HEALING FROM YOU

CHAPTER 9

The group made a stop to have their lunch after two continuous hours on road and everyone stepped outside. Jason stretched his muscles, untying the knots one at a time. The junior and senior classes were mixed, giving him too many options to select. He already made out with a junior girl as a dare and found her winking at him from behind the shades.

Jason was about to walk to her when he saw the other bus pulling over. Loud cheers came from inside and it seems that group was enjoying more than their own. Every person who stepped out of the vehicle had a gigantic smile on their face. Even Mr. John looked as if he had a great time.

They joined their awaiting friends, bouncing with zest. Advik was standing right next to him but had his attention on the phone. And Jason thanked the Lord for that because Aviana showed up next, laughing like a maniac. She was listening to something Eito said and couldn't stop from cracking up every time. She looked so different from before, and Jason liked the change. She deserved it more than anyone, and he smiled involuntarily.

Advik punched a new student once, because he asked her for the way to reception and almost everyone was scared to talk to her, afraid he would do something. But right now, no one seems to care she was off limits. Mandy and her friends were talking with Aviana and she was responding enthusiastically.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

Advik's voice wiped his existing facial expression in an instant. He shook his head a little and muttered,

"The girl whom I kissed today. She winked at me. Guess I have a chance."

Jason said nonchalantly but did not get any response, which made him look at his friend. AK was staring at Aviana laughing and communicating with everyone but did not make any move. He actually looked satisfied, which made Jason's spine tingle. This was not good. He should be shouting, punching someone, tell Avi to f**k off, anything but this.

"You want to move in?" Jason asked, trying to get his focus on something else. All the students couldn't be served together inside, so some took the tree shades and camped there while the staffs served food.

"Why? I think some fresh air would do a world of good to me right now."

AK said with such sincerity that for a second Jason believed him. But that vanished soon as he saw Aviana occupying the place under a tree and pulled Eito to sit next to her. AK had something on his mind and it was extremely dangerous.

"What are you up to, AK?" Jason couldn't rest properly without knowing what his friend was planning. Advik slowly tilted his head and smiled darkly.

"The more they fall, the more they suffer."

With that, Advik moved towards a tree and took out his phone again.

"Should we inform George?" Leon, their friend, inquired with concern.

"Not now. We don't know anything for sure. What if he's changing?"

Jason could hear the uncertainty in his own voice and Leon could too. But he just nodded and watched the others agree as well.

"We will wait." Dan said and made his way towards AK, followed by the others.

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

Aviana excused herself from everyone after ordering and asked a staff to the way to the restroom.

"At the back, ma'am. You can use this way."

She showed a narrow way to the side of the hotel and Avi thanked the older woman before walking away.

She saw many of her colleagues gathered around the small cottage like space. Everyone must have waited to have relief, it was a long journey after all. Some waived her ‘Hai’ while the others smiled. Ben was about to accompany her, but she insisted that she would be okay.

Surprisingly, he obliged. Benjamin knew that his friend was in a changing phase and he wouldn't force his help if she have the will to be independent. He was also aware that the place would be crowded, and that she will be safe.

Aviana, while waiting, took out the phone and dialled her mom's number. She picked it up on the third ring.

"Hey, baby..... I called you an hour ago, but it went to voicemail." She said, and Avi could see the hidden concern behind her eyes.

"Is it her?" Avi heard her father from the background and Marg nodded her head. The phone was soon snatched from her hands and Avi saw the screen shaking, making her laugh. David's face popped up and Avi laughed more when she saw the spaghetti hanging from his mouth, which he just slurped.

"All okay, princess?"

He asked, and Avi shook her head in amusement. Her parents had a very playful side to them, but Avi never noticed it much because of the stress she had. For the first time, she felt how lucky she was for such a treasure.

"I am fine, dad. I forgot to change the flight mode and noticed it just now. Where is Chari?" Avi replied as she saw her mother sitting next to David, trying to adjust his hand so the screen could accommodate both their faces.

