Warning ⚠️: childhood trauma, dysfunctional family, violence, blood, and angst

Leah's POV:

Since the day I was born, I have learned that the world I'm in is nothing but danger. I saw it through my eyes.

Outside, we're nothing but one big happy family...but they don't know what's really going on behind our oh-so perfect dollhouse family.

"You lying bastard!" My mom snapped, swinging the porcelain mug at my dad, who dodged quickly from the impact while backing away from her. Soon, I saw her snatching the glass vase, dumping a bouquet of peonies and white Lillies in the sink. She grips on the vase with flames flickering in her eyes and baring her teeth.

"Jane, please! Let's talk about-. Gah!" He hissed as a piece of glass from the glass vase that was hurled at him, scarred his cheek.

"Dad!!" My older sister, Pen, cried, shaken and teared up by the violent fight between the two while I stood behind her from a distance, cloaking myself in the dark corner where I was shuddering like a leaf and covering my mouth with my hands.

"You lying cheating bastard!!!" She roared, grabbing a glass cup from the dish rack and tossing it at my dad as he ducked from the impact. I too winced by the sound of broken glass exploding from cardboard to tile wall to the countertop.

"Damnit! Stop throwing things and listen to me!" He demanded.

"Why should I after I just saw a lipstick mark on your damn lips, huh?!" She snarled.

"Mom! Dad! Stop! Please!!!" Pen pleaded, scurrying to my mom as she claws her fingernails from behind, but my mom spun to her.

"Stay out of this Penelope!" She scolded, pushing my sister away as she fell to the floor and yelps.

Pen kneels down to the floor, letting out a wail.

"Stop! Stop it please! Aaaaaahhhh!!!" She bawled while kneeling in front of them, yet her pleads and cries go deaf ears as my mom grabs another glass cup from the dish rack and hurls it at him once again.

With glass and dishes tossed and shattered, my mom and dad snarling insults back and forth, and Pen's desperate cries booming in the kitchen, everything made my ears bleed yet my body froze and eyes dilated from the horror unfolding before me. I kept myself as hidden as possible, blending into the shadows like a patron watching a horror film, but this didn't surprise me. He had it coming.

Part of me thought this would be a one time thing. A lesson that I thought maybe this would make dad stop hurting me and us.

Yet this was merely an imaginary...an assumption...

And it never stops. This happens nearly every day where they would fight, kiss, and make up. Nothing but a mere routine. An endless cycle that reaches to the point where I've become numb to the violence, chaos, and the short-timing peace swirling in this house until I turned ten...

"Girls..." My mom uttered, intertwining her fingers as she bit her lower lip while we sat there waiting patiently for her to finish her sentence yet our anxiety and anticipation still wavered in our eyes. Our mom shut her eyes and heaved a sigh before she returned our gaze.

"There's going to be some changes here, and...your dad and I decided it'll be better for us to take care of you separately, meaning your dad we'll visit us everyday for now on." She informed. Both of us stood silently as we slowly progressed on what we just heard. As soon as I heard the word "separate", I felt a mixture of darkness that morphs into an odd sense of warmth in my chest that made me clench my fists against my thighs and lower my head.

That means I have to see him everyday. It's fine if he lives separately from us, but to visit us constantly? I don't think I can handle it. Yet...

I spun to Pen until I saw a teardrop landed on the glass table. I blink and lean over a bit to see more of her face. Her lips are quivering, nose sniffling, and one stammer uttered from her lips until she burst into tears. That look of hers pulled my heartstrings as I stared at her with pity. Even after everything that went down, she still loves dad...a bleeding heart she is, but that's why I adored her so much.

Hearing her sobs and remembering the promise we'd made together, I scoot closer to her and gently grasp her hand and lean my head to her shoulder as a way to reassure her that I'm here for her. Just like how she did to me when I picked on in school. Soon, I heard the chair scoot down and my mom's footsteps coming closer until her arms wrapped around us.

"It's okay, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine. You too, Leah. We'll pull through this." She reassured, caressing her head then mine. I laid my head on her shoulder while letting mom pet my head until I closed my eyes, succumbing to her comfort.

