"I'm back," I said, walking in.
"Testimony, oh my, where were you? I was worried sick about you!" Mrs. Broncos exclaimed, pulling me into a warm hug that felt like it could shield me from the entire world.
"Uhmm, I'm sorry. I was about to call you, but a friend called me," I explained, my eyes locking onto Ashly as she glided down the stairs. Her gaze was sharp, suspicion cutting into me like a blade. I felt a surge of anger building in my chest. How dare she accuse him of something he never did? I need answers, and I need them now.
"At least you should call and say you'll be home late. You got us really worried," Mrs. Broncos scolded gently, worry etched into every line of her face.
"Sorry, it won't happen again," I whispered, my voice soft. She nodded, brushing a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Your dad is at work; he'll be back later."
I made my way upstairs to my room, the tension in the house tightening with every step. Ashly leaned close, her voice dripping with malice as she whispered, "Friends, huh? Was that friend Slavvy?" I rolled my eyes, my patience thinning.
"Maybe," I replied curtly, walking into my room and closing the door behind me, my chest rising and falling as I tried to settle the storm of emotions inside me.
My eyes felt heavy, exhaustion pressing down, and a huge yawn escaped me. I collapsed onto my bed, but then my phone pinged a message from Slavvy. My lips curled into a small, exhausted smile despite the tension still crawling under my skin.
"Missing you already," I read, a silly warmth spreading across my face as I rolled onto my side, gazing at the message.
"Miss you too," I sent back, the words barely a whisper, yet carrying the weight of my heart.
"Wanna go somewhere with me tomorrow?" Slavvy asked.
I swallowed hard. "What!! Tomorrow is school—"
Wait. I have cancer; what does it matter anyway? I deleted the message in a rush of conflicted feelings.
"Yeah, sure, but where?" I typed instead, curiosity mixed with a fragile hope.
"You'll see," Slavvy teased, and I felt a flutter, tension easing into something softer, yet still burning hot with anticipation.
...
"Testimony, dinner is ready!!" Mrs. Broncos yelled, her voice echoing through the house, pulling me from the haze of my thoughts. When did I even fall asleep?
I picked up my phone and froze. I had accidentally left Slavvy on "seen." Panic clawed at my chest. Oh no.
"Sorry I fell asleep," I typed quickly, my fingers trembling.
"Testimony!" Mrs. Broncos called again, sharper this time.
"Coming!" I replied, flinging my phone onto the bed and walking downstairs, my movements slow, weighed down by lingering tension.
The dinner table was a battlefield of emotions, though the plates were neatly arranged. Food sat before me, untouched. My appetite had abandoned me, leaving only the knot of anger, worry, and fear twisting in my chest. Mrs. Broncos began clearing the dishes, the clatter echoing in my mind.
"I'll wash them," I offered, and a smile of relief crossed her face.
As I scrubbed and rinsed, Micheal entered the room. Silence fell like a thick fog, pressing on my chest.
"Hey," he said finally, his voice hesitant, breaking the tension.
"Hey," I replied, uncomfortable.
It was the first time we'd exchanged words since my arrival.
Micheal cleared his throat. "Uhmm, I'm sorry... Sorry, Micheal and I have been so cold and rude to you. The thing is, personally, I think you didn't want anything to do with this family; you just didn't have a choice. So, me and my brother decided to give you some space, and that was really dumb and stupid of us. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I understand," I lied softly, my voice calm but my chest still tight with emotion.
Micheal extended his hand, a fragile attempt at reconciliation. "Friends?"
"Friends," I smiled politely, tension still simmering beneath the surface.
As Micheal exited, Ashly entered, her eyes sharp as daggers, her lips curling with venom as she poured herself a glass of water.
"You really have fallen for him, haven't you?" she said, her voice cold, testing me. I didn't respond, keeping my silence like armor.
"Tess, I'm giving you all warnings, yet you still carry on. Stay silent."
I remained still, my gaze fixed, refusing to give her the satisfaction.
"I'm talking to you!" she barked, her frustration bubbling, anger lining her words.
I met her gaze, unflinching, and let my raw emotion speak. My chest heaving, my heart pounding, I delivered my truth like a gunshot. "Look, I don't care if he's using me or not, and I don't care what you or anybody has to say about him. I love him very much, and there's nothing nobody can say to change my mind."
"He's going to break your heart," she warned, venom still dripping.
"Like how you broke his?" I snapped, fury rising like wildfire.
"I broke his heart? What are you talking about?" Ashly's voice faltered, confusion etched deep across her face.
"Slavvy told me everything, and when I say everything, I mean every single detail. I can't believe you'd do such a thing. You disgust me," I spat, venom and hurt mingling, eyes burning holes into hers.
I clicked my tongue sharply and turned, walking away. But she blocked my path, frustration and desperation twisting her face.
"And, of course, you believed his lies."
"He wasn't lying, Ash. You are. And I feel sorry for you, because the day the truth comes out, it's going to feel like the world hates you. But it's the consequences of your own actions," I snapped, voice low and lethal, each word a strike.
I stormed to my room, slamming the door behind me, my hands trembling, chest constricting.
I got onto my bed, trying to draw deep, steady breaths, but the air seemed too thin. Panic clawed at me, squeezing my lungs, sending my heart into a chaotic rhythm. My hands shook violently as thoughts of death whispered through my mind.
"No, no, not anxiety. I hate this very much," I whispered, desperation threading my voice.
I'm okay. I'm okay. In Jesus' name. I repeated it like a lifeline, but the tighter I gripped at it, the more suffocating the pressure became.
Dad… I thought to reach out, hesitated. No. I can't. I'm okay. I'm okay.
Breathless, I sank to the floor, tears streaming freely as my body shook. "Lord, I don't understand why I have panic attacks and anxiety when I pray or try to seek you. Please forgive me if I did anything wrong," I sobbed, my voice cracking under the weight of fear.
Images of punishment flickered through my mind. Desperation clawed at me, urging me to call Slavvy, but I second-guessed it. My hands hovered over the phone before dropping it.
I walked to the bathroom to drink water, then returned to collapse on my bed, trying to breathe through the heaviness. Minutes passed, the suffocating pressure slowly easing, though my breaths were still short, uneven.
I cried myself into a fragile, exhausted sleep, my body trembling, my heart pounding, every emotion raw and undiluted.