"Your siblings and Tareen went out to God knows where."

"They didn't leave yet?" It was not a weekend, so Avi did not think they would stay any longer.

David shook his head 'no' before continuing, "They took four days off and will get the weekends too. Tareen said she wanted to hear your adventures directly when you return. She literally blackmailed Aiden to call his Manager and ask his permission."

"I wonder if God designed her to be my biological daughter but made a mistake." Marg said, and Avi giggled at the thought. It was a possibility that cannot be ruled out.

"How was the journey?" David asked as he noticed his daughter's radiant face.

"I actually called you to thank you, dad."

Both her parents looked at each other skeptically, and Avi blamed herself for putting these poor people in distress. They have gone through so much just because she happened to be a p***y.

"I am enjoying so much, dad. I have never laughed like this before and everyone is accepting me for who I am. I don't have to keep my distance from anyone anymore and...."

Avi sighed as she was overwhelmed by emotion. She saw Marg wiping a single tear and David looked speechless.

"Thank you, dad. I reacted badly when you gave my name and caused you so much pain, but I am happy you did that. I am having the time of my life and it's all because of you, dad."

David didn't know what to say as he saw his daughter having an open conversation with them for the first time. Aviana was never good in communicating what she felt and dealt with her emotions on her own. The only people she would share anything with were Ben and Tareen.

Margaret was having the same thoughts and her eyes welled up, despite trying not to. She was happy, yet sad that her daughter was going through all these and she didn't even know half of her problems.

"We are proud of you, Avi, and right now I feel luckier than usual to have you as my daughter. You are trying and that's all we need, dear. You are all we need and now I know that I am not a failure as a parent."

Emotions were swirling inside David like a hurricane and conveyed to Avi, his deepest fear. A failure as a parent.

Aviana was stunned to hear such words from her usually 'cheerful' father. God! How much did she hurt them?

"You guys were never a failure. You are the best parents a child could ask for."

Avi felt like attending a confession, and she was happy she decided to open up.

Marg was the first to recover and smiled at Avi, teasingly.

"So, any cute guys?" She knew her daughter didn't blush, but noticed the sudden downward movement of her eyes.

"Maybe...." Aviana trailed, and Marg jumped with excitement.

"Who is he?"

"Does Ben know?"

"Did he ask you out?"

"Did he touch you?"

The second and last one was of course from her father, and Avi squirmed like a child being caught.

"Eito is Ben's friend. He just told me he likes me."

"Oh my God... A Japanese.... Did he kiss you?"

Margaret squealed and David tried to look stern but couldn't hide his smile. Sensing that her mom's questionnaire was getting out of hands, Avi shook her head, muttering 'no'.

"I am going guys or Ben would go ninja on me."

She ended the call before they could react and inhaled a mouthful of air, only to cough like a cancer patient. The cigarette smoke was burning her throat, and she clammed her mouth shut to gag. She was bent on her stomach and only saw the black converse in between tears, that was tapping rhythmically on the ground. But she knew who it was, and her heart started pounding against the ribcage.

She was standing close to the wall, and he was leaning on the other, which was only separated by a narrow distance. After bringing her breath to a normal pace, Avi raised her head to see AK staring at her with the same emotionless face he carried around. His foot was still tapping on the soil and his one hand held the just burned cigarette while the other was holding a phone.

How can she be so careless? What were Ben's words again? Yeah, 'Always keep an eye on your surroundings.'

Avi turned to look at the others, praying that they were still there, and relaxed a little. Everyone was watching them cautiously. Which means Advik wouldn't do something to hurt her, at least not now.

"How is your head?"

Aviana was shocked. Shocked beyond words could describe. Advik, the person who hated her the most, was talking to her, not shouting or cursing but talking. In fact, he was asking a question about her wound which he caused?

