Page 24 of A Second Chance

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I glare at her, feeling my heartbeat against my chest. "He wasmybrother, not yours. You never made any attempts to be part of our family. So stop with the theatrics,sister."

"Scar, come on…" That was Gemma, her hand on my arm.

"No. Do you want to do this now? Fine. Let's do this right fucking now." I yank my arm away from Gem and turn to face Skylar.

"How do you always make this about you? Where were you when he came home so drunk that I had to clean up his vomit and stay up all night to ensure he was still breathing in the morning?"

"Scar..." The crack in Maverick's voice can’t stop me from saying the things I have kept locked up for so long. All to keep peace in the family.

Fuck that. Not anymore.

"Where were you whenourfather broke his fucking heart, and I held him while he cried, begging me to give him something to relieve the pain? Where were you when I was going throughmyshit?" I forcefully wipe the tears from my face.

"That's right. You were too busy begging Daddy for his attention and too stuck in your vanity world to give two shits about anyone other than yourself," I spit venomously.

"That's not fair," she whispers, lips trembling.

I feel bad for her for a second, but it is instantly gone when I think about how she made our lives hell. She treated me like a disease, someone not worth her time, whenever I lost myself in one of my episodes. She never acted like a big sister, someone who looked after me, cared about me, and spent time with me because she wanted to, not just to make an impression on dear old Dad.

"No, do you know what's not fair? You were too wrapped up in yourself to care about anyone else. We were nothing to you. Seth is not your brother; he ismybrother. You made that very fucking clear since the first day we met you." I put my hand to my chest. "So, fuck. You. Skylar." Then I turn to face Maverick. "And fuck you."

The painful look on his face does nothing to me. Not anymore. He made his bed the moment he chose her.

Instead of waiting for a response, I stand up and start to leave, but not before Skylar digs the knife deeper into my heart.

"Mav and I are having a baby."

"Jesus, Skylar," Maverick mutters.

It feels as though the world has come to a standstill. I shut my eyes, wishing I could disappear into thin air.

She's takeneverythingfrom me.

My father.

My brother.

My best friend.

My best friend and protector are gone.

I hold back the painful sob, waiting for release. "Congrats," I say without emotion and walk away without looking back.

My soul was once full of light and is now filled with darkness.

* * *

Maverick

Isit three rows behind Scar with my eyes fixed on the urn at the front of the room. I’m still struggling to come to terms with losing my best friend.

As the service goes on, I feel my emotions building inside. Seth was my best friend for years, and we shared many good times. I can’t bear the thought of never seeing him again. Seth, who graduated college with honors, had always been passionate about pursuing a career as a physiatrist to help those battling a mental illness that occupies their body and disturbs their daily lives, like Scar. It tears me apart knowing he won’t be able to make a difference in other people’s lives the way he had with her.

Suddenly, I notice Seth’s mentor, Coach Knox, standing up to give his eulogy. As he begins to speak, I watch as Scar's parents break down in tears. I see my reflection in their grief, and my heart begins to ache even more.

But then something unexpected happens. As Coach speaks about Seth's life and his impact on those around him, Scar's facade begins to crumble. The tough exterior she always presents to the world falls apart, and the raw pain of Seth's loss is laid bare for all to see.

As the service draws to a close, I approach Scar, but she flees before I can reach her. Instead, I go to her parents.

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