The Mysterious Girl

Raven

I told the Grey’s about my case getting re-opened and they were so happy for me. They were even more willing to testify on my behalf because they said that I deserved to be given justice. I told them that they might need to take Hailey’s DNA and match it with mine and any of the three guys and they were quite supportive even though they were hesitant about it at the beginning.

“I knew that Chris was something else as soon as I saw him,” mum said and I smiled. She loved Chris at the moment and packed cookies for him for when I met him. I knew that she appreciated everything he did for me and she was willing to testify on my behalf since she played a huge role in helping me here in a new city.

I reached Sofia’s house and found her waiting outside her house for me. We ran into each other’s arms and cried. We missed each other and we knew it. We were the closest of siblings when everything was normal, so you can imagine how difficult it was for us when our parents didn’t let us talk.

“You look just the same but a bit more mature,” Sofia said wiping both hers and my tears and hugged me again. She took me inside her house and we sat in her living room. She hadn’t changed at all. She was still the mature one and I am surprised that she isn’t married yet.

“My case is re-opened Soph,” I say and she hugged me. I told her everything that has happened and how the case is re-opened and she was so happy for me.

“That is amazing and I will obviously testify for you,” she said and as soon as she said that I heard someone call her name really loud.

“Sofia Rex, whom are you testifying for?” I heard my mom and my body went stiff. I put Sofia into trouble because of me. I couldn’t see her, which meant that mom was in the kitchen.

“For Raven mom,” she said and I could imagine mom’s face going beet red out of anger.

“I do not want to hear her name in this house,” she said and it stung my hurt. Why did I expect her to love me?

“Mom, she is innocent,” Sofia said but mom laughed.

“She is lying to you. She is just a disgrace-,” I heard dad say and my mouth was hanging out open. They really hated me.

“Mom, dad calm down,” Sofia said trying to calm them down but they didn’t stop. She thought that getting me in front of them was going to help it but it made everything worse.

“What are you doing here in my house?” mom screamed and spilt her juice all over the floor and pointing her finger in my face. She moved away from me like I was some disease and that hurt me.

“I think we made it clear that we never wanted to see you. Are you back for more money after you spent the $25,000 I gave you? I knew it. You-,” dad started but he was interrupted by Sofia.

“SHUT UP!” Sofia screamed and both of them shut up. Sofia was usually the calm one who was always soft spoken and she never screamed at anyone, even her enemies and listening to her scream at mom and dad was surprising.

“The both of you just shut up. I have heard enough about you two bad mouthing my little sister not knowing what happened to her. I should have asked you to shut up 2 years ago when you first accused my Raven and I didn’t so now I am. You have no clue how much she went through,” Sofia said came in front of me.

“She was raped and was held hostage for all the time you thought that she was in Arizona with her older “boyfriend”,” Sofia said and their eyes went wild. They couldn’t believe it but since Sofia was telling it to them, they believed her. She told them the whole story and how I got pregnant and how they let me go.

“You abandoned me,” I say finally talking 10 minutes after Sofia stopped talking. This was the first time I was talking to them after 2 years.

“You never trusted me enough to know that I would never run away let alone with my “older boyfriend”,” I say not meeting any of their eyes. Sofia sat down because she looked exhausted from screaming at them.

“I know that I was never your favourite child and I know that you didn’t love me as much as you both loved Sofia but at least you could listen to my side of the story and support me. I was still a child who was scarred for her life for something she didn’t do while the people at fault are roaming around freely,” I say while sobbing. This brought back so many memories for me.

“I was left alone to fend for myself when I was 5 months pregnant with my rapist’s child and my parents thought that I was a disgrace to them when they didn’t know what actually happened. They kicked me out of the house, not thinking about how I would feed myself and my child. I had to work different jobs to pay for everything and thankfully I found someone who was willing to adopt my child irrespective of my past. I still work 2 jobs to pay off my bills and my college tuition while I have to attend lectures. I barely get 3-4 hours of sleep every day,” I say meeting their eyes but they couldn’t meet mine.

“You know how difficult it was to live with myself when my own parents didn’t want to help me through the worst time of my life? But you know what? I found someone who became a mother to me, who helped me when my own mother kicked me out of the house. She paid for my medicines. I found parents who would take lovely care of my child and I found a friend who decided to help me by re-opening my case,” I say and they met my eyes. They were surprised at my outburst.

“I am doing so much better without you now but there were times I wanted to end my suffering and pain. The only thing that stopped me from doing so was that I didn’t want to die as a guilty person when I wasn’t at fault. I want to be free from everything and I forgive you for all the pain that you caused me but I will never forget it,” I say turn towards Sofia.

“Sofia you are an aunt to Hailey Rex Grey, a baby girl who is 20 months old. My friend told me that she is an exact copy of me, so you can imagine the way she looks. Your niece is in a good place and I trust them,” I say and she hugs me.

“Here is the “letter” which you apparently sent,” she said handing out the letter and I put it in my bag.

“Sofia, I will call you and let you know about my trial and about when you can come. Thank you for everything you have done,” I say hugging her and she hugged me back.

“I brought this for the both of us, about a year ago when I went to London because it reminded me of you but I never got to give it to you, so here it is,” she said clasping a pendant of a bird and a flower around my neck with a chain and I noticed her wearing the same thing around hers.

“I will always protect you, help you and love you no matter what happens Ray,” she said kissing my forehead as my parents hung their head down in shame and I hugged her back.

“I have to go Soph, I have college to attend and a case to fight for,” I say hugging her one last time before walking out of the house and sitting in the cab where I was dropped off at the airport and I flew back to California to give the letter to Mike.