She just stood there motionless, with wide eyes and mouth. He took another drag from the slow killing poison and exhaled the smoke into the air. She covered her mouth in instinct, and he noticed the gesture with keen eyes. He took another small puff before throwing it to the ground and grinding on it with his footwear. Did he just do that for her?

AK raised an eyebrow in question and Aviana nodded absent-mindedly.

"Doesn't hurt?"

Why was he asking all these? Was it a trick to make her believe that he changed? But why would he?

"I am used to it."

Aviana replied in a low voice, but he heard it well. The spectators were all silent and listening carefully to every breath they took.

"How?" AK was curious, and Avi didn't have a clue as to why. Why was he so suddenly interested in her wellbeing?

Avi did not respond but stared at him in the eye and asked,

"Why do you care?"

It was a bold move from her part, but unlike before, Advik was not shocked. In fact, he looked as if he was expecting such a response from her. He was about to open her mouth to say something when a muscular arm covered her shoulders. It wasn't Ben. That was the first thought that crossed her mind.

Avi tilted her head to see Eito glaring at Advik, who in turn had a smirk on his lips.

"Leave." That was Ben, and Avi found him with folded arms, making him look intimidating.

Advik bit his lower lip as if hiding a smile, then glanced at Eito's hand on her before shrugging and walking to his tensed friends.

"What was he doing here?"

Eito asked and roamed his eyes on her body, searching for any wound.

"I am fine, Eito. He just asked about my head."

He looked taken aback and even Ben stood there shocked.

"He is up to something." Was all he said before guiding Avi towards the restroom. She spared a second to turn back, only to see AK smiling at her.

What the hell is happening?

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

"What do you mean by you talked to her?"

Jason was pestering AK with questions, but he concentrated on chewing the delicious Chilean food.

"You know this is Patasca, a native to the Atacama people. It is a hot stew made of corn, potatoes, pork, beef and onions. Healthy and tasty."

Advik made a kissing gesture with his hand and found his friends looking at him dumbfounded.

"AK, I am scared."

Basil, the only soft hearted boy in the group, spoke out loud.

"What for Bas?" Advik asked and continued to finishing the contents on the bowl.

"You are being weird."

Jason would have smacked his mouth shut, if he wasn't having such questions himself. Advik placed the empty bowl on the white tray and smiled at his friends.

"You mean normal. I am being normal. Just like others."

It wasn't a question, so none bothered to answer, but that was exactly their doubt. Everyone was accustomed to the bad boy that his smile was big news. And whether it's a good news or bad news was the most pressing issue.

"I know it might come out as weird, but I am actually trying to be normal for once. All my life I have been chasing for something that did not exist in the first place. Revenge."

Jason was sure that no one even dared to breathe right now. Was this actually happening? Can he change? He searched his best friend's face for some clue suggesting that he was lying, but no. His eyes were sincere and he really looked tired.

Seeing that none of his friends were in the mood to interrupt, AK proceeded,

"I asked her how her head was and that was it. I am trying here to be happy, although it's killing me. But I want to smile and behave like a normal teenager, to have bro talks with you guys, to be carefree."

Jason was the first to react, and he hugged his friend tightly. It was happening. It was really happening.

"I am glad you finally got it." He punched AK's forearm, and he responded with a smile.

"Now, can I have another bowl?"

Advik asked innocently, and the boys laughed, before giving him Leon's untouched bowl. Everyone discussed about random topics and Jason, for the first time, felt like he was happy with the conversation. They were talking about football, girls, games, everything and anything that normal people discussed. He glanced at AK at least a thousand times to watch him laugh and talk.

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

About half an hour later, the journey started again, and the students settled in their seats, just being comfortable after the heavy meal. AK took his ear pods out and signalled Jason, who was flirting with the junior girl, that he was going to sleep. His best friend gave thumps up before turning back to his interest.

Advik plugged in the device and closed his eyes, slumping into the seat. Aviana's voice filled his ears. It was the conversation he recorded with her parents.

She was having the time of her life, wasn't she? Well, he will have to do something about that.

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