HEALING FROM YOU

CHAPTER 7

“Cupcake, its cool. We are all here.”

Avi distinctly heard Zach comforting her, but her full concentration was on the newcomer. He just walked while maintaining eye contact. 

“Miss Delaney, you are holding the line, dear.”

The teacher called out from the bottom and she blinked several times to get her mind to the surroundings. Everyone was standing awkwardly, and she found Ben glaring at AK, who was now standing next to the teacher. Stumbling on the steps, she made to the entrance and handed her ticket to the air hostess. 

“This way, ma’am.” 

The lady gestured her to use the first door, and she soon found her seat right next to the window. She awaited Ben to take the near seat, but was surprised to see Eito occupying it. Avi always liked him in a friendly way and after knowing his past, her respect towards him grew. He was a distant friend who talked less but was a good listener. In fact, among the entire group, only these two maintained some silence. The rest just blabber together, and it may not even be the same topic that they are discussing. 

“Where is Ben?” Avi asked, trying not to sound rude, but he looked uncomfortable anyway.

“For some unknown reason, Ben asked me to sit here.”

Eito said in his deep voice and took out his phone to switch it to flight mode. He was trying to avoid her eyes and she could tell that clearly. Avi lifted herself a little to search a familiar brown head and soon found him flirting with his long term on and off girl friend. They mostly don’t work because of Avi. Ben would never leave her side, causing Mandy to get frustrated and break off. But what she liked in that girl was she never blamed her, she would always smile and tell Avi that she was in the middle of their friendship, not the other way round. However, after every breakup, they would somehow get back together only to break it off again. This time she would not let that happen. Ben has a life and she can’t always depend on him. Settling back to her seat comfortably, Avi murmured,

“I think I know what the reason is.”

She nudged Eito to look at Ben’s direction. A little taken aback by her sudden boldness, he raised his head to meet her eyes. She just urged him by pointing her head ahead. With a brief smile playing on his lips, Eito saw what she meant and shook his head amusingly.

“And here I thought he was setting me up with you.”

It was supposed to be a whisper, but Avi heard it well and felt her eyes widening.

“Why would you think that?” Eito looked at her as if she was a child asking why dogs can’t talk.

“Is it not obvious?” He asked, smirking. Eito knew she was oblivious about the way he looked at her or the times he would skip his class just to be with her during her free period, when Ben couldn’t make it. He cared for her and thought she would eventually understand that, but no. She was more naïve than he imagined her to be, which made him fall for her again. 

“What is obvious?” Avi was trying hard not to look stupid, but she couldn’t help it. Though Eito spoke little, he always communicated what was on his mind. They usually have free periods together and spent them in the library, without having to talk about anything. But he would voice his opinions on how Avi should stop AK from controlling her, etc. And she respected that. Right now he looked different and had a spark in his eyes that she can’t quite decipher.

“I like you, Aviana. And Ben knows it. s**t, I guess everyone knows it except you.”

Avi was shocked. She didn’t know he liked her in that way. In fact, she didn’t think anyone could harbor such feelings for her. And that too, Eito. Girls worshipped the floor he walked on and threw themselves at him, even if it was just for a single night. The fact that he didn’t even gave second glances at them, only made these girls try harder. He was Asian and had that perfect jaw that could slice butter. His raven hair was always messy and carried himself in class. His way of dressing attracted almost everyone and had piercing blue eyes. In fact, he was one of the most sexy looking guys in that school and also the second non-attainable. First one was of course AK. Speaking of the devil, he strode through the narrow space studying the seat number on his ticket. His action was almost mechanical, and Avi suspected that his mind was on something else. Just as she stared at his approaching form, almost instantly his eyes were drawn to her’s causing her breath to hitch.

  His emotions were still under control, but his lips twitched a little when his sight landed on Eito. Was it a smile or displeasure? She didn’t know and didn’t want to. Avi was waiting for the tiger inside him to prance at her anytime, and she had a feeling that it would not take too long. He passed her row without turning back and she let out a puff of air; she didn’t know she was holding. 

“You are improving.” Eito’s words brought her back to reality and looked at him confused, who in turn was staring at her in appreciation.

“You have never looked back at him before, but now I can see the determination in your eyes. Though it is difficult, you are trying. And its all that matters.”

With that, Eito squeezed her clammy hands, and she smiled at him gratefully. She also noticed that this was the first time he actually initiated a physical contact but didn’t feel anything. She expected nothing, actually, because she did not think anyone could make her skin tingle or cause her stomach to somersault by just a touch. Real life was void of such ‘out of the world’ feelings that these novels portray, and she accepted it. If Eito was interested in her, she wouldn’t try to stop him. She was a changing woman and let this be a part of it.

The take off went well and soon everyone was roaming around, making it difficult for the flight attendants to do their job. Ben made his way to Avi and Eito with Mandy on toe. She was giggling to something he said and her cheeks were all red. 

“What you doing?” Ben mimicked Isabella from Phineas and Ferb, causing Mandy to laugh more. 

“Hey Mandy.” Avi said after sticking out her tongue at Ben. 

