Alexandrea's P.O.V

"Hey, are you okay?" Eli asked as he followed me outside after my rant. I would have left but I came with Eli's car so I couldn't. I rested on the side of his car with my arms folded across my chest.

"Yeah" I said with a straight face.

"Look, I'm sorry for the way my parents are-"

"Don't apologize for what's not your fault and besides, I don't want to talk about it. I just want to go home" I said and smiled a little as I walked to the passenger side and reached for the handle. Eli opened the door before I could and I smiled at him then entered. He jogged to the driver's side and slid in.

The car ride was silent and I kept on glancing at him from time to time as he was focused on the road. Should I just tell him now? No! Wrong timing! Jeez, he's so cute! Maybe I should.....NO!

"You just can't get over how hot I am right?" He smirked as he shot me teasing look.

"Huh?!" I said, confused.

"You were staring so I'm guessing you can't get over how hot I am" he explained and my eyes widened as my cheeks burned in embarrassment.

"Wha- I-I wasn't staring" Seriously Alex?! That's what you could come up with?!

"Sure....." He dragged and I rolled my eyes at him. "But you can't deny the fact that I'm hot, can you?" He grins and my heart melted. How could a grin be so beautiful!!

"You're so ugly, you make me want to bawl my eyes out" I roll my eyes. As if! That's the exact opposite of how you look. Jeez! What's wrong with me?

"Yeah sure! I totally believe you" he says sarcastically and I jab him in the side. "So I was wondering if we could give the date another try? I mean if you would like?" He says with complete focus on the road as the tip of his ears turned pink.

I blushed and bit my lower lip "I don't know...." I didn't inform my mom that I was coming home late and Bex wanted to tell me how her date went so I can't do it today even if I really want to.

"It's fine if you don't want to, I just wanted to make it up to you for missing our date" he said still focused on the road as he drove on.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just not planned. Maybe this Friday?" I suggested and he frowned a bit.

"I'm kind of busy this Friday...."he said trailing off.

"Oh" I said, frowning "Saturday?" I asked again hoping he'll be free.

"Okay, Saturday it is" be said and I smiled widely. We arrived at my house and he parked.

"I'm really sorry for today, it didn't turn out how I planned it to be" he apologized facing me in his seat and I placed my hand on his.

"Hey! It's okay!" I smiled and he nodded. I didn't want to but I asked anyway, "Do you want to come inside?" I asked hopefully.

"Right now?" He asked, a little surprised.

"You know what? Nevermind-"

"I'd love to" He cut me off and he got down then jogged to my side to open the door for me. I muttered a 'thank you' as I got down from his car.

We walked side by side to the door and I knocked because I didn't take my keys with me.

"Coming!" I heard from inside the house before my mom opened the door while wiping her hands with a hand towel and in and apron over her purple jersey and black jeans.

"Hello, you must be Nick, Come in" my mom smiled and my eyeballs almost popped out of my eyes as Eli walkies in giving my mom a confused look.

"It's Eli, mom" I corrected.

"Good evening ma'am" Eli smiled.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry for that! I thought you were Nick" My mom apologize as she closed the door. "Please sit" she said and Eli sat down on the couch as I went up the stairs leaving him with my mom. He shot me a panicked look when I was leaving but I just smirked at him evilly. It would serve as payback for standing me up at the date the other day.

I went up the stairs and took a shower then after that, I changed into a long sleeve Chelsea Jersey and green sweats. I dried my wet hair and put it in a messy braid as I walked down the stairs and I saw my mom and Eli talking. I was curious of what they were saying because they both have serious looks on their faces so I walked over to them.

"Hey!" I interrupted and plopped on the couch beside Eli startling the two of them.

"Alex, are you okay?" Eli suddenly asked and I furrowed my eyebrows because I was confused.

"Yeah! I'm fine, why?" I asked wondering why he suddenly asked.

"I'm going to leave the two of you now. Eli, are you staying for dinner?" My mom asked standing up.

"I'm afraid,I can't. Maybe some other time" Eli said politely and my mom nodded, smiled then left.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him, feeling left out and confused.

"I talked to your mom and she told me some things" He said. Did Mom tell him about my nightmares? And my sleepless nights?

"What things?" I asked and my voice laced with a bit of anger.

"You haven't been sleeping lately and something happened in the past that is affecting you and you don't want to see a therapist. She didn't tell me what happened though. So are you okay?" He said worriedly. My palm curved into a fist and my nails dug deep in my palm as I tried to control my anger. How could she? She doesn't even know if I trust him yet and she just willingly spilled it all to him? Did she even ask for my permission or if I wanted him to know?

"I'm fine, I don't need a therapist" I said as calmly as I could. His eyes raked my face searching to see if I was saying the truth but I just looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"Stop hurting yourself, you need to see a therapist. It'll just keep coming back if you don't speak to one" he said and placed his hands on mine. I jerked my hand away from his and felt tears pricking the corner of my eyes.

"I don't need a therapist!!! I don't need anyone to remind me of anything!! I just want to forget!! How hard is that for all of you to understand?! Just leave me the fuck alone!!" I yelled and my mom rushed out of the kitchen.

