Welcoming Death - Hololive Fanfiction [ONGOING]

CHAPTER 13: SWIMMING FREE

Parting ways with Watson and Gura, Ina dreaded the eventual confrontation with her parents. She knew the first questions they'd ask would be 'What happened?' and 'Who did this and why?' In honesty, she didn't know how to answer. Especially since all the questions circulated back to Calli, which would obviously pin her as the bad guy in this picture but she knew that wasn't true. 

Soon, she approached the door. It's tall frame looming over Ina menacingly. "Damn…" She couldn't remember how tall her door was to her. Steeling her nerves, her hand slowly turned the knob and came in. "I'm home." Ina meekly called out. 

In a flurry of movement, her mother rushed to her, wrapping her hands around her torso tenderly. Ina grimaced as her arms touched the particularly painful spots. "Mom?" she whispered, careful.

"We were so worried! Why didn't you answer your phone?!" Her mother releases a barrage of questions, shaking Ina worriedly. She grabs Ina’s face, tilting it to look at her. “How’d they hurt you?”

“Hm? How did you find out?”, Ina’s eyes widened with surprise, pulling back from her mother’s embrace, “Did the school call?”

“That’s not important right now! Why didn't you come home right away?"

With furrowed brows, Ina shakes off her mother's arms. She scowls, "Can't I have some time my friends?"

"You can-"

"Just leave me alone," with sad eyes, she slinks away upstairs. Her eyes focuses on the carpet below her feet, avoiding eye contact with any more of her family members. She only looks up when her door is close enough to open. With a slight limp, Ina trudges against the door to open it. She winces at the rough feeling of the door.

Her parents yell to get her attention but true to her word, they soon shut up and left Ina'nis to contemplate alone.

As her body hit the bed, the soft covers catch her frail body. The feeling of the plush duvet held her gently like a cloud. She never truly appreciated her bed until now. Its material hugged her kindly. 

The feeling of the (now) slightly damp clothes, the thick dust laying on her skin settled in, prompting her to stand up. "I shouldn't cause my family more trouble than I have already."

She wasn't angry at her parents. Not at all. But there was so much frustration in her, Ina didn't know where to direct it. It wasn't her friends' fault for not being there in time. Neither was it Calli's for directing attention to them. It was the boys' fault of course. But they weren't here. And she couldn't fight them. 

Her phone felt heavy in her hands, weighing down her light fingers. Its screen ever so enticing.

She only wanted to check if Calli was alright. That's all. She seemed to take the fight hard despite the fact she wasn't hurt at all.

She looked to the call button next to Calli's username. 

It wouldn't be rude, right?

Her finger presses on the button, hoping she'd pick up. After the first few rings, Ina felt her heart drop. She really did call Calli. With a hand on her chest, she tried to still the beating drum of her heart. However, with each ring, her heart knocked harder and harder to her ribs. Almost threatening to fall out. 

With a click, the rings finally stopped. For a moment, Ina thinks nothing of it. The call probably stopped. Until, a small voice broke from the other side.

"Ina?"

Jumping, Ina almost drops her phone in surprise. "Calli!" Her voice breaks, sounding harsh as she almost screams out her name.