What Am I?

Chapter 4

"Dylan, you remember what you need to do today, right?"
"Ya dad. I need to get Brianda back from aunt Tasha's house. How is she doing? I haven't spoken to her since she went, which was three months back. She wasn't really allowed to talk to us till she recovered, which was quite strange; like she needs us but still, the docs know better."
"She's better. Aunt Tasha said that she's improving." *sighs* "Your mom and me just pray for one thing...we get our old Brianda back."
Dylan held his father's shoulder, as if instilling hope into him, "We'll get her back. Don't you worry."

*****

"Morning love" Dylan kissed Andrea. "Ugghh the school is not short of rooms which have tables that are high enough."
"Mason it was just a morning kiss. Why are you allergic to love?"
"I don't like morning love...or morning... or love."
"That's very unusual for a person...but it's cute." said Mia, with a tinge of red in her cheeks.
"Oh c'mon. That's stupid. Everyone needs love to survive; and if you think you don't, you're lying to yourself." said Emma, while looking lovingly at Max.

"Ah!" shrieked Dylan on the way to class.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing. Just my head. It suddenly started hurting. I'm fine Reece...I'm good."
"If you say so."

After school, Dylan got into the car to drive to aunt Tasha's. The sky was a faded colour of pink, clouds floating in the sky, being carried by the soft wind which kissed Dylan's face, as he drove miles away from the city, reminiscing about his time with his younger sister Brianda. But then the bitter memories hit him, crushing all the sweet ones into pieces. He remembered that one day when the sour story got it's beginning.

"Brianda open up!"
"Open the damn door Bri!"
"Peter why isn't she opening the door?"
"Rosanna calm down, your trembling. She'll open it, just don't panic."
"Dad, I don't think she's gonna open it. I'll have to break it." *attempts to break the door by pushing it*
"It opened! Brianda!!"

*Car honks*
"Oh sorry sorry" drove Dylan as the sound of the honk got him out of the nightmare. He drove till the sky lost the pink and turned into a shade of blue.

"Hi aunt Tasha!" greeted Dylan as he hugged his stout big-boned aunt.
"Hi there my handsome young man. How are you? It seems as if I'm seeing you after ages! Come on in!"

The house, on the outskirts of the city, was typically what you would call your aunt's home. Entirely made of wood, the sunlight came in through the window, making the house light up. The peach-gold couch was very inviting. It had quite a rustic atmosphere. The small chandeliers, the carpeted floors, huge fireplace and the view from the window, which was overlooking a woodland, with the most beautiful hues of green and pink made you want to stay there forever. On seeing the house one could say that aunt Tasha had quite an elegant taste.

"You haven't changed a bit. Still the same old curves which pierce the hearts of men."
"Oh come on Dylan, don't make me blush, the neighbour makes me blush enough."
"Anyways, how's Brianda?" he asked with a concerned look on his face. Aunt Tasha's ear-to-ear grin reduced in size.
"Well, she's much better." She continued with a relieved look on her face,
"After what happened, I think listening to the doctors and getting her here was a great idea. This place is away from the hustle-bustle and suffocation of the city. According to me, staying here has made a lot of difference. She has better control over her mind and body, she's started thinking in a positive manner. She's not the same girl you left here three months back."
"I'm really glad that she's improving. To be honest, I knew that I would miss her...but I didn't think I would miss her so much. Is she home?"
"Yes, she's in her room. I'll get her."

Though Dylan and Brianda had grown up together, Dylan didn't know how to face her. Beads of perspiration raced down his face. Just then he got a call from Andrea.
"How's it going? Everything smooth?" "I haven't met her yet Andy. Wait, I hear them coming down; I'll talk to you later."
"Ya sure. Bye...all the best."

Dylan heard the footsteps stop. His heart skipped a beat. He turned himself around, as if explaining to every body part that it's going to be alright.

"Dylan?" He looked at her. Brianda looked as hale and hearty as possible. "Briand-" Before he could complete his sentence, or for that matter even start it, she ran up to him and jumped into his arms. Tears of joy rolled down both their eyes. There was pin drop silence in the house, which was occasionally broken by the sound of their sobbing. He embosomed her till she had to gasp for air.

"How are you Brianda? I seeing you after a quite some time" he said while wiping his tears away.
"Stop crying Dylan. I'm here ok, so just don't cry, or I'll cry even more and my head pains when I cry. I'm much better. Much much better than what I was three months back. This place really helped me. And of course Aunt Tasha...I don't think i would have recovered without her help." "Don't be stupid dear. I would hate to see any of you suffer this way."

The evening turned into night as the siblings caught up with each other. It was as if they were stuffed boxes of candy, waiting to be opened, and once opened the candies poured out of the box, just as their conversation did.

"I'll make us some dinner. It'll be late till we finish. The two of you should spend the night here."

They decided to sleep in the same room so as not to be far from each other.

"Oh and do you remember the plumber you scared away with that tarantula!"
"Oh my God I do. I was quite a brat as a kid."
"You definitely were Bri."
They spoke for hours, as if there was no tomorrow.
"How's Andrea? I don't even remember when i saw her last."
"She's good. Loves me as she always used to."
"Love...it's a very delicate word. But it has the power to break a person completely."
Hearing this, Dylan went back in time.

"It opened! Brianda!!"
"Oh God no!!" The sight of Brianda lying in bed with her wrist cut open was the most horrific thing Dylan had ever imagined to happen to any of his family members.
"Brianda! Brianda! Open your eyes, talk to me!"
"We need to rush her to the hospital." "This is all because of him! That bastard!"
"This is no time for that mom, we need to take her."

"Doctor, how is she?"
"It was a really close one. There was so much blood loss that we could have lost her had she been a little late. She's quite lucky. It's like a new birth." "Thank you so much doctor. Can we see her?"
"Sure. But she's unconscious."

"My baby..." quietly cried Dylan's mother as she sat next to Brianda.
"All this is because of Kyle. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have done this to herself. The day she told me she was dating him, I had a bad feeling about it but I didn't say anything because I could see the love she had for him in her eyes. If I had said something, this wouldn't have happened."
"Don't cry mom, it wasn't your fault. I had warned her about him but she didn't listen. Before we could say or do anything, he took that video of her and started blackmailing her. But when she stood strong and refused to sleep with him, he shared the video with everyone. It scarred her for life; even though we got him arrested, we couldn't put her together. She completely broke because she truly loved him. But the thing that is eating me from the inside is that I couldn't do anything for her."
"Don't blame yourself Dylan. The doctor told your dad we need to send her away from the place which reminds her of this incident. Somewhere far. I think we should send her to aunt Tasha. She'll be perfect to take care of her." "But I don't want to send her away from me."
"Mom, you'll have to...for her."

"Dylan? Dylan?"
"Ya! I'm here I'm here!" he said as he was jolted back to the present. "Where were you lost?"
He locked Brianda in a hug.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything for you."
"You did do something. You were always there for me. You know, whenever I think of you and Andrea, it makes me happy, but I don't think love will ever mean the same. The guy I loved..."
"Hey, some people are like clouds, it's a beautiful day once they're gone. Just don't think about it. Go to sleep, we'll leave tomorrow morning. Good night Bri."
"Night Dylan."