HEALING FROM YOU

CHAPTER 4

“The Atacama Desert.”

Avi murmured indirectly conveying to her mom that she was not excited but Margaret reacted as if her daughter just said Disney Land. She already learned where they will go and even noticed Avi’s neutrality, but elected to turn a blind eye on it.

“Wow… that’s so cool. I wish we had trips like this back then.”

Ben realized what she was suggesting and sided with her. He too wants her best buddy to be out of the misery.

“It’s great, Aunt Marg. The whole high school is going and today is the last date to pay for the trip.”

Another trap and Avi sensed it but kept mum. Instead of sensing the unusual calmness in Avi, Ben and Marg took it as an excellent signal. They rambled about the exclusive features of the Atacama Desert and how entertaining it would be to visit there with friends until Charisma, Avi’s younger sister, invaded the kitchen accompanied by their dad.

“Good morning sweet heart.”

Marg said to her spouse while he patted Ben’s head as an acknowledgement. Daniel sat in his chair and noticed Avi’s serious face.

“What’s with her?”

He inquired after taking a morsel of the delicious pancake and luxuriating in the taste. Charisma as usual headed for the cereals and took her spot near to Benjamin, who offered her a wide grin. Benjamin was a brother to her the same way as Aidan and Bryan was. And he had the liberation to scold her, just like how her brothers do.

“We were just chatting about their school trip. Today is the last day to pay.”

Margaret filled in for her husband. Daniel smiled at everyone, specifically at Avi, and announced,

“Her teacher called me day before yesterday.”

His statement was simple, but it was a strike for Avi. Even Benjamin looked shocked.

“And???” 

Margaret dragged her ‘and’ as if expecting for bad news.

“She informed me Aviana was the only one not attending the trip, and she needs to know what the reason was.”

He spoke looking all relaxed about it. Benjamin, noticing that the facade was crumbling, looked at Marg in panic. Margaret caught the expression and felt pity for the poor boy. After all, he was merely trying to help his friend.

“Don’t feel bad, sweetie. You did no wrong.”

She said while taking Ben’s hand and giving it a slight squeeze. He, instead of looking at Marg, turned his gaze to Avi. She was strangely holding the fork and literally stabbed the food. He perceived something was wrong about her but did not bring up the topic.

“I told her teacher she is coming and already paid for the trip. You know Marg they are visiting Piedras Rojas and Salar De…”

That was all he could say before a resounding noise was heard and he found the plate in which Avi was having food smashed on the counter. Red dots lined up over the broken glass and the maple syrup got mixed with the blood. Aviana’s palm was bleeding, and she had few scratches here and there with red liquid drizzling from them.

“Oh my God!”

Margaret screamed while she tried to get up from the chair but she couldn’t as her legs went weak and she felt like a jelly. Benjamin was the first to react as he rushed to Avi, who was sitting in her position with no emotion on her face. Anger blinded all her feelings and sensations. All she could think of was how much of a screwed up person she is.

“It’s going to be alright. Just breathe, Avi. Breathe, okay?”

Ben took several napkins from the top and pressed it hard on the bleeding part. He was trying to stop the blood from gushing out, but it wasn’t working. The red gooey stuff poured out with a vengeance.

“Chari, get me some ice cubes.”

He yelled to the crying girl, and she immediately set to work. Daniel too had tears welled up in his eyes and he covered his head in the palm of his hand, not able to see the sight of his dear daughter in such a situation. It was his mistake. He should have asked her before doing something like that. Daniel knew Avi’s reaction would be bad, but he hasn’t guessed it would go to this extent.

Ben applied pressure on the wound with ice cubes and managed to reduce the flow. While Margaret regained her composure and approached Aviana, Charisma stopped crying and hugged her father in a soothing way.

“You need stitches dear.”

Marg said calmly, which brought Avi back to reality.

“How long mom?”

Avi took her time to look at her mom before continuing,

“How long will he control my life?”

“As long as you allow him.”

Marg had her eyes fixed on the gash on the left palm of her daughter, which has started to coagulate. Avi knew what Marg just told was right, but she couldn’t force herself to do it. Her life was directed by him. She was just a puppet. It has always been this way ever since that cursed day. He had been like a shadow, following her everywhere and waiting his chance to prance on her like a predator he is.

