HEALING FROM YOU

CHAPTER 5

"Are you sure about this?" Marg asked for the hundredth time as she saw Avi wearing a maroon top with full sleeves and white jeggings. She looked spectacular with her long dark brown hair and a touch of eyeliner. The girl standing before her was a total opposite to her daughter. She had a smile on her face, which was genuine and looked excited. This was her first school trip and no matter how much scared she was, her inner girl was fluttering its wings, and Marg could clearly see that. She was happy for her child as well as terrified.

"Mom, you have been pestering me for ages to wear something other than black. And when I finally did, this is your reaction?"

Aviana asked jokingly, trying to lift the mood. She was scared, true. But this new determination she had was overpowering it. Avi has not seen AK since that day, and his entire group was absent for the rest of the week. He was taken aback by her sudden boldness, and she knows that he will take revenge on her for that. Unlike before, she was prepared this time. Avi got that taste of power, though she ended up in the infirmary for bruised cheeks, but it wasn't her who skipped classes and avoided crowd. Her confidence boosted as each day passed without him making his presence known in his kingdom. And that was more than she could expect from just saying a 'No'.

The school contacted her parents and AK's guardian. George Kingsley was a very wealthy and reputed man in the town, but he always had a sad face and talked little. Avi liked that man, despite him being the grandfather of her tormentor. After each stunt his grandson pulled, George would secretly see her and apologize profusely. He even took her to a hospital once, when her bike lost its brake and crashed. The CCTV captured a junior boy who looked about to pass out, meddling with the cables of the bike. The boy was dismissed and when asked the reason for such an action; he cried and stated that Avi occupied his seat in the canteen without his permission. Even though everyone knew who the real culprit was, none made a move against him.

Avi tried to hide the incident from her parents, but Mr. Kingsley barged into the infirmary accompanied by Jason, AK's best friend, and literally carried her to the hospital. He called her dad and was almost in tears when he said how sorry he was. That happened two years back. Even if Advik didn't try to hurt her directly, he always found an alternative. In the past years she has been in the infirmary more than she has ever been in the class. George even asked her family to move somewhere else for their daughter's safety, as he cannot because his wife was buried here. He was ready to pay for all the expenses and offered an immense sum of money. But Aviana's dad refused it kindly and told him that he may be financially unstable, but not a charity work. Her parents were angry at George for even suggesting such a thing and asked him to put a leash on his grandson instead. But Avi saw the old man differently, she could feel the helplessness seeping through him as they were two sides of a single coin.

She was badly hurt that day as the accident occurred while she was riding down a hill. With two fractures in her ribcage and a twisted ankle, Avi could barely breathe, but she pretended to be okay when she saw the distress in George's face.

David was angry and decided to file a case against Advik, but considering that he was a minor and had no proof against him, Marg forced him to leave it. She was more scared about the consequences her daughter would face after that.

When George saw her bruised cheek, he stormed out of the school and searched for AK, but he was nowhere to be seen. That night he called her, not to apologize but to congratulate her. Jason told him everything, and George was finally happy to see her standing on her own. He enquired about the bruise and said that Advik went to another town with his friends and doesn't know his return.

For the first time after years, Aviana slept peacefully. She knew it won't last long, but she wouldn't give up again without a fight.

Ben barged into the room, and for a second he thought he entered the wrong house.

"Avi???"

Stunned would be an understatement as Ben stood there, rooted to his spot, not able to take his eyes away from the girl he was seeing for the first time. She was a junior version of Margaret and looked radiant in that clothing.

"How do I look?"

Aviana swirled for him with a playful smirk on her lips as she was enjoying Ben's flabbergasted look way too much.

"Wooww..."

Her best friend breathed, and Avi gave a full smile. Ben never made her blush, in fact she was immune to such a feature. Every compliment that Benjamin gives will be mixed with a touch of brotherhood. Hence she never felt awkward with him.

"Close your mouth, Ben."

Charisma nudged him, and he immediately poked her back. She was just eleven years but acted like a real mature girl. Charisma adored her elder sister and loved her more than the other siblings. Though both of them do not share every secret or have a girls’ night once in a while, they have that special bonding. Charisma literally took up the position as an elder sister and sometimes handles the rude phone calls Avi gets. With her squeaky yet stern voice, Chari scolds the boys for being bad. She always wanted her sister to smile and when Avi gets the injuries, she would cry silently but maintain a bold exterior in front of her family members. At this young age, the little girl has taken the weight of her entire family on her shoulders but never complained.

Charisma has closely monitored her sister's change in attitude over the past week, and she has never been this happy. Aviana was changing for good, and she hoped this trip would make her bold and help her fight against her inner demons.

"You look awesome, Avi. I have never seen you wear anything other than a stupid black hoodie."

He wanted to say except once, on your 12th birth day but restrained himself from it. He didn't want to spoil the mood by digging up the past. His best friend was progressing, and that's all he need.

