Secrets

"Your dad died because of black magic." Those words leave her mouth and I can't believe my ears.

What is she saying? She told me my dad died in a car accident when I was two years old? What is all this nonsense about black magic being the reason he died?

Is she just making this up because I got my powers back? Is she that scared of me that she would stoop to making up stories?

"Mom, what are you talking about? Dad died in a car accident when I was two remember?"

"No, he didn't. Your dad like you was born with black magic. And he lost his life because of it. The magic consumed him Layla. It completely turned him into a different person. A person I could hardly recognize as my own husband." She explains.

"You're lying!" I scream and the lights in her room start flickering.

"It's the truth Layla. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. That's why I'm worried about you. I already lost one person to black magic. I'm not ready to lose another." She says.

"I don't believe you. My dad died in a car accident when I was two years old. That's what happened and you can't change my mind!!" I scream and the top of my lungs and the lights are flickered faster.

"He told me he could handle it. He told me not to worry about him. He told me he had it under control, until he didn't." She says staring down at the picture.

"You keep saying he died of black magic, but you're not telling me exactly how he died. If what you're saying is true... what happened to him?" I ask her with a raise of my brows.

"The magic consumed him, he became power hungry. He started absorbing the powers from members of our coven. He wanted it all for himself. He had to be put down. He had to be stopped." She explains.

"Mom, what are you saying? Are you insinuating what I think you are? What do you mean you had to put him down??" The windows to her room bang open and cool breeze is rushing in, making the papers in her room fly haphazardly.

"Layla, you have to calm down." She motions toward me.

"So the coven killed him. They killed my father and you didn't do anything about it???!?" I scream at the top of my lungs, the lights still flickering, tears pooling in my eyes and wind blowing in through the windows.

"He killed two people from our coven! His eyes were completely black! The magic had completely taken over him. Your dad wasn't there anymore. So yes, we killed him, to protect the rest of the coven. If we hadn't stopped him that night, more lives than two would have been lost. And you have no idea how difficult it was for me! To come to the acceptance that my husband was gone. To come to the acceptance that you would have to grow up without a father." She yells back at me.

"You gave up on him!!" I scream at her. "You gave up on dad and decided to get rid of him. Will you get rid of me too? Will you decide I'm too much to handle and kill me too??" I ask her at the top of my voice.

Slap! I feel a sting on my jaw.

The lights stop flickering, the windows slam shut.

She slapped me. My mom who has never laid a hand on me before just slapped me.

Maybe I deserve it. I just said a lot of mean things to her. But she deserves it. She lied to me.

"Layla, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She tries to hug me but I quickly take a step back away from her.

"Don't touch me." I say and storm out of her room.

I run downstairs and I can hear her behind me screaming my name.

I stare at the front door and it opens up by itself, letting me walk through. When I'm outside it slams shut behind me.

I don't know where I'm going but I have to get out of that house and away from my mom.

Right now, all I feel is rage and pain and as angry as I am, I don't want to hurt my mom.

I run until I reach Kali's house. I stand outside and reach in my pocket for my phone.

Me : Can you come outside? I'm in front of your house.

In a few seconds he's outside. "It's 6p.m Layla, what are you doing-"

He cuts his sentence short when he sees my face and notices I've been crying and he immediately wraps his arms around me which only makes me let out even more tears.

He goes inside to grab his keys and he drives us to our favourite spot.

I tell him everything that just happened and we're sitting at the edge of the cliff now.

"Layla, gosh that's a lot." He says and opens up his arms to embrace me.

I sink into him and I don't ever want him to let me go. I just want to stay here with him all night. I don't want to go home.

I'm not mad at my mom anymore. I sort of understand why she had to keep it a secret from me but I just can't face her right now.

Not after all the horrible things I said to her. I can only imagine how hard it must've been for her.

"Do you think I'm going to end up like my dad?" I mumble

"I'm not gonna let anything like that ever happen to you. We're going to get through this together. You're stronger than you think Layla. So no, you're not going to end up like your dad. Not while your mom and I are around."

He assures me and holds me closer.

"I'm sorry." I say to him.

"What the hell are you apologising for? None of this is your fault." He states.

"Maybe, but I'm bothering you with it." I say

"If I can't help you with your problems, then what the fuck am I even your boyfriend for Layla? I'm here for you. I love you. And don't think for one second that you're bothering me with this. You're stuck with me forever, remember?"

He kisses me on the forehead and we stay on the cliff till I decide to go back home.

Kali called my mom to let her know I'm with him but I'm sure she's still worried.

Kali drives me home and walks me inside the house. My mom rushes from the living room at the sound of the door opening and covers me in a hug.

"Thank you Kali." She offers her gratitude.

"Call me if you need anything okay?" Kali says to me and exits the house.

"I'm sorry mom." I say to her tears pooling in my eyes.

"I'm sorry too." She says while hugging me.