Heal

Chapter Three

"I fucking hate myself." Willow clicked her tongue as she got of the bus.
It was already nighttime. 
She had over worked herself from the time she got off from school right until she was finished scrubbing off chewing gum under desks and cleaning the gym.

She had been lucky that the Headmaster had given her the job. The school did have janitors to do all the work. Maybe the headmaster saw the desperation in her eyes.

She increased the volume on her headphones and music blared almost damaging her eardrums.
She could careless about her well-being right now.

The walk from the bus stop to Ma'am Rosa's house was short. She needed a good meal before she headed home. Leaving her brother for the weekend was the only way to keep her mind at ease for the entire weekend. It wasn't safe to keep Noah in that hellhole for 48 hours without him getting hurt.

Ma'am Rosa was a really wonderful and kind woman. She took Willow and Noah in with open arms and she understood them. She understood the pain Willow carried on her shoulders. She understood what each sigh that escaped their lips meant.

Ma'am Rosa was a retired nurse who worked as a caregiver in a psychiatric by hospital in Silverton. She had two children, both who had left home and lived their own lives. Her husband passed due to cardiac arrest a few years before she met the two siblings. She was bored. That's why she took them in. She knew where they lived and how they lived. It was not safe for either of them but Ma'am Rosa knew they could not move in with her. It just never really worked that way.

Willow opened the gate and entered the small yard that was decorated with flowers. With a small chuckle, she walked towards the veranda and knocked two times on the door before entering.

The house was warm. The house was welcoming. The house smelt sweet and full of love. She took off her shoes and blazer and tossed her bag on the couch before walking to the kitchen.

"Good evening." She greeted making her way to the refrigerator. Ma'am Rosa was standing in front of the stove, cooking.

"How are you? You're back later than usual." She said. Her voice was old but to Willow it sounded so maternal. The way a caring and present mother would sound like.

"I'm still alive and that's all  matters. The bus came late." Willow said as she chewed on the apple.
The dark haired lady turned around and looked at the young girl.

"No. I want to know how you really are. I can see that you're alive."

"Where's Noah?"

"Noah's in his room. I won't let you go until you tell me."

Willow rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Fine. I'm hurting. I'm hurting because everyone in school hates me. Everyone thinks I'm a freak and just a poor girl. I am disgusting in the eyes of the wealthy. That's how I feel. Hurt. Can I go now?"

Ma'am Rosa opened her mouth to say something but decided against in. She nodded instead. Willow was already out if the kitchen before she could even exhale.
"Noah? It's Willow. Can I come in?"
"Yeah."
She turned the door handled and pushed the door open. Noah was seated on the floor with books scattered all over him.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much really. I was just doing my homework." His voice cracked. He barely even looked at his sister.

"You're okay?" Willow asked. Noah kept quiet. Willow went on to sit on the floor, crossing her legs and resting her back on the bed.
"What did they do?"

"I got to school and went to sit with my friends. We were talking about cars and stuff. Nothing happened until break time. In the fields we were all eating our food until they came. The pulled me by the hemp of my shirt and strangled me. I couldn't breathe for a very long time and as I started to give up, then everything stopped. I saw this dark shadow and...My whole body was aching when I regained consciousness. My friends told me I had another episode and after I passed out, Kevin's brothers beat me up."
Willow pulled her brother into a hug.
"Kevin's brothers? Which Kevin?"
"The Kevin that's been asking you out your entire life."
Willow closed her eyes for a brief second.
"I'm so tired, Will. I hate being pinned the crazy kid at school. I'm a psycho in the eyes of my peers. I'm lucky to even have friends still. I hate who I am and there's nothing I can do about it except drug myself with medication that is supposedly designed to "fix" me as if I needed fixing."