Chapter song: Play This When I'm Gone

*****

It has been three days since Todd took Faith.

Melissa says she's doing all she can to get her back, but it's hard to believe her.

I've been getting by. It hasn't been easy. Everyday I feel like I'm going crazy, but I push on. I have to.

Dustin can tell something is wrong, but he hasn't pressed me. I can tell he wants to ask me what's going on but after almost shutting him out completely when he asked the first time, he doesn't seem to want to push his luck.

I'm driving myself crazy as I think about all the horrible things that could be happening to Faith. Todd is not a good man. He lies, he steals and he hurts. He will hurt her, even if she's his daughter. It's only a matter of time.

I barely hold it together when I see the school counselor approach me. I had done so well keeping her off my back but I've been spiraling the past few days and I don't know how much longer I can keep this facade up.

"How are you?" She asks me with a smile. I know it should feel reassuring but I want to throw up.

I shrug, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. She leads me to her office, telling me to sit down.

She passes me a pen and paper. "Your grades have been looking good. You haven't missed any more school either, that's great."

I nod again.

She continues. "There's only seven more weeks of school left. If you keep it up and miss no more classes, you will be able to walk across the stage with your peers."

To no one's surprise, I nod again.

She looks frustrated, but forces a smile on her face. "Have a good day. Remember, I'm always here if you ever need to talk."

******

"How are you feeling?" Melissa asks me when I enter the house. Why does everyone keep asking me that?

I shrug. I just want to lay down and cry.

She nods, sighing. "I got a hold of Todd today. I'm heading over to him in a few to talk." She looks hopeful but I don't feel the same.

I give her a lame thumbs up before retreating to my room. I scream into my pillow, needing to channel all this frustration. It barely helps and I hug my knees, crying silently. Eventually, I drift off to sleep.

The sound of a door slamming closed jolts me awake and I groggily rub my eyes to wake up faster.

I hear Melissa call my name and I relax slightly when I realize it's just her.

She looks frazzled, and is pacing the kitchen anxiously when I come down.

"I need to talk to you."

There's no sight of Faith and my heart plummets.

"I talked to Todd. Faith is okay, but he's not giving her back. Not willingly anyway, but that's not what I need to talk to you about." She takes a deep breath, her eyes brimmed with tears. "Please sit down." I do as she tells me, sitting at the counter. "It's about your parents. I-" her voice cracks. "You need to understand. I was- I'm- fuck!"

Melissa leans forward on the table, tears streaming down her face as she tries to calm herself down. I feel my heart race and my hands start to tremble.

What about my parents?

"I was in love with your father," she begins, her voice thick as she stares behind me. "It was impossible not to be. He was an amazing man. He saved me and my sister from our drug addict father and helped us get settled into our new life here." She takes a deep breath. "He never saw me that way. He only had eyes for Mia. He loved your mother with every fiber of his being. It was beautiful… and painful. It hurt so much to see the man I loved be in love with someone else. My sister, no less."

The more she talks, the more I'm filled with dread.

Where is she going with this?

"I-" her voice cracks again, but she pauses before continuing. "Years passed and I couldn't take it anymore. He had a beautiful family and I was sinking deeper into despair. I was battling my addiction, the loss of my husband and the trauma left by my father. When I finally told Henry how I felt about him, how I've loved him since the first day I saw him… he… he rejected me. I know I should have expected it, but it felt like my heart was being shattered all over again. I lost it. I thought… if I can't him… no one can. I was high, heartbroken and wounded." She looked me in the eyes, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. I'm the reason your parents are dead."