"Is everything alright?" She asked as she sensed something was wrong.

"I think you need to leave" I said to Eli as I stared at the wall and refusing to look at him.

"Alex, I-" Eli started

"Leave!!" I said louder, cutting him off.

He gave my mom a glance and she nodded at him before going out the door and shutting it behind him.

"You shouldn't have done that!" I said to my mom still staring at the wall.

"You needed help! And besides I didn't tell him the whole story" My mom said and I looked at her.

"Really mom? Did you even have to tell him anything at all?" I said with a shaky voice. Why do we always fight about this? It's all his fault! And mine of course!

"I just wanted to help you. I wanted to see if he could talk you into talking to a therapist about what's going on!"She said as she walked closer to me.

"Why do we always fight about this? Why did he do this? Why is he like this? Mom, please tell me, why?" I said as I broke down and sat on the couch. She sat beside me and hugged me as I cried.

"It's okay sweetie, everything will be fine" she whispered as she rubbed my back. I pulled away from her and wiped the tears.

"But it's never fine! Why would a father do such things to his blood daughter! Why would he?" I said and I saw my mom looking at me hesitantly. She looked like she wanted to say something but she is deciding whether she should or not.

"Mom?" I said and she bit her lip nervously.

"Alex, actually he-" My phone ringing cut her off as I checked the caller's ID.

"Sorry, it's Bex" I said to my mom and she nodded as I stood up to receive the call " Hey!"

"Hey Alex! I'm coming over with Zoey so I can tell you what I wanted to, you know about Luke" She said and I could hear her brother yelling at her in the background although I didn't hear what he said.

"Yeah! Buy ice cream when you're coming!" I said

"No! You're on your strawberry week so no ice cream. I can't bear you going all grumpy on me" she said and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. Well just bring something I can eat!" I said.

"Oh my God Kevin! What's your problem! Yes?-Well..-what do you want me to do?- I don't- Then tell her no!- That's your problem- I don't care- Just leave my room- Mom!!- Stupid!" She said and I already guessed it was her brother, Kevin. "Sorry about that, and yeah I'll bring chocolate chips! And I'll tell Zoey to bring something too! Gotta go, bye!" She said.

"Bye" I said back and hung up. I smiled as I remembered how Bex and I first met. I just moved to a new city with my Mom and Dad in the year I was going to clock five and she happened to be my neighbor. I was grumpy because I had to leave all my friends and classmates. Bex's mom invited us for dinner and we ate as our parents chatted.

We kept giving each other glances but we never talked till it was time for dessert. Bex's mom bought apple pie for dessert and told Bex and I to go get it. As soon as we saw the apple pie on the slab in the kitchen, we looked at each other then looked at the apple pie. Before I knew it, she was running towards the apple pie and so was I, our hands landed on the apple pie at the same time and we started to struggle with it. In the process, the apple pie flipped over and landed on the ground, messed up. She glared at me and started pulling my hair as I did the same for her. We scratched each other's faces and pulled each other's hair as we fought.

My mom and Bex's Mom eventually came to stop the fight as we glared at each other. Since then, we attended the same school and would fight over virtually every thing. We moved to another city which is this present one and a week later, Bex moved too but to a different part of the city. I still don't remember how we became friends but all I know is that I'm glad I met her.

I walked back to the sitting room and my mom's eyes snapped at me, shining with regret and sadness. I furrowed my eyebrows and plopped beside her.

"Mom?" I called and she gave me a sad smile.

"There's something you need to know" she said with hesitation and I became more confused. Is she pregnant? Or she has another boyfriend? Or are we moving?

"What is it?" I asked smiling at her. What she said next shocked me so much my smile dropped and my chest tightened.

"Your Dad is not your real Dad" She said. What is she saying? The man in prison? The man that ruined my life? The man in my nightmares? The man I wish to never see again who's last name is the colour of his heart? Axel Black?

"Axel Black is not your biological father"

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Writer: Hello sweethearts,

Wasn't expecting that were you? I bet you weren't! Hahahh!

Thank you all so much!! Broken has reached over 2.6k reads and over 950votes!!!!!!!!!

Thank you TheStyleAwards for the lovely cover above!!

Alex: *sips lemon juice* lemon juice is the best!

Eli: *sips lemon juice too* I agree!

Nick: *sips strawberry juice* your taste buds are not working! Strawberry is obviously the best!

Eli: *narrows eyes* Even the readers agree with me! No one likes strawberry juice!

Writer: okay! Enough!

Nick: Writer! I don't see my part in this chapter anywhere....

Writer: So?

Nick: why is that?

Writer: *snaps fingers as Nick and Eli disappears* *faces audience and grins* Don't forget to vote, comment and-

Nick: *appears and winks as part of the audience faints* -follow. Enjoy! *Disappears*

Writer: *eye twitches and counts 1 to 10 backwards then brings out a sledgehammer* *snaps fingers and Nick appears*

Nick: We can sort this out without a sledgehammer so why don't you drop it ....

Writer: *starts chasing Nick with the sledgehammer*
23/07/2020