𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗬

010. 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗬 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗘

Her parents were called.

She simply dwelled in unnecessary thoughts rethinking why she did what she did, the look on his face that he wore before seeing her injured, his displeased appearance diminishing into fear and worry.

Like he was in self-loathing, in regret, and she noticed he didn't make direct eye contact when they parted ways, perhaps remorse was easy to forge, digesting that the damage is done, incapable of undoing it, realizing it too late and there is nothing he could do now, that must be what he's feeling. But it was only temporary, she knows.

He'll forget the guilt to endure, to stand strong and act like a good guy in the end.

Her mother was the first to stand before her sight with an unreadable expression plastered on, her father just behind her, seeing her sit at the benches provided at the school entrance, just waiting for them to come.

Usually, her father would only show up in situations like these, when she got sick or majorly related matters, her mother probably came along due to their one-sided conflict, feeling guilty, feeling worried about how her little girl managed to hurt herself. She averted her glance, more intrigued by her shaking shoes than her concerned parents, who had yet to utter a word.

"How did you get hurt?" inquired the mother, pressuring the girl into compliance by steadying her voice, to make herself look like she hadn't caused this.

She blinked, now motionlessly staring at the pale floor.

"I asked, how did you get hurt?" her voice ultimately cracked, her emotional condition made apparent, clear, and plain to the eyes of the bypassers.

"You got into a fight, got hit, then hurt yourself in the process. What have you not been telling us?" she sobbed, her wrinkled eyes watered up, her father listened, not used to wearing his emotions on his sleeves but, maybe, there was a pinch of sadness somewhere in his eyes.

She simply soaked it all in, at a loss for proper words and explanation to give out, to utter and make sense of whatever she voiced in a fit of distress after the deed was done and said, she ought to be careful, but she was exhausted, drained of energy and will, not everything can be picture perfect, some unrequited information will spill, which she'll have to deal later or never.

"I fell, got hit by the desks pretty hard by this boy who slapped me, I said some bad things to him, he was mean and he teased me often. Today, it got worse." she gushed out, breathlessly pouring it out hoping to come off indifferent, unaffected, although, who could she fool, they knew her since she was a weak defenseless baby.

"You didn't tell us all this. Did you think we would not care? After we cared and provided for you for all these years?"

She said nothing, neither confirming nor denying it because she frankly didn't know, she's been naive her entire life and maybe she had started to believe some vile things she heard. She has been disappointing them with poor grades, less interaction, and just... distant. Hesitatingly speaking she glanced up, her facial features painted with melancholy.

"No. I just thought it would pass and, I think I was constantly giving him chances because we all are flawed. But, now I know, change is hard to come, even harder to instill."

"That's a wonderful thought..." mumbled her mother with a small smile, tears dried up, her father subtly grinning, "I'm sorry for saying those things earlier, you know how I am, I get angry all the time." she sadly mused smiling wide, tearing up for a split second.

"Your sister, we miss her a lot sometimes, doesn't mean we don't miss you. I've been having doubts, sweetie, I'm so sorry for shouting at you."

They softly smiled, understanding what the other meant without a voice to communicate, the girl appeared like she had more to say, but decided to linger for a bit. Observing her relieved and unburdened mother, how she gently nuzzled her hand and rubbed small circles on the back of her palm, she felt she could be honest. There was a lot in her heart left to bear, and telling them felt like it would help alleviate all of it but how was she going to do it?