Even though I hate how my dad hurt me, Pen, and my mom, I decided to keep my hatred for him down to the drain during his visits or whenever he invites us out for fun activities every Saturday. Out of my head. Out of my mind. For the sake of my mom and Pen. All while keeping my distance far away from him. Yet...this hatred I tried to suppress gets worse and worse and worse as I entered middle school. Especially that night when he...he...forget it...it's nothing to worry about. Except for that one word that I can't fucking stand...

"Wait, what do you mean?"

I paused while rummaging my locker when I heard a girl's voice from afar.

"Huh? Didn't you get the hint? Get lost."

I scoffed quietly and rolled my eyes at what I've just heard.

Another unfortunate one...

I thought as I pulled my book bag to my shoulders, uninterested in their conversation while ignoring the snickering and murmurs from the crowd.

"B-But why!? I love you so much!" She confessed. I froze and clawed my locker door when she said that word. A word that made my skin crawl and twitch my right eyelid.

"Bahahaha! What is this? A shojo manga? Listen moron, you're just a challenge. I only go out with you cuz one of my friends made a bet. And you're an easy game. Hahahaha!!!"

"You jerk! You're an idiot! I gave my trust in you! To admit that I actually lo-. Eek!"

"What the fuck!?"

As soon as they heard a loud thud from the locker area, all the students gasped and twisted their heads at the sound of my locker door slamming harshly before they noticed me. I shuffled my way out of the locker room, fuming from that gross convo I just heard that I tried to suppress. All while haunted by my childhood memories of my mom and dad's fights and dad's infidelities.

This is why building walls is necessary so you won't get hurt. Emotions are fragile. It makes us easy targets for the eyes of the evils in the cruel world. Especially that disease called love. It's nothing but a danger to all people. So what did I do? Simple, concealing them into our hearts and blending in the shadows where no one can notice you. It's easier for me, silence gives me solace, tranquility pleases me. It's better this way...I don't mind being a wallflower.

...That is until I met him...

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"Ack! What the f-! Oof!!"

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"Oh my god!"

"Ah shit!"

"Somebody do something!!"

"Hey you! Get the hell off of him!"

As soon as he reaches his hand, a one quick glance had made the young man froze at his spot. His blue eyes were cold as ice, his brows furrowed together was undoubtedly fierce, his tall posture were terrifying like a raptor ready to pounce at his prey that made him quiver underneath his presence. Even the stains of blood on his fist and cheek made him intimidating.

"You oughta back up if you don't wanna die tonight. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

He growls before he spun and proceeds pummeling him to the ground. He then drops his knees and keeps on striking his fists right in the face causing blood to gush out from his nose.

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It was the night that I'll never forget. Partygoers were shrieking and frozen like crazy when this stranger was beating the shit out of this guy. Yet here I am, standing in the crowd of all people watching this guy, whom I talked for ten minutes, beating our douchebag classmate in a house party with a few bystanders including Penelope tried to separate them.

I remembered the emotions I felt when I first met him and how he looked. His buttery hair that shimmers under the dim lights, his cerulean eyes sparkles like blue topazes, his silky warm voice that puts my mind and heart into ease like a lullaby, his mole under his left eye made him alluring when his lips curled into a smile that oozes serenity and warmth. Yet there's this hint of darkness and danger that lurks behind his bright exterior that I can't seem to shake off.

It was either a blessing or a curse. Yet there's one thing I don't understand...

How could he be so kind to me, but so violent towards our dickhead classmate?

Now I think about it. I couldn't remember the last time someone in my age asked me so many questions about myself. He actually cared about what I had to say and then 10 minutes later almost beat him to death.

I can understand why he deserve it, but I wouldn't want him dead. Yet...this guy whom I just met, made me think about my life. I always knew how distant I was since I was a kid, but I never had the encourage to take action because of my parents. Even the aftermath of five years ago's night incident didn't change...

I shut down mentally and walked off, thinking it would be better not to get involved...

Because I'm scared of exposing myself...

Scared of getting hurt...to be let down...

Therefore, I must lock my heart from the world and blend myself in the shadows so I won't get hurt. It's the only thing that brings me peace. I don't care what people deemed me as.

A bystander...

A shadow...

A patron in a theater...

A wallflower...

But this guy came in and turned my life around after that one unforgettable night. A night that marks the beginning of my path after stumbling their secret. This is a story of how I, Leah Smith, entered the dark world of Greyscale City's infamous Raptors gang where I befriended and fell in love with the mysterious and dangerous lone wolf named Lachlan Franco...