My Heart, My Treasure

1. The beginning.

"Magnolia," my grandmother called out from downstairs, "stop daydreaming and looking at the mirror, come down, everyone is waiting for you".

We live in a very traditional way. I don't know, but for a long time, we never changed our lifestyle. The kids never leave the house. I mean we never opt for an independent life, we stick together no matter what. Not always a pleasant situation. No privacy, no respect for personal space, and we cannot even make a poster of plans or wishes. Anyone who sees it starts to critique it.

"I'm coming" I yelled back.

Going down the stairs, I wander immersed in my dreams, 'will I ever be able to have a boyfriend?' I am past 16 but still do not know how to be with boys. I have male friends, but not a boyfriend.

"The bus is arriving soon," grandma says, putting a plate of eggs, bacon, and sausage in front of me. "Dig in."

"Nana, I have a seminar at my club today. I will come late, okay? So don't worry." I told Grandma.

"Why do you always have to strain yourself? Is it worth it?" she asked in a disapproving tone. "Today again I will have to do house chores at home alone, you heartless child," she said, in an unpleasant manner, despite her always likes to do them alone.

"Yes, it is worth it, ma. Good grades do not come by themselves. And remember you want me to get a good position in the future, so I need a degree for that." I reminded her. "And leave the chores, I will do them tomorrow, no one's coming to visit us. Anyway, you do something for yourself too. We could go on a vacation, hmm?"

"On vacation? When your parents are working so hard to make our lives better, you ask me to go on a vacation using your parent's hard-earned money? No, dear, not gonna happen. A house is your home, it is up to you whether it be a home or just a shelter."

"Ma, you know that they would be happy too. They are working for you too," I countered.

"Sometimes dear. Now go, or you will be late for school. You too young man, get up already." grandma urged my brother and me to hurry to school.

*****

After school, I went to the leadership club as I usually do. Today we are going to have group work and some students from other schools are also invited. I was the last one to arrive that day. Everyone looked at me when I entered.

"Come on, Meg, we have been waiting for you," the committee president urged.

I sat on a free chair in the circle and listened to the concepts of our today's class. Some time into the class I felt myself being watched. When I looked up, a student right across from me was staring at me. I stared back at him to tell him to piss off and tried to pay attention to the class.

"Now, we will divide you into groups and each group will be doing a concept at the workplace and how you deal with it. Okay? " the leader asked. "Each person counts from 1 to 5 in order, every person who has the same number will be in the same group, is it clear?" he went on. "Steven, count."

"One"

"Two"

The students started counting one by one.

To my surprise, the guy was in my group. He was tall, with broad shoulders, a square jawline, and tan skin. And he was still stealing some glances at me.

"Does anyone have an idea about the performance we are going to perform?" I asked the group.

"I want to say something," he declared. "I do not act, whatever you do, leave me out of it. I can help with anything, but acting" he said.

"Are you serious right now?" I questioned with frustration evident in my voice.

"Pretty much sure, baby girl, don't waste your time, it is ticking," he said.

However, I wasn't furious. I tried to reason my resources. "I am not letting this go!" I said with a glare and started to prepare for the stage act.

For the first time, I was defeated. Because of a man. Amid my angry thoughts and break, the guy sat next to me and introduced himself, extending his hand.

"My name's Alex. Nice to meet you"

'Is he for real?' I thought. Shamelessly coming and trying to be friendly, huh?

"You don't have to know me," I said deadpan and looked another way.

But he wasn't taking it. "You were cool back there, my respect." he tried to sweet mouth me.

"Why, thank you. You were annoying, thank me that I did not pluck your hair." I countered.

"Wow, you are fierce, I like it." he tried again.

What a dumb thing, or just pretending to be dumb. So I ignored him.

"You know, I have been curious. Which clan do you belong to?" he asked carefully.

"A clan? Do we still have them in our day and time?" I countered back, shocked.

"It's just the way you carry yourself, your advanced thoughts despite your age, and everything else, just reminded me of one of them, so I asked," he finished.

"What a creep are you? To ask a girl suddenly a strange question. Don't talk to me." I declared and sat in another place far from him. 'What a jerk.'

During the rest of the club, we have been bickering back and forth, giving arguments against each other's thoughts and keeping the debate running. I thought he would be gone after this, but to my surprise, he started coming over to our club every session. I was the only one who was unfriendly to him. But I also enjoyed our debates. However, I did not like him. He was still a handsome guy who irritated the hell out of me and I enjoyed defeating him in the debates. Other than that, he would always stare at me from afar, or try to stay closer to me.

