The Art of Love (TPN High School AU)

~Chapter 7~

Emma's POV

My heart was aching to find out who exactly my best friend saw. I could feel the stare that Ray was giving him... and the fear in Aiden's eyes. I knew right off the bat that number one, Ray also had dreams, and number two, Aiden saw one of us right there on the noose. Right about to die, possibly taking his or her final breath.

And that scared me

Aiden appeared to be at a loss of words. I don't blame him. But who exactly would it be, even with Norman's comforting touch, would it be that it would pain him this much? I have no idea... Its either Ray or Norman, the only two admittedly suicidal people. Maybe Norman? I doubt it however. It's crazy to think of him even committing such a deed. He's a strong person right?

He's endured 6 years with his disgusting foster family. He has endured many years of physical abuse, and just for the fun of it, pressure him to get drunk and/or encourage their crappy friends to rape him.

Yes, hes been raped before. More times I can even count. When I first heard it from Aiden, I was in pure shock. I believe, even though they are usually dismissed as snobby assholes, he should move in with the Rartris. They are related through his dad's side, through James Rartri aka Willam Minvera. I've heard, before he died,that he was a kind soul.

I wish there were multiple alternative universes where that damn plane crash never happened. That Norman's parents still lived. That he could live a rich, healthy life. And, I wish to find the Rartris and see if they can take him in. I don't care if a judge orders against it.

His foster family are good malipulators as they as abusive. With every CPS case, he appears to be the reason behind all of it. He's gotten more jail time that you would think all because of these darn parents. I am sure Ray is the reason he is even alive right now. If he's endured so much, then he wouldn't suicide?

"The person... has gone through so much that even the worst person can't scratch them.... they have endured so much. But eventually, we have a limit. We eventually break down.... The person who was hanging themselves was...."

I gulped awaiting his response. I could feel Ray's soft touch on my hands right now, and it moving to around my shoulder as he leaned into me. I could feel him tense up. He is definlately nervous.

"...Norman."

The person I was least expecting.

Everyone seemed equally as shocked as me execpt for Ray. He just simply started crying. I slowly wrapped my arms around his waist as I let him bury his head in my chest. I rubbed comforting strokes upon his back. I could feel my own tears coming from my eyes.

"What? I have endured so much abuse from my foster family.... why would I ever hang myself?"

Don and Gilda looked at him silently as Aiden began sniffling. Probably thinking what if it actually happened to them. There was a long, awkward moment of silenece before Gilda finally spoke up,

"Norman, tell me this truthfully. What exactly did your family do to you? Do you have any family that aren't abusive?"

"Aiden? Please tell them for me!"

"I am not the one who lives under their roof. Its better if it comes from you."

"Okay... it all started out normal. They just simply yelled at me at first, telling me to shut my ass up at random times, and so much more. The beatings never really came until I was 11, two years of verbal abuse. I mean, it was uncomfortable, but hey, it was bearable.

The beatings started off minor, just your typical belt and shoe. It was awful, but again, bearable. And thats when I found out how good at lying I was. They made it look like I was a crybaby, and that I had threatened them with a knife. Prision for 30 days. This happed a lot more than you think. Eventually, they started getting suspicous of this, and they conducted their first CPS visit. Guilty. When trial came, they once again got out of it.

When they found out it was from my teachers, my... "dad" began beating me with a bamboo stick and urging me to drink wine. And lots of it. I often got blackout drunk. This was all so they could rape me. Its been going on for years, I am basically used to it now. In order to prevent suicide, they said they would cremate me and scatter my ashes, as well as claiming me to be 'worse than Hitler.'

As for the question about other family? My biological dad, Willam Minvera, is a Rartri."

Everyone went into complete silenece, even me, who already knew his story. Suddenly, we all hugged him tightly. I whisphered,

"I didn't know it was that bad for you.... We need to find someone in your family that can take care of you. Aren't the Rartris known for being friendly people?"

"Yeah, kinda."

We all slowly went home excluding myself, Aiden, Ray, Noah, and Norman. We had a lot to talk about, and how we can save Norman. He desperately needed saving. All we needed to do was take him out of his foster home and into his other family.

I snuggled up into Ray without realizing as I awaited the awkward silence in the house to be broken. It was so dense that I am sure it would sink through water. I couldn't even imagine a day we had thicker silenece. We all turned to Ray as I softly asked;

"Ray, what did you dream?"

"Well, I dreamed about my past. The day my step-dad came into my life. A happy dream really, I was at the age of 7 when he came into my life. He was only a boyfriend to my mom at the time., And that day he smiled at me and touched my cheek, I knew I wanted him to be my dad.

When he proposed to my mom, I was extremely excited for him to offically be my dad. Sometimes, family isn't by blood but by love. Then, at the wedding, I caught the boquet. I don't know why, but it was a big deal. According to legend, if you catch it, the flowers morph into the shape of the thing that best represents your future soulmate. And the shape of mine was a giraffe. "

Everyone gasped in the room, looking at me and Ray. I don't know why they would be staring at me, I happen to love giraffes! Geez, I doubt he even likes me, heck, even sees me as a best friend!

Noah snickers at my confused face. He appeared to be wanting to say something... I guess he'll say it the-

"Emma, Ray, stop being so damn oblivious! Its obvious you two are soulmates!"

Both off our faces proceeded to morph into tomoatos, as they slowly died. Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door. We all looked at each other and shrugged. Norman casually went up to the door and gasped at who it was.

"U-uncle?"