Everything that happened to me came back tenfold. A distant memory played infront of me as if it was just yesterday when I first got hit by them, my parents.

FLASHBACK

“Mom?” I called out, my voice echoing in the hallway. It was just last week that we buried my brother. It had been so tough to make this pain go away.

A moment past but no reply came. I made my way downstairs where the TV was on. Dad was probably watching the late news.

“Mom? Where are you?” I called out again. Looking through the living room, there was no one but the TV was on. Shrugging I made my way towards the kitchen.

Mom and Dad was there, holding each other. Mom’s shoulder was shaking from silent sob even Dad’s was shaking too. I hurriedly made my way towards them, wanting to comfort them but before I could touch, a cold voice stopped me.

“Stop right there, you worthless girl.” to say I was stunned would be an underestimation. The voice didn’t sound like my mom’s. She had a sweet voice, full of laughter and love, not this granite cold.

“Wh..Why would you say that, mom? Dad, look what..” suddenly dad was infront of me, a slap resonated in the cold kitchen. My cheek hurt from the impact of his slap. I went numb. I couldn’t understand what was happening. 

“You fucking useless girl. What wasn’t it you who died? You should have died that day, not my son Jasper. YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED.” Dad yelled at my face. I was shocked to my core, couldn’t comprehend why they were being mean. 

“If only it was you who died, things would have been perfect. Gosh why did you have to live and my baby boy, die? Why?” a sob broke through my mom, making dad hold her to his chest. 

“Shh, Megan. Its alright. We will make sure this shit knows the hurt we feel.” Dads eyes were trained on me, his face set in a sneer. Moms gazed fixed on me with so much hatred I didn’t know what to do. I was completely confused and at lost. Why were they being mean to me? Why would they say such thing?

“But..But I lost him too.” I whispered, my body going numb, my hand holding my left cheek.

Out of nowhere a fist connected with my stomach, making me fall on the floor. I crumpled in pain, silent tears flowing from my eyes. It was so painful, my sight blurred from the tears that kept coming and the kicks that kept getting worse.

“You worthless whore. All you have ever done is bring bad luck in our lives. Because of you I lost my son, because of you, we lost our home. When you were born, my husband lost his job, I lost my savings trying to get you out of my womb. I wanted to kill you then because I knew you were bad fucking luck but Jasper was so happy he got a baby sister that I couldn’t kill you with my bare hands. I wished I had killed you, I wished you died before I even gave birth to you. I wish you were dead you worthless girl.” 

Everything that came from her mouth pierced through my heart like a million knives. My body hurt, my heart hurt. Everything in my body hurt so much that I wanted it to end. 

I didn’t know how I passed the night nor did I understood whatever happened. What I knew was with the rising sun, nothing in my life was the same. Nothing will ever be the same neither would I. That first beating was just the start of this darkness and I didn’t know if I would make it out with my soul intact.”

FLASHBACK ENDS

I snapped out from the old memories and moved my gaze towards him. “How..How do you know this?” I croaked out. I was still frozen, my defenses up around him.

“i investigated you.”  Giant or Mr. James shrugged his shoulder as if investigating someone was his day time amusement.

“YOU WHAT?” I yelled, standing and coming to his face.

“ I Investigated you.” he spoke slowly, as if explaining to a daft person.

“I know what you mean, you ass but why would you? That is a breach of privacy. You have no right…”

“I had to know .” he cut me from completing my sentence.

“Why may I ask?” I was angry. This guy, whom I never met in my life was investigating me, finding things I didn’t want anyone else to find.

“That if you were Jasper’s baby sister.” His intense brown eyes were on me, adoration and regret flashing through them.

“I..I..How do..” gibberish was coming out of my mouth. 

Suddenly a pair of big hands went around my waist. My  head against his chest, tucked under his chin. James Dumas was hugging me and I didn’t know why.

“I am so damn sorry, Scarlet.” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

I was still stunned. Completely motionless. Nothing was making sense. Not as to why this Giant knew my dead brother, not why he knew about what happened with my parents and not as to why he was hugging me and saying sorry. Nothing made sense.

Moving back, I tried to break free from his hug but he didn’t let me. Rather he hugged me closer, “Let me go.” I struggled to free myself.

“No. You need to listen to me.” He was still tightly hugging me but it wasn’t painful. 

Using all the force I had, I pushed at his chest, freeing myself from him. “I don’t need to. I don’t know who you are or how you know my brother or about me, I don’t need to know.”I said, putting a good distance between us. This was totally insane.

He sighed, his shoulders sagging down, he sat down on the bench. I was still standing in front of him, my chest heaving from harsh breath. 

“We were all best friends. Jasper, Neil, Sebastian, Maverick, Lucas and me. All of us wanted to make it big, coming from shit, it was only Jasper’s and Lucas family that was normal. All the guys loved you like their little sister. Well mostly. When he was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, Jasper made us promise that we would look after his baby sister. He knew he didn’t have alot of time and somehow he knew you’d be alone. We were the best buddies but when he died, a part of us died too. Jasper was the center that made it easy. He made us a part of his family and I…Scarlet?”

I didn’t hear what he said. I didn’t know. There was a ringing in my ears that made me go numb. A sudden headache made me cry out in pain and bought me to my knees. Someone in the background cursed and before I could hit the ground, they hold me up.

I felt as if I was paralyzed, all my limbs felt like jelly.

Blackness crept in my vision and everything dimmed down.