And now she has hurt herself in front of her parents because of him, making them feel devastated. She is letting him to be her puppeteer, to be her shadow. And this has to change. She can’t always depend on everyone. There will come a time when she has to live her life all by herself and she has to prepare for that, starting from today.

She always skipped school on this day for every year, but today it’s going to change, just like how her parents and Ben wished. It’s the least she could do after what she has made them go through. He had clearly banned her from attending any school functions and trips, and she has obliged to everything he has ordered. But this time it’s going to be different.

“Dad, mom, Ben I am sorry. He has scarred me way too much that I am in a deep hole now. I can’t be like this anymore, I don’t want to be. I need your help, guys. Please help me.”

Her voice whimpered in the end and it brought tears in the eyes of her loved ones again.

“We are always with you, honey.” Her mother said hugging Avi and was soon followed by Daniel and Charisma.

Ben watched the emotional scenario swirling in front of him and he felt proud of his friend. He finally could see a single ray of light finding its way into this family. 

……………………..

Though first bell rang, and everyone needed to be inside the class, no one moved. No one could, as each and every person in the corridor had their eyes glued to the spot where a girl, whom they usually considered as the poor little victim, walked inside the front door with the school basketball captain on toe. Her head was held high, and she had a change in expression as she studied each faces that passed on her way. Slowly whispers erupted around her, followed by loud bickering.

“Don’t let them get to you.”

Ben told Avi as they reached their locker and started unpacking their bags.

“Believe me, Ben, nothing will.”

She said while letting Ben help her to pick up the necessary items as it was difficult with her wounded hand. Avi has denied going to the hospital and taking stitches as she was scared of the scars the doctor would reveal. She told several excuses other than the truth, and her stubbornness eventually led her parents to comply. Hence Ben’s mom, who is a nurse, did the first aid and asked her to be careful. She had taken two pain killers before leaving the house, but her palm was still burning. In one way she liked the feeling as it made her forget the outside world, but her other part was crying, thinking about the mental pain she was inflicting on her parents.

Suddenly all the chattering was stopped. Without even turning Avi knew what the reason was, or specifically who, but did not turn. Her brave facade was crumpling, and she had the instant urge to run. Her heart was hammering against the rib cage and her breathing became heavy. Ben stood closer to Avi and turned his back to face the puppet master.

“Leave her alone.”

Ben said to the approaching footsteps. Avi wanted to crouch behind Ben and hold him for her dear life, but thinking back about her parents’ face, she maintained her composure and continued doing what Ben stopped with trembling hands.

“Hold him”

Said the voice that belonged to the person she fears most. Instantly, rustling was heard behind her and Ben’s yelping echoed through the silent hallway. She badly wished to turn around and help him, but her body stood still, unable to move.

“Scared to face me, ugly b***h?”

He almost growled, and her heart gave away with fear. He could do anything to her without getting a single punishment, and she knew it.

Very slowly she moved her heels to the right and kept her eyesight downward, staring at his black and white converse.

“Look at me, slut.”

He growled again.

“Don’t you dare call her that”

Benjamin screamed at the hooded person and tried to loosen the grip he had on him by several of his friends, but all he could do was move their positions to the more uncomfortable way. He had promised Margaret that nothing would happen to Avi but now being helpless; he thought death was better than this situation.

“I said look at me.”

He more like commanded. And being the puppet she was, Avi, after releasing a puff of air, looked straight at her master and she squirmed at the sight in front of her.

……………………………….

Advik woke up screaming that day and for a minute he thought he was back in the hospital, his dad laying in the stretcher, sleeping forever.

“Advik, are you okay?”

His grandfather’s words brought him back to the present, and he sighed in relief. It was the same nightmare for the past 12 years; repeating over and over again. He forgot how his father’s smile was as all his dreams and memories were filled with his darkened face. He tried taking medicines, drugs, alcohol; anything that would make him forget about that day. But nothing seems to work.

They said time heals, and he waited for over a decade, but the scar was still burning and it’s getting more fierce as he grows. He knows he will only find peace once that b***h dies. If it wasn’t for her clumsy self, his dad would have been still there by his side. And Advik wouldn’t have been an orphan.

“Son?”

