Chapter Three

I feel both mentally and physically drained when I drag my feet up our porch steps.

Even though all I want to do was collapse onto my bed and binge-watch Netflix, I find myself swapping my uniform for a pair of tights, a sports bra, my Nike crop top, and my runners.

As I begin to jog down my street, I try relentlessly to get my mind off of today's events.

I can't believe he's back, after all this time. It took so long for me to get over him and what he did to me. That night changed my entire life. Now, he's back and all those strong, overwhelming feelings I had before, are resurfacing.

Gritting my teeth, I focus on the cold wind hitting my face as I ran. I instantly regret not wearing a jacket over my crop top. I can see my breath in front of me as my body temperature is much higher than the chilly air around me.

I push myself to run harder. Soon, sweat was running down the back of my neck. My cheeks felt hot from exertion and my legs felt like jelly, by the time I retire back home.

By this point, Finn had finished football practice and mum is home from work.

I walk into the kitchen to see mum with her head in her hands and Finn rubbing her back soothingly. I take it, he just told her the news of the Devil's return. Or that he might be suspended.

"Oh Is," my mother sighs. "Is it true? He's back?"

"Satan himself has returned," I tell her sadly.

"What does he want?"

Finn meets my eyes and shakes his head.

"I guess he's living back with his dad now, I don't know," I tell her with a shrug.

My mother is such a gentle and kind-hearted person. She gets emotional way too easily, crying at the most little of things. She wipes at her eyes and I stare at her for a moment. I look-alike to my mum, except she has curly hair. Finn and I have adopted dad's straight hair.

She is a little shorter than me but we both have a small build and a petite waist.

Mum is dressed in a pair of high-waist black pants and a bright yellow shirt with glitter. She works at a primary school across town. She often wears bright, friendly colours and has insisted on painting our house just as bright and cheery as her classroom. I had to beg her not to paint the walls bright yellow, having settled on a mint green, instead. It doesn't look too bad with the design and furniture, but white would look nicer.

"I just hope he isn't back to cause any trouble," she sniffles. "He was always a little trouble maker." She flickers her eyes up to Finn. "You both were."

"Still is," I interject.

"Just let me know if he does anything to either of you," she tells me. "I am not letting anything happen to you guys. We've had enough loss for a lifetime."

"Ma, we can handle ourselves," Finn says to her, offering her a smile. He flashes his bruised knuckles. "Well, I'm big and strong. I know Issy is the weak one, but I can protect the both of us."

"Yeah right," I roll my eyes.

"Finn, I love that you are strong, but I don't want you getting in any more fights at school. I hate worrying about you every time you walk out the door."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just can't think straight when he's around," he sighs, instinctively flexing his fingers.

That makes two of us.

"You're lucky you didn't get suspended," mum frowns, casting a worried look on Finn. "Lucky Principal Harper has a soft spot for you, because of your football skills."

"It's my charm and good looks, as well," Finn boasts and I roll my eyes, making a face at his words.

"How about you go chill out for a bit, Ma?" Finn says to her. He is always so gentle and caring when it comes to our mum. He is a totally different person towards her. And me, sometimes, I suppose. If the girls at school saw him like this, they would swoon even more than they already do. "Is and I will cook tacos."

"Oh yum," I grin, not minding that I have to cook. We usually help mum out so it's no big deal. It's not easy for her to work full-time and raising two teenage kids, so we try to do as much as we can.

Before my dad had died, my mother was pregnant. We didn't know at the time, but after losing my dad, she had a miscarriage. The doctors said it could have been due to the tremendous grief we were all experiencing.

Not many people knew. Not even Miles. But we did and the weight of having lost a sibling hung around the house like a heavy burden. It was another reason to hate Miles. It was easy to blame him, especially when he wasn't here to defend himself. I think it was a coping mechanism we had all come up with to get through, even though he obviously did not cause the accident himself.

Now that he's back, it changes everything.

Finn and I launch into cooking dinner, both of us starving. I prepare the salad and was just setting the table when I feel my phone vibrate. While Finn is cooking the mince and dancing to the latest Justin Bieber song on the radio, I slip into the lounge room.

It is an unknown number.

"Hello, Isobel speaking," I answer cautiously.

I could hear faint breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" I repeat.

"I'm sorry," the voice whispers. "I'm so fucking sorry for what I did to you."

I draw in a sharp breath at the sound of Miles' voice. I sink onto the lounge, my heart galloping in my chest.

"Miles?" I ask quietly.

"You need to forgive me, Isobel," he whimpers and I felt my heart tug inside my chest. "I can't live, knowing you guys hate me this much. You guys are my family."

"Miles," I whisper, tears welling in my eyes.

"I'm sorry to call you... I just know I have no chance of getting you alone."

I wipe at my nose. "I have to go, I'm making dinner."

"Wait!" he says in a rush. "Wait."

"I'm here," I murmur.

"I... Missed you. A lot." he whispers and I press my hand to my chest. "Like so fucking much."

"Miles, you can't come back into my life after all this time, after what you've done and say things like that to me." I sniffle, tears rolling down my face. "You just can't. I have to go."

"Issy... Wait..."

I hang up, my fingers trembling. I hurry into the downstairs bathroom and hastily begin wiping at my eyes. Damn it. It's obvious I've been crying. I try washing my face but my eyes are puffy and my cheeks a burning red. My nose is acting like our kitchen sink tap and my hands won't stop shaking.

"Get a grip," I mutter to myself. "He's a liar. A bad, bad liar. Don't fall for it."

"Almost ready!" Finn calls out and I wipe my face off with a towel.

I stand there a little longer, wondering how he got my number so fast. I guess a few people had it. If it is one of Finn's friends, he would skin them alive. Unless it was one of my friends...

Letting out a steadying breath, I emerge from the bathroom, plastering a fake smile onto my face.

I'm going to pretend I'm okay otherwise my family will fall apart and I cannot live through that again.