Aelia looked up at Woo with narrow eyes. Then her eyes went to the others around the table. San had a warm look on his face, comforting, but he wasn't smiling. Jongho and Yeosang also met her eyes calmly.
Aelia sighed deeply and sat up. She straightened her back slightly and just looked at Wooyoung and the paper in front of him.
«When did you snap out of it?» he asked.
«Are you saying I will get my memory back?»
«Don't even try...»
«I spent only a few weeks at the Mansion. Can you see that in your file as well, Wooyoungie?»
She saw his jaw tightening.
«I estimate I was at the slave house about three weeks before I was sold. So, these months you talk about... I'm not there yet. Am I telling you the truth?»
«About the timeline?» Woo said. «Yes.»
«But you don't think I'm telling the truth about not having my memory back?»
«No.»
Aelia nodded her head slowly, taking in the information.
«Would you like to know why I don't believe you, Aelia?»
«Yes, please, do enlighten me. How is it you just know I'm lying?»
«For one, it's the way you reacted just now. This Aelia speaking to me right now is completely different from the one we've been around this last week.»
He looked at her as if he was waiting for a response. He didn't get one. Not yet.
«Where did the scared little girl go?»
«I might still be scared, even if you can't see it,» she said.
«Absolutely, yes, that is true. I just don't trust that your actions or words are completely truthful at this point. You're being too good an actor.»
Aelia had a million thoughts running through her head. There were so many things she could argue, so many flaws in this logic, but something told her it would be best to not say a word. They had made up their mind.
«May I leave the table, or will you not let me?»
«You're free to do whatever you want. We cannot force you to stay and talk with us, Aelia,» San said. «We would like you to, but..»
«Thank you, then I'm going to my room.»
Aelia went to her room, closed the door, and turned the lock. Not until the door was locked did she allow herself to let go. She sank down with her back to the door, her breath heaving and her body shaking.
«Breathe,» she mumbled to herself. «Just breathe.»
She knew it wasn't real, she wasn't dying, but the panic attack still took control of her body, shutting it down. She felt lightheaded, and putting her head between her knees wasn't helping.
«Please, please, please,» she whispered, trying to take control of her pathetic body. Then she started to say the one name that meant safety to her in this world.
«Yunho. Yunho. Yunho.»
Aelia was startled when there was a knock at her door. She was laying right next to it on the floor, she had fallen asleep like that.
«Aelia? It's me. It's Lixie. Are you okay?»
«Go away, Felix,» Aelia said, her voice hard.
«I won't,» he said stubbornly. She would have found it cute any other day. «I need to know you're okay first.»
«I'm fine. Now leave me alone.»
«Aelia, what happened?» he said after laying down on the floor on the other side, whispering against the tiny crack underneath the door.
It felt like having him next to her.
«I don't trust you, Felix.»
«Why?»
«I don't trust anyone here.»
«Okay. That's okay, Aelia. I'll just be here, then. I won't go anywhere.»
«Go to your room, Felix.»
«I won't.»
She didn't say anything more. He didn't either. For a while, there was just silence. Then she heard him finally leave. She kept silent even though her tears had started running again. She should get up and go to bed. That would be smart. That would be the normal thing to do. But she had no energy or even will to do such a thing. She just wanted to sleep.
After a minute she heard shuffling right outside her door again.
«Lix?»
«Yeah, I'm here. I just got a pillow and a blanket. You do the same. We'll just stay like this tonight, love.»
YOU ARE READING
Take Me Home // Ateez // Stray Kids
FanficAfter an unexpected escape from the Mansion, Aelia finds herself in a Safe House. Who is a friend and who has alternate motives? And what do the butterflies have to do with it? As a former slave, life looks empty. Aelia has to find her way in life...
