Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 119 That Winter Night

So, I was ten that year.

It was a super late winter night, and my folks still weren't back. I couldn't fight off the sleepiness and crashed early, only to be jolted awake by some frantic knocking.

Half-asleep, I thought it was my parents, so I stumbled to the door. Instead, there were these two tall cops, snowflakes all over them.

I followed them out, shaking like a leaf. I had no clue what was going on, but their serious and kinda sad looks freaked me out.

The crash scene was a total mess. Even though it was crazy late, there were still a bunch of people around.

The truck's front was all smashed up, and the snow was littered with glass shards.

Someone was lying there in the bloody snow.

From a distance, I couldn't make out his face, but I knew that dark blue suit. It was my dad's.

I walked over to him, staring at his bloody face, refusing to believe he was gone.

It was all so brutal, like a bad dream.

I wished it was just a nightmare. I'd wake up in my cozy bed, hear the key in the lock, and run out to see my dad coming in.

Before shaking off the snow, he'd reach into his pocket, all mysterious, and say with a grin, "Emily, guess what Daddy got you?"

In my 26 years, I've seen all kinds of smiles, but my dad's was the warmest.

That winter night, I lost that smile forever.

The cops told me my dad was dead, and my mom was barely hanging on, taken away by an ambulance.

I just stood there, frozen, crying my eyes out.

The crowd was sympathetic. A kind lady handed me some fire paper and matches, saying I should light a candle where my dad passed to remember him. There was a kapok tree by the road. I lit the candle under it and accidentally burned my hand. The pain was so real, reminding me it wasn't a dream. Dad was gone, really gone, never coming back.

That winter night was a harsh line, ending all my happiness.

When dawn broke, I had to grow up overnight, and my life's script got totally rewritten.

This kapok tree was the same one from back then.

Now, everything's changed, but thinking about that night still hurt like hell.

I ran my hand over the now much thicker trunk and said, "My dad had his accident right here. I lit a candle for him under this tree to say goodbye." "Emily."

Jason's voice came from behind me, soft and choked up.

"I've had it rough all these years, probably 'cause I didn't have my dad around. I got bullied a lot. Dad would probably think I'm a total loser."

I hugged the tree, and all the bitterness just poured out. I couldn't hold it in and started bawling.

"I'm no better off than Faye. I have nothing, absolutely nothing."

"Who says you have nothing?" Jason suddenly grabbed my arm, all worked up.

down my face, I

down, his eyes gentle and full of

let me show you

and

road

than before. I could feel his urgency, and his fingers tapping the steering wheel showed he was nervous. We finally stopped at a place I didn't

at the entrance gave it away: Sunshine Elementary School, my old

like it

car lights and rolled

on the steering wheel, looking at the school gate with a slight smile, lost

girl who flunked a test 'cause she couldn't find her pencil. Turns out, her deskmate had it, but she didn't say anything. She cried all the way home, and it was super annoying, like a broken record. I hated walking with her 'cause it felt

at him, and the scene he described started

was annoying, but he had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his

her. In the summer, she always wore skirts, and I was always worried her skirt would get caught in the

and put it in a jar for her. When the butterfly died, she was sad for

lightly, trying to hold back

and laughing

was an even bigger fool who always lent me his umbrella when it rained, getting soaked himself and getting chewed out at home." "That big fool was super tall, had a smaller appetite than girls, and

nose was all stuffed up from crying, and

pulled out a tissue to wipe my tears and softened his voice. "Why are you crying? Do you hate me that much? Are you that heartbroken to see

from him, wiping my tears while

were the Jason I

"I thought it would be nice to get to

8th grade. After his family moved away from Broadway Alley, I never saw

for me a moment," Jason said and suddenly

returned with a tube of

he said,

my head,

in, his gaze falling

asked, feeling a bit

"Don't move," he said.

I felt a cool sensation on

happened to your neck?" he

I understood.

"It's nothing," I said.

even though

seemed to understand. He put down the ointment, still very close to

keep tolerating and retreating. Also, you don't have

moving slightly as if he was about to

subtle scent of his cologne was very

suddenly became very intimate, and then my

reached for my phone, and just as I saw the word "Honey" on the screen, Jason took

to answer and leaned back in his

me. I won't be sending her back

hadn't even processed what had happened by the time

a hint of anger,

turned off my phone and

But I think you don't want

back would just make things worse

my place or a hotel? Your choice," Jason suddenly