back so that was kind of cheating.

  Kevin wasn’t beside me and, when I looked over, Alexander wasn’t in my bed either. Now where could they have gone off to? I grunted and swung my legs off the side of the bed. I tried to stand but that was a mistake. I fell on to my face as my legs gave out from underneath me. I cursed and tried to get back up again. This time I actually stayed on my feet but pain was shooting through every fibre of my being.

  I slowly and carefully made my way out of the room and out to the kitchen. My mothers were sitting at the dining table drinking coffee but I still couldn’t find my brothers or Alexander. Jean had heard me and turned her eyes to me. Her eyes seemed to be sympathetic but her expression was concern and understanding.

  “They went out to get groceries dear,” Jean replied to my unasked question. “They didn’t want to wake you because they knew that you would be so
re.”

  I nodded and continued to walk toward the kitchen. I scrabbled around and made myself a tonic to help with the pain. It took me a little longer than it normally would but I got it made. Thankfully neither of my mothers offered their assistance. That would’ve just made me think that they thought that I was unable to take care of myself. I hated pity it was the one thing that drove me nuts. I would literally hit anybody who would show me pity when I was like this. I hated feeling pathetic too.

  I sighed and quickly drank the tonic. Its not that it tastes bad but there is a wicked after taste. I shuddered as I tasted the horrible after taste of the tonic. I put the cup in the sink and tried to walk to the living room. I laid down on the couch and tried to relax. I must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing I know is the bang of a door slamming shut. I lifted up my head and blinked the sleepiness out of my eyes. I looked toward where the sound had come from.

  “Sorry we didn’t mean to wake you up,” Kevin apologized and walked into the kitchen with a couple of grocery bags in hand. Anthony and Andrew smiled and then followed Kevin into the kitchen both carrying one grocery bag each. Alexander was standing just inside the door but he kept looking at his feet. He wouldn’t look up at me.

  “Alexander are you okay?” I asked and tried to sit up. I got to a position that was more comfortable before I looked up to Alexander.

  “Why are you asking me if I’m okay?” Alexander asked through what sounded like clenched teeth. “Why don’t you think about yourself for a change?”

  Why did Alexander sound angry? I was just asking if he was okay. I narrowed my eyes and sat up a little further.

  “What are you talking about, I am thinking about myself!” I replied angrily. No one ever talks to me like that and comes out without a scratch. The only thing that I could hear in his voice besides the anger was pity, and I hated pity.

  “If you don’t like what I’m doing then get lost,” I told Alexander.

  “Jeez you are way too up tight,” Alexander commented in a tone that would’ve had me on my feet in a second if I didn’t hurt so much. “You need to relax.”

  Alexander walked over to me but he wouldn’t look me in the eyes. I couldn’t tell what was in his eyes or what his expression was either. I was so confused by his voice and his body because they both said two different things. I didn’t like either of the things that they told me. I tried to move but Alexander was on me before I could get anywhere. He had me pinned in a couple seconds. I was about to yell at him to get off of me but he covered my mouth with his hand.

  “Hey isn’t this better then being with that Mafia bastard,” Alexander commented. “Besides you don’t even like him do you? He was just out of luck on that one.”

  I gave him my best confused look that I could in the position that I was in. I didn’t know what he was talking about but I wanted to keep him distracted so that I could figure out a way to get him off of me.

  “You didn’t know that he liked you?” Alexander said and then he started chuckling darkly. “Oh you are a cruel, cruel woman. But I kind of like that about you.”

  Then he started to lean closer to me. I got my opportunity. I used all of my weight and kicked straight up. Alexander groaned and rolled off of me and off of the couch. He landed on the floor holding his crotch.

  “Stay the hell away from me!” I yelled at Alexander as I tried to get to my feet. “Get the hell out of this house and don’t you dare come back here!”

  Everybody had rushed out of the kitchen and was just standing there in the doorway, gawking at the scene before them. I sat up quickly even though every muscle in my body was protesting against it. I was shaking not just because of the pain but also because of the anger coursing through me.

  Alexander slowly got to his feet and backed up toward the door. My brothers came out of their confused state and watch Alexander as he went out the front door. My mothers came over to make sure that I was ok. I tried to tell them that I was fine but they kept fussing over me. So I let them have at it, besides I kind of needed this after all I’ve been through the last couple of days.

  I relaxed and surrendered to my mothers. I let them lead me away but I didn’t go into their room like they wanted me to. I kept walking all the way to the room that I shared with my brother. I walked in and slammed the door shut behind me. I leaned against the door and let my head fall back and hit the door with a thud. I closed my eyes and slide down the door to the floor. I curled up with my knees against my chest and put my face down on my knees.

