Beneath the Scars

Chapter 2

"Damn, you little girl! What was I saying?! I told you to escort Mr. Rodulfo to his bed and be his warmer for a day but you left him!" I cannot believe how I managed to live after all of this. I'm scattered into pieces knowing that she's my only family right know but this is... no, I can't.

"Tita, I cannot do t-that, s-sorry" She slaps me hard and punches me in my cheek without mercy.

"You're disobeying me, huh- "

"N-no! P-please no!"

"Ha! Now, you're disrespecting me?! Let's go, fucking stupid!" Her sharp nails engraved in my skin as she pushed me into a storehouse. I cried for the pain that I was feeling. Did I deserve to be treated like this? Her punishment for me did not end just like that because, that night, an old man came. He was intoxicated yet he can do whatever he wants. I was screaming for help but he was stronger than me. I was crying but he was laughing at me. Morning came and I felt the soreness all over my body. I don't want to touch my skin. I was messed up. I felt ashamed of myself.

Crooked yellowish teeth. Tonge. Creepy touch. A strong push. A scream along with the light from the moon. Crooked yellowish lower teeth. Tongue. And a strong slap that stung my face and jaw. Darkness.

When I opened my eyes, I felt a red liquid from my left wrist while holding a piece of sharp metal in my right hand. Then stealthy footsteps came up to me. I tried to see who it was, but the darkness had closed in all around me. I gathered my strength, and I was ready to defend myself, but no one came. But that did not put me at ease because I hid myself in a closet—scared for my safety.

Because of that day, I called my friend. I cannot handle my situation with the help of myself. Aki came holding a plastic bag that was in my drawer.

"How many times have I reminded you that you need to take this antipsychotic drug even if I'm not here beside you?" She gently caressed my back while kissing my forehead as a sign of comfort.

"Sorry, I was preoccupied this day and I forgot to take my medicine" 

"If you want to be okay, you need to be serious in taking this." I nodded. She's the only person that I'm comfortable to be with.

After the small talk, she accompanied me to my mini library. I was reading a book to calm my emotions while she was sitting beside me, doodling in his sketchpad. I saw her pad and it was a drawing of us in a peaceful white room. Because of the calmness that I was feeling, I didn't know that I had fallen asleep. I was half awake when I felt she gently remove my reading glass and fix my head on her left shoulder.

Days had passed quickly with her. She invited me into the backyard while holding a guitar. It's peaceful there. "Aki, if I'm already okay, I want to have a band. Do you want to be part of it?"

"Of course! Let's go, let's practice! Just do not ever try to have a squeaky voice cause I'm going to laugh at your face. Haha!"

"As if, I'm confident in my voice" I annoyingly pushed her arm on my shoulder and ran to the bench.

"Wait, Kai!" While laughing at me.

I stop and feel this moment? I am genuinely happy with her. I don't want to come back again where I cried all day, I felt anxious about every action, and I couldn't express myself to others—only to her. Can I make a wish for once? Please let me cherish this for the rest of my life-

"Earth to Kai! Why are you in deep silence? Are you mad at me? I was talking here to you, but I think you're not listening to me. Hmm."

"W-what? No! I'm listening to you, no need to shout in my ear. Your voice is like a mom-."

"Mamamo" I burst out laughing at her. This will be my first time to hear my voice like this and she's laughing at me. When I calmed down, I teased her. "Hey, that's not even funny! What a corny word from you, huh"