He raised his head to meet a concerned pair of eyes staring back at him. His grandfather George took complete responsibility of him after the incident and Advik was grateful for that but he doesn’t know how to show it. In fact, he has forgotten he had emotions other than anger inside him. He forgot how to smile, how to cry, how to love.

He had everything he wanted from the outside. A mansion for a house, a sports car, money, loving guardian, girls all around him, friends who got his back, but still he felt hollow inside, like he had nothing.

“You should take rest, child. I will call your Class teacher and inform him about your absence.”

Advik pondered on the option for a while. He knows that h*e won’t come today, so he could simply skip the school. But when he thought about spending the rest of the day in this room with his dark thoughts, he got up from the bed in a swift movement and headed to the bathroom.

George knows what that meant. He was now used to Addie’s silent way of communication and what each of his gestures meant. He never talked unless needed and George had tried taking him to several psychologists, but nothing seemed to change him.

He blamed himself for Gary’s death. If he had just accepted both of them, nothing of this would have happened. But he knows that fate had its own plan, which stopped him from going too hard on himself. But Advik doesn’t believe that. He still thinks it’s that girl who caused all his sorrows. George couldn’t blame the boy, though. His father’s death has affected his mental state.

In the beginning, years after death, Advik talked to no one. Not even to the shrimps. But then he started getting aggressive. Throwing whatever his hands lie on and engaging into fights. George was patient with him and instead of advising his grandson, he bought him boxing gloves and a punching bag. His intention was to divert Advik from hurting others, and it worked.

AK, as he stopped anyone from calling him any pet names, spent hours and hours in his room punching holes into the bag, imagining replacing the equipment with his enemy’s face. He would have ended her life long way back if it wasn’t for the promise he made to his grandmother on her deathbed.

But he made sure that her life was a living hell, and would drive her insane until she kills herself. School is his kingdom, where no one would dare utter a word against him because of the huge financial donations his grandfather made. And anyone who helped her would be punished, except that Benjamin fool. What he sees in that killer is beyond Advik’s knowledge. And because he is a basketball captain, Ben has his own group, which happened to be the school jocks. Aviana is under their protection and no matter what AK does, that group ain’t splitting. She seeks shelter under them and they protect her like a queen bee.

Advik donned on a pair of black jeans and hoodie and checked himself in the mirror, only to see a haunted face staring back at him. His eyes were bloodshot and his jawline was set tight. Taking the car keys out, he exited the house.

AK and friends decided to skip the day and head to their secret spot where they smoked joints, but were stopped when he heard a group of girls chattering and walking.

“She looks so different.”

“She always skipped this day.”

“Maybe she is not scared anymore.”

On seeing the boys, the girls stopped gossiping and looked at AK in alarm. Jason, his friend, broke the ice.

“Whom are you talking about?”

His friends were familiar with Advik’s mood swings and his aggressive nature, but have never left his side. Though they all don’t agree with his way of treating Aviana, they have learned to not stop him; the consequences were too much to handle. It was Jason who brought up the idea of skipping class today as he knows his friend very well and in what state of mind he would be today.

Two girls kept silent but the third one blurted “Aviana”.

That was all Advik heard as the next thing he saw was red. He badly hoped that the girls were wrong, not for her sake but for the sake of the promise he made to his grandmother, which he thought would break otherwise.

……………………………

Avi first noticed the blood-shot eyes and immediately felt guilty. The thought that she was the reason for someone else’s despair shattered her heart. But it was a long time ago. She was just a kid who couldn’t save herself and in the process killed a father.

What could she possibly do to correct her mistake? She thought letting him control her life would solve his problems, but it didn’t. It only made him worse. She has never seen him on this day before, and especially not like this. His insecurities and demons were seeping out of his pores. Unlike the other times where she saw a monster, for the first moment she was face to face with a scared 17-year-old boy who lost everyone he loved.

Right then Avi realized that Advik was in the dark hole too. And he needed someone to help him out of it.

Advik was intensely staring at his father’s killer, and he felt a little satisfied seeing the terror in her face. But then he slowly saw the hardness in her eyes. She has never looked him in the eye before, but now it was different. Aviana Delaney was looking at him differently, and he felt like she was peeling his fake outer layer.

“Leave.”

He was more like growling now and sounded extremely dangerous. But Aviana did not flinch as she usually did, nor did she break the eye contact. Advik felt like he was seeing this girl for the first time. The new determination in her eyes was unnerving him.