  I hadn’t expected to actually start crying. But when I opened my eyes and looked down at my pants I found that there was water blotches where my face had been. I smiled for half a second. I was really happy with him, really happy. I’ve never been like that before. Then I felt the smile fade and the tears well up in my eyes. I haven’t cried like this in a while either.

  I don’t know how long I sat there for but after a little while there was a knock at the door. I wiped my face and got up. I tried to put on my best face but it just felt false, so I let it drop as I opened the door. Kevin was on the other side of the door. He looked concerned but I could also see that he understood a bit of what I was going through. Just seeing that I almost started crying again but I was able to blink them back this time.

  “Hey are you okay?” Kevin asked. “Do you need someone to talk to?”

  “I’m not sure anymore,” I told Kevin and I hated it how my voice cracked with the threatening tears. I turned around and walked the two steps to the edge of my bed. I heard the door close and I could hear him come up behind me. But I don’t understand why I jumped when he put his arms around me.

  “Its okay, it’s okay to be confused and to be scared,” Kevin murmured, his voice vibrating against my neck. “You taught us that it was okay for us to be scared and confused. To not know which way is up and which way is down as long as we don’t lose sight of what is important to us.”

  “I taught you that?” I questioned doubtfully.

  Kevin spun me around so that he was hugging me against his chest before he replied, “Yes, you taught us a lot more than you give yourself credit for.”

  I laughed but I could feel the tears start to overflow from my eyes. I hugged Kevin back as I started to cry again. Kevin held me tighter and I could feel something plop down on my head from time to time. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who needed a good cry.

  I pulled away and smiled up at Kevin. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

  Chapter 18

  Antonio Caine

  Boston 9:37 am Saturday February 17th 2029

  I sat up slowly, my body aching from yesterday’s fight. I almost couldn’t remember what happened last night, but then it came back it a painful wave of memory. I rubbed my temples to try to ward off the headache that I could feel was coming. I still couldn’t believe what had happened. Darcy and Hayley had gone to Stephanie’s house, beat her and told her things probably some weren’t true. But the only one that was true was that I was part of the Mafia.

  I threw off the covers and swung my legs around so that they were off the bed. I got up and felt everything stiffen up and start to hurt. I walked stiffly to the bathroom, turned on the water for a bath and put a plug in the drain. I put the lid down on the toilet and sat there watching the tub fill up with water. I hadn’t even bothered to check the temperature, I just let it run. When I thought that there was enough water I shut off the tap and stripped.

  I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror but there were mostly just bruises on my body. I couldn’t look at myself for very long because I felt guilty and self-conscious of my faults. I stepped into the tub and felt the burn singe of the hot water. It felt kind of good and after a minute or two I completely submerged myself in the slicing-hot water. Everything except for my head was burning and stinging. I wasn’t that stupid or depressed that I’d stick my head in that hot water.

  After a couple of minutes it didn’t feel as bad as when I first got in. I relaxed
and leaned my head on the edge of the tub. When I had gotten home last night my father was yelling at me like a crazy man. Apparently Darcy had told him everything and when I tried to defend both her and myself I was sentenced to house arrest. At least until I was married to Hayley. I wonder what the punishment would be if I killed her?

  I lay in the bathtub for a couple more minutes before I washed up and got out. I didn’t feel as stiff when I got out but my legs were a bit wobbly. I grabbed the side of the tub for support. Once I had regained the feeling in my legs I grabbed a towel and dried myself off. I wrapped the towel around my waist and went to my room to get some clothes on.

  After I had gotten my pants on I heard a knock at the door. I walked over and pulled the door open. I was in a bad mood and I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Once I saw who was at the door I changed my mind. Sandy, one of Darcy’s younger cousins, was standing outside my door. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a pink long sleeve shirt and grey converse. Her hair was the same dirty blonde that it was when I saw her at the wedding four years ago, but it wasn’t the same length. It was a lot shorter than the last I had seen her. The last time her hair was past her shoulders but now it was up to her ears. I didn’t know what to say I was completely dumbfounded.

  “Hi,” Sandy said shyly and looked up at me. “Can I come in?”

  I nodded and stepped aside to let her pass. Sandy came in and sat down on my bed. She looked slightly panicked and scared but at the same time she looked calm and collected.

  “I’m guessing you didn’t come here to just say ‘hi’,” I commented coming to sit down beside her. Sandy smiled a little and chuckled nervously.

  “You got me,” Sandy said. “I didn’t come here to say hi, I came here to warn you.”

  “Warn me?” I questioned not sure I heard her right. “Warn me about what?”