***

"Mag, is it okay for you to go back home alone? It is very late." Sara asked me. Today our club activity got extended and we ended up staying till nine at school.

"Yup, this is my neighborhood, I can manage it," I said bravely. Though I had this ominous feeling today.

"Okay then, be careful. I am going with Lily and Jack. They will drop me at home." she said.

"Right, be careful."

After bidding farewell, I went home as usual. My house is not far from school, a kilometer or two away at most. So I did not mind it. Also, Asher, my neighbor, is the ruler of the neighborhood. As we are best friends, nobody touches me. Not to mention Zachary, my classmate, is his right-hand man. I am pretty sure about my safety.

When I turned around the corner, I felt two guys following me. It was strange because, otherwise, the streets would be filled with the guys from the neighborhood, but today they were nowhere to be seen.

I picked up my pace, to reach the end of the alley and go to the main road, but the guys were faster to reach me.

"Where do you think you are going?" one of the guys asked me, grabbing my wrist.

"none of your business, jerk". I yanked my hand away from his grip.

The other was fast to block my way "whoa, You are feisty, calm down, we mean no harm. Just answer some questions" he said with a smirk.

"Why should I?" I countered back.

"You still don't realize your position, I wasn't asking," he said with a butterfly knife in his hand.

"My patience is thin," he warned.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Now we're talking, so answer me is this you in the picture?" he asked, showing me and Asher hanging out in the mall, my head on his shoulder.

"Yes, so what?" I asked.

"so you are one of his bitches?" he asked, c*****g his head to the side.

"What are you talking about?"

"Now, now, don't play dumb with us," he said, pressing my shoulder to the wall.

"I would say he has good taste, and your body is hot," he said, his face inches away from my face. I felt goosebumps cover my whole body, and the hair stood on my neck.

"What would he feel, if he knew when his little friend was abused in the street?" he asked with a grin on his face. I felt all my alarms ring off at that moment. I need to think quickly. With all of my strength, I punched his throat, choking him, and made a run for it.

"This b***h, catch her!" he ordered his friend. The guy was fast, he grabbed my backpack and yanked me to the ground. Holding my hands together, he pinned me to the ground.

"Now I won't be gentle anymore," said the guy with a sore throat and sat on my legs. He started unbuttoning my blouse.

I felt a crisis and belatedly started shouting for help.

"Shut her up." the guy ordered. And his friend was quick to oblige. He covered my mouth with his hand.

After opening my blouse he started running his hands on my sides. "You have an amazing body, that is so good," he said with lust.

I was still struggling but to no avail.

When he started unzipping my skirt and tearing my thighs, I tried to scream. When he palmed my breasts over my bra and tried to kiss my stomach, something came with force and yanked him off me.

The guy who was holding me also joined the fight and it became intense. It was disadvantageous for the other boy. But still, he managed to win, making the two guys pass out cold. When he turned around, I was shocked. It was Alex. The guy I hated. And I hated this situation more. I was a mess, my cheeks stained with tears, my clothes torn. I was still sobbing. When I tried to stand up, my legs did not listen. They became jelly, I couldn't even stand up, and I was angry at my helplessness. I did not want the pity of others. And I didn't want the sympathy of the guys standing in front of me. I sobbed more.

He approached me slowly and wrapped his jacket around me. His warmth and cologne still lingered in the jacket. He helped me stand up and hugged me. No words were exchanged. And I wailed more in his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay, you are safe now," he cooed.

"H-how are you h-here?" I asked him, still hugging each other.

"I am also a member of another gang. On the way home, I received a message, saying that the gang from Sandervile was conspiring against Asher's gang and they had found his weakness. They were going to lure Asher and his gang to a fight while those two would r**e his girlfriend." he stated. "When I saw the picture, I ran there with all I got. Sorry, I am a bit late. We are allies with Asher's gang, and I know you too," he said.

I felt helpless again. "I, sob, I am not his girlfriend," I confessed, burying my face into his chest.

"I know, shhh, it's okay now." he cooed.

When I came to my senses, I tidied my appearance. "I need to go home," I said.

"I will see you off," he said and took my backpack from me. He held my hand the entire way and did not let go, till I reached the house.

When we reached home, I just took my bag in a daze and went home. I took a long shower and could not sleep till morning. But I still felt his strong arms around me all the time that day. Reassuring and safe.