Page 49 of Charming Violet

“Why?”

“So you can scream at your mum, this fucking town, and the world”

“Lan—"

I cut her off. “I know her words affected you. If you don’t scream or yell, and if you bottle it up, it will eat at you.”

At the lookout, I hold open the car door and offer her my hand.

She silently takes it and gets out, walking to the front of the car. I just watch her. I can see the hurt. It’s written all overface. After a few minutes she breaks her silence, with words I expected, with words I hate.

“She’s right. She’s a fucking bitch. But she’s right.”

“No, Letty, she’s not.”

She steps away from me. It hurts more than I’d like to admit.

“I’m not going to do this Letty. You know how we feel, and we know how you feel. Don’t let her words get to you.”

She sniffs in response. Holding back her sobs.

“I know you’re worried about what people will say, what people will think. But honestly, Letty, who the actual fuck cares what smallminded people will think?”

“Me Landon. Me.”

“Then we’ll leave.”

“We can’t. Maverick’s shop is here, you just found work, and I’m still studying”.

“What about Axel?” I half laugh out.

“He will find work wherever he goes.”

I take a step forward, praying she will let me in, and she does. She lets me wrap my arms around her as she buries her face in my chest and a gut-wrenching sob leaves her. Oh, my poor Letty. I think those comments coming from others she’d let go of but her own mother, she will hold on to it.

“Together, the four of us will face anything and everything,” I cup her chin, making her look at up me.

“I’m scared”

“I know, but you, this, us it’s worth the fight Letty, you’re ours.”

She’s smiling now “And you’re all mine”.

“Exactly.”

Her head falls back into my chest. And we stay like that silent, together, embracing one another. After I have no idea how much time, she looks up at me.

“Take me home?”

“Yeah. Come on.”

“Landon, I don’t mean Mum and Xavier’s”.

“I know Letty.”

She turns to face the lights of the town before taking in a deep breath and screaming out, “Fuck you. Fuck everything about you. Fuck!”

Axel