"I even forgot that she had all these tops."

Margaret said as she gestured Ben to take a seat next to her. He obeyed like a dutiful child and squeezed Marg's hand that was slightly trembling. She was happy, he could see it in her eyes but also scared. And who could blame her? This was a tremendous step, and she didn't want to lose her daughter again. Margaret is starting to have hope, and she is terrified to embrace it. Anything could happen and it might get worse than before. Maybe he would scar her too much for fighting back and her family wouldn't be able to handle that. s**t! Even he himself would be devastated if something like that happens.

Avi's smile was bringing them a never experienced joy as well as panic. She was getting out of her cocoon for the first time, and if this fails, she might withdraw from the world more than before. Thay can't lose her to that! Not when she just started to know what life is.

Benjamin sighed, smiling. He would worry about all that later, but now it was time to embrace the happiness. Avi was excited, she actually smiled, and that was the important thing. He wouldn't give up on his best friend again. He would be there with her all the time, along with his other friends. He will never again make the mistake of walking into his territory without his group.

"Ready, princess?"

David chirped as he entered the hall with a coat dangling on his shoulder. He looked more than happy and had a huge grin plastered on his face. This was the day he was waiting for all his life. His daughter is finally having the life she missed.

"Yup. Let me get my luggage."

Aviana replied and climbed the stairs. Rest of the family looked at each other with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

"It's going to be okay." Ben said to David, and he nodded gratefully.

"I know you will protect her son. But have fun for yourself, too. Don't over stress. Okay?"

Ben smiled back at David. His father was a douchebag and left him and his mom for a young slut. His mom refused to marry someone else in fear of repeating the same mistake. Instead, she worked hard and provided the family with a stable income. But during her son's adolescence, she regretted her decision. Ben was a hyperactive child and the need for a fatherly figure was pressing.

It was David who filled that gap. Not only did Aiden and Bryan literally consider him like a younger brother, but David attended his school functions and supported him in every game. He even cancelled an important meeting with a client once to attend his last match. And when Ben scored the ultimate point, he raised a pluck card that said 'proud father'.

Because of David, Ben never missed his moron of a father, and his mother was extremely grateful for that.

Meantime, Aviana entered her room and locked the door gently. Her room was a mess with all the clothes thrown around the place. She decided to clean as much as she could before leaving, but stopped mid track when she noticed herself in the mirror.

The bruise on her cheek has begun to fade, and her scars were covered with long sleeves. The blouse had a bow neck which hid the Penton and she looked totally opposite to the girl who stared back at her a week ago. She liked the change and was ready to fight anything to experience normalcy.

She managed to stuff her wardrobe with all the clothes under ten minutes and roughly cleaned the sheets. Then she checked her bags once again to ensure she had everything. For a six-day trip, Avi packed comparatively less than most other teenage girls. But what she included was everything other than black.

Someone rang the calling bell and there were ushered conversations which she couldn't decipher. Maybe Ben's mom is here.

Heading to the bathroom, Avi took out the pills from the cabinet, just in case, and stuffed it inside the secret compartment of her handbag. She has promised herself not to use it, but one can never be certain. Rumour was that AK and his friends are not yet in town, which means there is a chance of them not coming to the trip at all. Avi didn't know whether or not to be happy because an insane part of her wanted him to come and see her being her own boss. To prove to him that she wasn't his puppet anymore.

The ushering at downstairs increased and she could hear a group of people talking. After giving a one last look at her now somewhat clean room, Avi took her rolling duffel bag and slung the messenger bag on her shoulders.

While entering the hall, the first thing that took her aback was the crowd. And the next second she abandoned her bags and ran across the room to hug the life out of her sister-in-law.

"See bro, I told you she missed us so much."

Aiden muttered sarcastically but had a small smile playing on his lips. Aviana loved Tareen, despite them being polar opposites. She was an extrovert and talked endlessly. They rarely meet, but when they do, Aiden never gets his wife. She will always be in Avi's room and god knows what their conversation is about. Chari was too mature to engage in such ramblings and spent those days with her brother discussing rocket science.

Tareen lifted Avi and spun her around as if she is a mother seeing her daughter after a long time.

"I missed you, baby girl!!" She squealed and squeezed a little before letting Avi out of the bear hug.

"You know, I travelled for four hours to get here and you could at least give me some attention."

Bryan said and pulled his sister to give her another hug. Avi was overwhelmed. Her entire family was here to support her, and what more could she ask for?

Her brothers always cared for her and tried to stop Advik from hurting her, but it was in vain. After each encounter AK's comeback got worse and they stopped it. Though they were only trying to protect Avi, it was getting out of hands. Besides, both the boys have seen how broken Advik was at the time of his father's death, without whom their sister wouldn't have been alive. So as a respect towards that great man, they restrained themselves from hurting him.

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