The Cage (Completed)

Chapter 15

"The time you were standing on the edge of the cliff, looking down, admit that you felt way emptier than the canyon"

"What the fuck guys? " I said glaring at each and every person sprawled in my living room.
After our lunch, I went back to the hospital with Evan.  He had that victory smirk on his face the entire time. How I wish to just smack him on his head and rub that smirk off.
Now, I was in my house with all my friends sitting in my living room because we had a dinner night at my place. Apparently they wanted to talk something important.

"You! " I pointed at Trisha.
"Why did you agree for the stupid date! " I said glaring at her.

She just shrugged.
"Because he was hot?  And also I don't want you to turn into a lesbian."

I placed the food on the table which I brought from a restaurant with a thud.

"Perks of being pampered by all my friends" I said sarcastically.

"Can we just sit and have dinner!  I'm  hungry" Aarav said in a irritated voice.

Ever since that night, we have been kind of ignoring each other. We were being formal again just like we were when I met him after 3 years. Just 'hi' and 'hello'. How much I wished that night wouldn't have happened.

We settled around the table serving food into our dishes.

After finishing our dinner with light chats and drinks we were again in my living room as everyone made me sit in between.
I was confused because everyone had a serious expression on their face.

"K... Kia,  we all need to talk to you! " Rian hesitated while speaking.

"About What? " I said raising my eyebrows.

Everyone were quiet scrutinizing my every expression, every move.

"What is it guys?  You'll  are scaring me! " I said worried.

Sam took a deep breath and came near me.

"Kia, do you want to come and visit your old house? "

I froze in my place. My house! My heart was now beating ten times faster. That house had one of the best and worst memories. The house which held my entire childhood and the place where my family lived happily.  The house where my friends and I hung out.  A place filled with love and happiness.  The place which I had abandoned after my family died.
A place where me and my brother had our fights.

How am I going to face all of that?
No, I wasn't ready for this.

"Kia.. Say something! " Aarav said his voice soft

"No." I said coming out of my reverie.

"What? " Ahana exclaimed.

"I'm  not ready for this."  I say looking away.

"Kia, you have to face it.  You can't run from this forever! " Trisha exclaimed.

"Can we just end this! I'm  not going anywhere! " I said tears brimming my eyes, which were threatening to come out.

"No, we can't.  You can't just cut us off with this topic.  Everytime we speak about them, you build you walls back up.  You don't trust us Kia?  You think we'll judge you? " Rian looked frustrated. 

I don't blame them. They want closure about me disappearing for three years which I am incapable of giving them.

I sigh.

"Guys,  Why don't you just trust me?  I can't tell anyone anything.  And also,  I'm  not ready to go to that house. I'm  healing guys, I'm  moving on from my parent's death.  If I go there, I will be back to square one. " 

Everyone were silent.  I guess they were thinking whether to trust me or not. 

"Okay fine! It's  your wish.  But can I say something? " Sam asked.

I nodded.

She got up and sat in front of me looking straight into my eyes.

"Be like a mirror Kia.  Don't  be like a Camera! "

"What" I said confused.

She smiled softly at me and said,

"When you click a picture from a camera, it stays in it for a long time. The picture is caged in the camera.  And when you look into the mirror you see your reflection.  As soon as you move away,  reflection goes away
Learn to let it go Kia, like a mirror.  The more you'll  keep your feelings caged inside you,  the more you will feel heavy.  You have trapped yourself in a cage filled with panics, anxiety, depression and no one is going to save you.  The only saviour who will save you is 'You'.  Be your own saviour. "

A punch of reality hit me.  She was right.  If I want to move on from my parents death then I have to do it myself.

"It's hard Kia,  I know its fucking hard to move on from this tragic situation. But babe, till the time you don't  decide to move on,  even we can't help you.  Do you think your mom would be happy looking at you like this? There are going to be panic attacks, nightmares,  depression but you have to tackle them.  In the end, you always have to be strong! " Trisha said pulling me into a side hug.

"And we all are here for you" Rian said  squeezing my hand.

"Always" Aarav said smiling.

Ahana just looked at Aarav then at me and then at everyone.  She didn't know what to say so she just sat beside me squeezing my shoulders.

"Kia, we completely understand if you don't want to go to that place, but its completely changed. I mean its the same but trust me when you go there you will feel free and amazing" Rian said grinning.

"And trust me, you won't be back to your square one. For the first time in three years you will happy! " Trisha said  declared.

"Because you are in for a big surprise!" Sam had a mysterious smile on her face making me more and more curious about going to my old house.

***

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