Heraiah

CHAPTER 7

It was night and I was ready to get tucked into bed for the next chaotic morning I’ll have tomorrow. I stretched my arms and legs before jumping into bed. Tomorrow will be my discharge. I’ll be leaving this place I prefer now as a prison cell. It’s like I am a prisoner whenever I go outside. Everyone’s eyes are guarding me as if I’ll do something illegal.

Well, it is partly understandable since I came back from the dead. Being the center of attention comes with pride, I have to keep my chin up. Surprisingly, my family hasn’t visited me or even tried to contact me. Not that I want to see them, it is just quite unusual. Ever since the start, my parents have been overprotective of me. Heck, they even got the royal guards to look for me on the night of my disappearance.

As a kid, I never fully understood why I had many limitations and rules. Everyone saw me as the first child of the Hyveins family, the perfect and petite kind. My parents molded me to be the person the public would’ve wanted me to be and at some point, I actually thought that being that person was me. But, I was far from what my parents made me to be.

I always thought I was meant to be the perfect and divine daughter of my parents it was not until I first discovered my abilities. I knew I was different, but not that different to the point where I even felt like my body did not belong to me. I was scared and confused but all the puzzle pieces finally fit in when that night happened. That night when I heard my parents argue and fight about me.

I disappeared and promised I would never come back. But here I am, back to the same place. I guess some promises are meant to be broken.

I brushed off my thoughts and went to bed. My pillow felt unusually cold and damp, that’s when it hit me. I was crying while I drifted into my thoughts. I laughed to myself and turned my head the other way and felt my eyes closing.

 “Hera is getting older, Datella, she will eventually know!” I heard father’s voice shouting as I was about entering the house. It was evening, I just came from school. I was packed with activities. Well, I guess this is the price for being the first daughter of the Hyveins clan.

I paused and held tight on the door knob waiting for mother’s response.

“What do you want me to do? Huh? I have to do everything myself? I am tired of this, I am tired of her!”

Of me? I felt my chest tightening hearing that from my mother’s mouth.

“Tired? We’ve already gone so far, you’re just going to waste it all?”

Gone so far? What did he mean?

“Yes!” mother shouted back, “all of this was never my idea anyway, this was all just you and your greed!” I was stunned just standing in front of the door seeing their silhouette’s bickering and arguing. I’ve never heard mother so mad before.

“My greed? All me? Stop being innocent, you wanted this too!”

“Maybe, but not anymore, I never wanted Hera in my life and I should’ve just aborted her,”

What?

“And then what? We would lose the upper hand,”

Upper hand?

“I would rather lose the upper hand than have a freak as a daughter,”

Whatever they were talking about, it seemed like the ‘upper hand’ was important to father but to mother, I was not worthy for that importance.

“Wake up, Hera!” a familiar voice called my name.

I instantly woke up and got up from bed. The first thing I saw was Khai’s worried face. I looked around the room and saw multiple nurses in the room. I furrowed my eyebrows and sighed. I remembered. I had that dream again. Another nightmare. I relaxed and rested my body back to bed.

Khai’s worried expression faded as he sighs in relief sitting on the couch.

“You scared the s**t out of me, Khai,” I hissed.

His face was in disbelief, he laughs, “I scared the s**t out of you? Holy, you were crying in your sleep and you wouldn’t wake up,”

Disoriented and still feeling my heart racing, “I did?”

He turns his head with an annoyed face. I rolled my eyes, “I just had a nightmare,” I looked at the nurses and dismissed them.

“You scared everyone, Hera,” he said.

“It’s nothing,” I responded as I got out of bed. I went straight to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.

“Wow, you just passed by me,” Khai complained.

I turned my head with a toothbrush in my mouth, “So?” I shrugged.

“This is our first time seeing each other in years, Heraiah!”

“You’re such a drama queen,” I laughed and turned my head away from him. Khai was the type of person you can hold onto, he was a drama queen and is full of complaints. He gets too worried, he needs assurance and explanations from me every time I make a reckless move. And I can’t keep up with that, if there’s one thing I hate in this world besides the mistreatment of my people, is that the fact that I have to explain everything for everyone’s sake.

