Page 10 of Visions of Darkness

That time, there was no keeping back the curse, and I gritted my teeth as I quietly swore beneath my breath, “God. Shit. Ugh.”

I blinked through it, knowing the toxins were bubbling up like a witch’s cauldron, which would be kind of hysterical if any of this was funny at all.

I nearly jumped out of my scarred skin when there was a light tapping at my door.

“Aria?” Mom’s voice echoed through the wood.

“Hey, Mom. What’s up?” I pushed out around the agony. I just hoped she couldn’t hear the tremoring in my voice.

“I just wanted to go over something with you really quick.” She jangled the knob, slowing when she realized it was locked.

“Aria?” I could hear the worry that instantly infiltrated her voice.

Crap.

One of my rules was I wasn’t allowed to have my door locked. They wanted to be able to check on me at any time.

“I’m just getting dressed. Give me a quick second.”

Frantic, I looked around my room, taking stock, before I quickly jumped into action. I twisted the cap back onto the peroxide before I tossed all the supplies into the shoebox and covered it with the lid. I shoved everything under my bed the best I could, then jumped to my feet.

I grabbed the soiled bandage and crammed it into my backpack, which was sitting open next to my dressing table, before ripping open a drawer and pulling out a sweatshirt. I didn’t bother taking the time to put on a bra before dragging the top over my head, then ripped off my yoga pants and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans. I shoved my feet into my Chucks, then flew over to the door, unlocked it, and whipped it open.

I was sure I looked unhinged, standing there with a giant, feigned grin plastered to my face while my heart careened in my chest and bashed against my ribs.

The fear that would hold me hostage until I was able to leave this house thundered through my veins.

I hated it—hated hiding from her. Hated hiding from this woman who so clearly adored me.

She stood in the hallway, taking me in with concern and caution and care.

But what other choice did I have?

“Hey, Mom,” I peeped. “Did you want to talk about something?”

I widened the door in invitation.

She stepped in, and her mouth tweaked up in a smile. “I was thinking on Saturday we’d go ice-skating. We haven’t done that in so long. The whole family. Then we can go to dinner at Margot’s after? It used to be your favorite. Would you like that?”

Affection pulled through my spirit. “Yeah, that sounds great.”

I only tensed a little as she edged deeper into my room, her gaze caressing over the drawings I had pinned all over my walls. Charcoals I’d done of my sister and brothers. Others of her and my dad. Ones of myself. Of different places in Albany and others I’d only seen pictures of that I hoped to visit one day.

The ones I’d once drawn of Tearsith and Pax had long since been taken down and destroyed.

But drawing? It had been the one hobby that had stuck. The one that truly was therapeutic. A part of me that had come to life.

“You are so talented,” she murmured in awe.

“Thank you.”

She peeked at me from over her shoulder. “I’m not just saying that. I hope once you graduate, you chase this, Aria. I hope you find joy in it. A purpose. That you share it with the world, because it is truly special.”

My heart clutched, fisting in the hope that she had for me. I swallowed around the thickness in my throat. “I would like that.”

Her mouth tipped in a small smile, and she’d started to turn when she froze.

Tension bound the air, and a stone sank to the pit of my stomach when I realized what she’d seen. Her attention locked onto my backpack where the flap had dropped open since I hadn’t taken the time to zip it.

---