“Hello Aviana. You look hot, girl.” Mandy was genuine with her words, and Avi didn’t suspect even a slight hint of annoyance behind them. Pouting the lips, Ben gave her a soft punch.

“She is not supposed to be hot. Maybe cute, but definitely not hot.”

“Stop it, i***t. You are worse than her brothers.” And she punched back, but not softly.

“Hey... I am her brother.”

He said barely punching her again. These two were too cute and childish. There were so many things Avi liked about them, but the major highlight was that they were so informal. Ben and Mandy mostly behaved like a married couple and would insult each other so much, such that the spectator may feel hurt. They don’t have to shower the other with compliments or sweet words all the time. But still they were like two poles of a magnet, coming to stick together even if separated.

“What is happening here?” Zach’s voice came first before his large body. “Eito, my man. Did you finally got the balls to talk to her?”

He eyed Eito mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows as if suggesting something vulgar.

“Dude... Stop it or I am going to puke.” Ben said and everyone burst out laughing as they were joined by some of their other friends.

“Come on, Zach. Sing it.” Mandy spoke and her eyes twinkled in a daring way. Before Avi could stop them, Zach and Maxim started singing loudly,

“Eito and Avi sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

“Kami. Kore wa totemo hazukashīdesu.” (God. This is so embarrassing.)

Eito muttered as he saw other students and passengers staring at their row interestingly.

“Oohh... The Japanese boy is shy...”

Cooed Zach as he squished Eito’s cheek, resembling his face to a goldfish. Avi just sat there laughing along with the others. What she didn’t notice was the calculating face that kept on staring at her back from three rows behind her.

..................

Advik spent the week in one his friend’s cabin and smoked enough joint to make him feel numb. He kept track on the b***h and the news he received was making him angrier. She was changing, and he felt like a s**t. A no one. The power he had was slipping and his vulnerable side was getting exposed. The turmoil in him was eating him alive, and Jason could see his friend struggling hard. Advik stopped talking to anyone but kept scrolling at the photos of Aviana, which his spy sent. She was laughing, smiling, enjoying, talking and many things that he retrained her from doing. Advik passed out one night before the trip after two bottles of tequila and his grand father called. Jason, without having any other option, used his motionless friend’s finger and unlocked the phone for calling George back. He could have done it from his own mobile but knowing that old man, he would think AK was not with his friends and they were just covering for him. It was a surprise he hasn’t suffered from a heart attack yet with the amount of tension he had.

After ensuring George, Jason accidently pressed on the recent apps and the gallery popped up. Shocked would be a mere word compared to what he felt. Hundreds, no, maybe thousands of pictures of Aviana aligned in rows. The initial one was a grained image of her sitting on a swing in the park. With two pig tails and short legs, she couldn’t be over seven years old. There were numerous folders with different years as its title and each one of them held her face, captured from several angles. The gallery had no other photos, not even his own. For the first time he was scared of AK. His friend was turning into something dangerous and Jason did not know how to save him. The next day the guy from school informed Advik that Aviana was going for the trip. Though Jason and the others tried to persuade him from going, AK was adamant. He convinced them that he was ready and stable and that he wouldn’t want to miss the last high school trip for anything.

“We are making memories” is what he said before leaving the cabin. What kind of memories? He never explained.

...........................

Advik was late to the airport as George asked him to promise on his grandmother that he would harm no one or do something stupid while on the trip. AK just stared at the old woman’s photo and grabbed the keys before heading out. The mini bus took to the flight and from the glass door he saw the group of students. His eyes involuntarily scanned for a black hoodie but was surprised to see her climbing the stairs in a maroon blouse. She looked different and his mind immediately wandered to the ashen’d face of his dad. She doesn’t deserve this. A killer should not be happy. Masking his emotions with a neutral face, he got out of the bus and welcomed the many awkward stares he received. But his attention was solely on one person. She looked scared, yet pleased. Maybe he was imagining things. Aviana did not move and from his peripheral vision saw her friend saying something to her. But she doesn’t look like as if she heard him. Her eyes were trained on his. He ambled over to the teacher, who shouted at Aviana to stop holding the line.

“Thought you were not coming, Mr. Kingsley.” The teacher, a middle-aged man, commented while striking their names from the clipboard.

“Changed the plan.”

AK replied as he saw the last of her brown hair being engulfed by the aircraft. The line took a while to reach and by the time they entered, almost everyone was settled. His eyes were again drawn to the b***h and found her looking confused at the other guy. He did not care to look at the person sitting next to her as it will probably be that douchebag. As he neared, he focused on the ticket and acted as if she did not exist. Feeling her eyes on him, AK looked at her and the Asian guy. His face was flushed, and they were sitting really close. AK knew that Eito liked Aviana and had an instant hate for him. But now he was taking his chances and without permission, his anger flared. Were they together? Did he propose to her? Was she in love? ‘Love.’ He controlled the evil laugh that badly wanted to escape. If she was in love, he would take so much care in dealing with it. It would be fun to watch her break that ‘oh so poor’ heart of her’s. Advik would make her loveless and hopeless, just as she made him. Advik finally got that leverage he was waiting for all his life. She would be completely destroyed mentally by the end of this trip, and he will be there to enjoy every minute of it. ................