Khai may have this masculine charisma towards everyone, but his a over dramatic guy who never stops complaining in everything.

“I am not!” I felt an object thrown at my back. The impact was strong considering Khai is strong.

I gasped and looked at the object thrown. I picked it up and glanced at Khai. “It’s your clothes,”

Clothes? I quickly dig inside the paper bag, worried that Khai must’ve picked a crappy outfit. Once my hand reached the bottom, I felt soft fabric material. I narrowed my eyes at Khai and furrowed my eyebrows.

“Don’t worry, Remi picked the clothes,”

I was in relief, “Oh thank God,” I’d rather be in a trash bag than be in the clothes that Khai picked for me.

“That’s offensive,”

I looked at him, “What’s offensive is your face,” I stated and blinked at him aggressively.

He looked pissed off even though it was just a joke. It looks like I’m in trouble. He leans his heads and gave me a blank stare, “Get ready in 30 minutes, we’ll talk in the car,”

I squinted my eyes, he was acting like the day left 5 years ago. Unlike some people, he was satisfied at all that I have returned. This meant he was worried, he was serious because he was concerned. I would be concerned for me as well, that’s if I didn’t know who I was. I am well aware of what I am doing and I’m not going to back down just because a few people are concerned for me.

Khai turned his back and left the room. I sighed and stared at the door. Am I really going to avenge my people? I don’t even fully know what I am exactly. I know I am an Airen but that’s all I know. I guess the best thing I can do for now is try to understand more of who I am.

I entered the bathroom and changed. My bruises and cuts were almost healed, they were healing fast. I continued to change into the clothes Remia picked out for me. Thank god she’s the one who picked for me. I have full trust for Remi, she was a well-known actress and model. She had exquisite taste on fashion. When I was still a teenager, she was the one who would give me advices on my clothes.

I was a public figure for I was a Hyveins, maintaining a presentable picture of me for the public was a must. Remi was like a mentor, she taught and gave me advices. It warms my heart she hasn’t forgotten about me and she still is ready to make me look presentable.

When I finished and went out of the bathroom wearing a black turtle neck and high waisted khaki pants. I let my bright red hair down with a pair of sunglasses that Remi included. When I got out, Ida was outside with my stuff and ripped clothes from when I arrived here. She gave me a wide smile.

“You look wonderful,” she complimented me.

I gave her a weak smile in return, “Thank you for taking care of me,”

She laughed and walks closer to me, “It’s my job,” she paused glancing at the plastic bag on her hand, “these are your stuff,” she hands them to me in which I gladly accepted.

“Don’t get your body worked up too much,” she points her finger on me, “remember, you are still healing,” she was scolding me like she was my mother.

Of course, just like a troubled child, I won’t listen to her. Not because I don’t respect her, because I don’t need it at all. Without the medication and other antibiotics, I’ve been drinking, I’ll heal up soon. But anyway, I nodded at her with a laugh.

She smiles and picks up the navy-blue coat sitting on the couch that Khai brought for me. She goes behind me and positioned to put it on me. I quickly got it and put down the plastic bag on the couch. I spread my arms as she puts the coat on me. She radiated warm and homie vibes. It was safe when I was around her.

When I got the coat on, I turned to her and gave her a hug. She was stunned at first, but gladly accepts the hug and hugs me back. I haven’t hugged any women in my life besides my mother, Ida felt like a motherly figure I haven’t had in the last 5 years. I’m glad I met her in this mission, she will forever remain in my memory. Temporary people in your lives are the ones that stick in your mind and are never forgotten. I have to get going, I have another person to reconcile with and that is Khai, I know that guy is still wanting answers from, I couldn’t blame him.

I put on my glasses and took my stuff, people didn’t seem to mind me as much but stares were still there. Ida walked me out of the hospital until I got into Khai’s car. She smiles and waves good bye, I did the same and sat inside. She stayed in here position until the figure of her faded as the car moved.