Then surprising both AK and herself, Avi said ,

“No.”

Shocked would be an understatement. He was beyond angry, but the initial shock masked his emotion. Without thinking twice, he slapped her hard, making her fall to the side. A few students gasped and covered their mouths, while Ben shouted profanities, trying to hit his capturers.

Aviana was expecting this, and she did not respond but just stayed low, slowly bringing her hand to the stinging cheek. She was definitely going to get a bruise. AK has never hit her before, but she knew that he was capable of doing more and slightly felt relieved when he backed away.

Advik broke the promise. He didn’t mean to hurt her, but the shock and anger overpowered him. He faintly registered the approach of the football team and his friends having a fight with them. Only when the teachers came and shouted at them did he pay attention to his surroundings.

Benjamin was near Aviana, attending to her like a lovesick puppy, but she had her full concentration on him. In fact, Aviana stared at him as if she could read his mind. Not able to withstand her eyes any longer, Advik retreated along with his friends.

“I am so sorry, Avi. This is all my mistake.”

Ben looked so broke and Avi felt sorry for him.

“It’s okay, Ben. I was expecting worse, but thanks to you and the boys, I am in one piece.”

Avi tried to smile, but her cheeks stung, causing her to wince.

“You need a doctor, again. And I am going to kill that son of a b***h. I thought he was a man, but after today he proved himself the opposite.”

“Ben. Told you I am fine. Promise me you won’t fight with him.”

Avi tried reasoning with him, but Ben wasn’t buying anything. He was furious and wanted to beat the s**t out of the person who has dared to hit his best friend.

“I will come for the trip if you don’t hit him.”

Ben studied Avi closely, noticing the slight but remarkable changes in her. He has never seen Aviana being so bold before, and he guessed it was because of the event that morning. What Advik did was unforgivable, but if his friend can overcome it, he could too. And Avi going to the trip would be the greatest payback he could ever get.

Reluctantly, Ben agreed.

“Are you okay, peanut?”

Zachary, their friend, leaned down and scooped Aviana into his gigantic hands, despite her protests.

“Put me down, Zach.” Avi squealed and blushed, reddening her face more.

“We are going to the nurse, baby.”

To anyone who doesn’t know Zach, he may look like a caring boyfriend. But the entire school knows that he is a gay. After Ben, Zach is the closest person Avi could claim as a best friend. The rest all are just friends or maybe acquaintance who is by her side just because of Ben.

“I don’t need a nurse.” Avi said, wincing as Zach held her wounded wrist to stop her from moving.

Ben noticed her painful expression and asked Zach to leave her. He, noticing Ben’s serious face, did so.

“But we are going to the nurse.”

Both Ben and Avi know that a violent elephant is better to calm than a stubborn Zach. Bidding the others a short bye, both the guys took Avi to the medical room.

........………

Advik was angry. But this time he was angry at himself. He has never stooped so low before. Though he still thinks she deserves the hit, Aviana was a woman. And he never hit women. He thought about how his parents must be disappointed in him. He hit the stone wall again and again until his fist was shaking and blood dripped from the open wounds.

“Stop it AK.” Jason said with a slight fear in his voice while the other boys just kept silent. They know what happens when Advik is angry and today is no exception.

“That f*****g b***h made me hit her.”

Jason didn’t respond as he did not share AK’s same feelings towards Aviana. He knew she was an innocent girl who just happened to be in the wrong time at the wrong place. But he will never voice that out. Because once when he tried supporting the girl, Advik became more than angry and almost hit the life out of him.

Jason was surprisingly okay with it, but AK was devastated after gaining his senses. He purposely crashed his car as a punishment and ended up in the ventilator for three days.

More than something happening to him, Jason was scared as to what AK would do to himself. He was that f****d up, but no medicines or therapy could cure him unless some miracle happens.

Advik sat on the floor with a defeated face, his mind wandering to a pair of determined eyes. 

Maybe he is just overthinking. Maybe that was fear in her eyes. No. He cannot lie to himself. She was freaking looking at him in a different way.

Advik sat there without moving and decided to take some days off from school. His inner voice was mocking at him for being a coward, but he shut it immediately for his own mental stability. He need a break and then he would come back to hurt her more.

………………………………….........………..