WOUNDED

34. Chao chao

It had been a week since she saw Jace and apart from the bathroom Alex had practically been on the bed for most of the time. Her hair was a tangle of mess. The windows had not seen the daylight in a week. It was dark and cold just like she felt. She'd barely eaten anything and could feel the weight loss when she rose from the bed. Her steps were small and uncoordinated as she walked to the bathroom. What day was it? She could barely remember anything.

Washing her hands had her come face to face with her herself on the mirror. She did not recognize the person staring back at her. Her eyes were empty. Not sad, not pain just empty. Her face was pail with a thin layer of sweat. She looked thin and sickly. Her lips were chapped. She was a stranger to her own self. There was no life in her. She looked defeated. She was on the verge of giving up.

Walking back to the bed, Alex knew she needed help as soon as possible. She didn't know who was going to help, but there was no doubt if it wasn't soon then things would turn really ugly. A whim of sadness hit her from nowhere engulfing the entire empty space inside. She cried for the little girl who had been robbed of her childhood. The little girl who had wished for a perfect family. The girl who was robbed the motherly love she had craved. The girl who had been robbed her only loving parent. The little girl who had to hide behind thick walls to protect herself. She wept for the innocence that had been stolen from her.

Alex was not going to give up on herself. She was going to take small steps but steps regardless. She had to go on living for the sake of her dad. The first step towards that was to pack up and go back home. She needed to get her bearings and know where to start. She was going to get therapy,it was time she accepted help from outside.

Phone in hand, hesitant to press dial, Alexis was afraid of hearing the voice on the other side. It had been so long since she'd called home. She had not seen her family in that long. She had not even called Jenny after promising she'd keep in touch. Ringing twice the phone was picked and a soft voice had answered. "Hello?" The voice had brought fresh tears to her eyes. She had been gone for so long. "Jenny, it's Alex,how are you?" There was a deep breath intake followed by silence from the other end. "Is it really you, I've missed you so much my baby. Please come home."

After much crying for both of them, she had promised to be back soon. She'd soon see Jenny and couldn't wait to visit her dad. It was time to go home. After making the necessary arrangements and settling everything, within a few days Alex was at the airport, waiting to board. She would miss this place. She would miss sitting at the beach at night. She would miss her quiet place,but that place was not home. Pani town had been a chapter in her life but it was time to write the other chapters. When her mind started wondering towards Jace,she shut it down quickly and opened a book she was carrying. She was not going to think about him,she could not if she wanted to remain sane.

Within a few moments the plane was up in the air leaving pani behind. As they gained distance, Alex felt the tag in her chest getting heavier and heavier. She was leaving her heart behind, she was leaving him. She would never be the same again. She had left home to heal only to return more wounded than before. Wiping the angry tears before the guy sitted next to her noticed, she vowed it was her last time crying. She had done that enough. It was time to hold herself together. She was going to pick up herself from the ground. She had to do it for herself and her dad.

Bye Jace.