When Love and Hate Collide [Completed]

Chapter 31: Stand On Your Own

ARANYA

Buong gabi kong inisip kung ano bang ginawa ko at narating ko ang posisyon ko ngayon. Pilit kong inaalala kung may ginawa ba akong masama at nangyayari sa akin ito. I have spent a lot trying to pray to be freed from the hands of violent people but when I finally did, it did not even took a while for me to come back in the same situation!

I was tied in a chair twice, I was tortured by people I don't even know who, and now here I am. Hindi man ako nakatali sa upuan pero walang kasiguraduhan ang buhay ko. Yes I eat fancy food but who knows someone might shot in the head while walking outside or here in my bedroom while I'm cuddling my pillow and pouring my heart out.

I was softly sobbing and sniffing as I'm curled up in bed when I heard the doorknob turning and then the door slowly opened. Kinabahan ako bigla nang makita ko si Thunder na nakatayo at titig na titig sa akin.

"N-No! What a-are you doing in my room?" I almost scream in fear but then he started hushing like he was trying to calm me down.

"Its okay! Its okay! I'm sorry I barged in!" He said as he walk fast to me and then he sat in the bed as he try to calm me down, "I was just checking if something's going on. I can hear you crying from the outside of the door." His soft and calming voice assured me so I finally stopped panicking and just lean slowly in the headboard.

"I'm sorry. I was just scared." My voice is still hoarse after all the crying but my tone is as soft as the cushion I'm hugging.

"Did you had a bad dream?" He asked me with his gentle and concerned voice although I can't see his face clearly because the only light on is the lamp beside my bed.

"Nope. I was never asleep actually. Nagmumuni-muni." Paliwanag ko bago muling suminghot at isinandal ang baba ko sa unan.

"Is it still about the exam? Don't worry about it madam, you have us protecting you. We'll never let you---"

"That's the problem Thunder. I'm always protected by everyone and I rely on them much." I cut him off as I started crying again after that painful realization.

That was the very problem I had in the first place. I trust people too much when it comes to protection and care. I always think about them caging me with their shields that I do not know how to fight my own battle.

"Madam, its very understandable because you are not capable of---"

"Of course I know. I've never been capable of defending myself ever since I was young. I was too innocent that I thought everything was just butterflies and rainbows." I was too drunk with the alcohol of pain and regret as my voice crack again while I started pouring all the pain I was hiding, "I trusted my father back then that he'll protect me no matter what even he and my mom got separated. I'm his daughter, his own blood and flesh. I'm the only family he'll ever going to have. And yet he never really thought of me as one." I started crying hard and I trembled as I remember every single detail of my greatest fear.

"Madam, please calm down---"

"H-He sold me to a psychopath! He said he n-needed money because he's so broke! I begged him not to give me but he just watched them tying me up in a chair!" My heart is now burning in rage as the memory of how my father looked blankly at me that night flashed before my eyes, "Then he left! He never listened! He never even felt bad! I-I got tortured! They hurt me a lot and I almost got raped if it wasn't for the police barging in!" I can feel how my lung squeezes really hard as I gasp for air while Thunder on the other hand is caressing my back as I see him shaking his head in shock and disbelief of how cruel my story is.

"It will be alright madam. Everything's going to be fine." He said without stopping his effort to make me feel better. "Now that you have us, no one could ever hurt you again. Not Lucian, not even anyone."