Troubled Life

Chapter 25: Avoiding Aren't We?

*Ara's POV*

I drove back to my house unsure of what I'll meet there or the mood of the room. All i know is that i have to get in and out as soon as possible.

I walked into the house not bothering to look at my sad mother and crying aunt. It was too much. I ran upstairs and grabbed a gym bag filling it with extra clothes for when I'm done dancing. I ran downstairs to the kitchen to grab a few snacks and stuff them in my bag.

"Where are you going?" My mom stopped me which I prayed she didn't.

"To the um... Studio." I answered not looking in her direction.

"You're avoiding us." I shook my head.

"No... Not you guys just the um.... situation." I tried to fight back my own tears but somehow the tears are winning.

"Ara-" I cut her off.

"No mom. No. I'm tired of crying, CeCe is here to talk to you. I might be tired of crying like the weak, pathetic, coward I am but you haven't cried enough."

"You're not pathetic." She said firmly.

"Then what am I?! If not a pathetic coward then what mom?! I'm not like you and I hate that I'm not. I haven't been down there in weeks because I can't face the facts! Now that's pathetic. I avoid sleeping because I can't face my own demons while you so bravely stand up to yours. If that isn't cowardice mom I don't know what is." I left the house to get in my car. I tried to get into my car but my hands shook as I fumbled with the keys.

"Ara." Mom called from behind me and I didn't bother to answer. "Ara." She called again her voice getting closer as I continued to fumble with my keys. "Ara stop!" She grabbed my hands and I looked up at her. She wrapped me in a hug as I sobbed into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry" I cried. "I just don't wanna cry anymore."

"I know. But don't you dare say those things about yourself ever again. You're not weak, your broken, you're not pathetic, you're afraid and you're not a coward, you're careful. One day you will stop crying and this pain would only be a bitter memory." I cried some more in her arms. She's so much stronger than I thought. Dad talked to me about her last night, it's how I fell asleep. I don't know how I still have tears left to cry but I do and it sucks.

***

I was working on my choreography for this dance for over an hour by now. I only got a little bit of it but it's a start. I chose the song Hostage by Billie Eilish because i like it and because it has a lot of emotion in it .

Cue the video😉

In the middle of my choreography the door opened and in walked my dad.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" I questioned as I laid on my back on the floor. He walked further into the studio with his hands in pants suit pocket. He had on no tie and his suit jacket was unbuttoned along with the first two buttons of his dress shirt.

"Can't I just check up on my daughter?" He stopped a few feet in front of me.

"Yes and no. Yes because well... You can and no because you're supposed to be at work helping grandma which means..." I got off of my back and sat on my butt. "You've talked to mom." I sighed.