What is family?

Chapter 33

Arianna

"Tell me, Arianna, how was life at your old house?", Vince asked calmly.

I froze in my place, listening to his question.

Why is he asking me that?

Does he know I was abused?

What should I tell him?

Do I say everything was okay?

Do I trust them enough to tell them the truth?

Can I bring myself to say the truth?

A certain memory kept running in my brain. Once when I told a teacher at school that my parents are hitting me at home, mom and dad were called to school to speak with the teacher. They lied smoothly saying they didn't fulfill my wish and that's why I was acting out. They gave me a glare telling me to go with their story. I was terrified to the core so I accepted their story. The teacher was highly disappointed and scolded me for telling lies. 

After going home, mom and dad took turns in hitting me. They made sure not to hit at places, that might be visible to others. I apologized and begged them to stop hitting, but they didn't listen. They hit even more harder when I pleaded them to stop. 

It didn't stop with one day. For four days, every evening, they hit me till I blacked out. They also starved me for four days, with nothing but water. I couldn't bear it anymore and pleaded them to stop, saying I would never ever talk about it to anyone. They hit me one last time and let go of the punishment. 

They taught me a lesson I would remember for a lifetime. 

The worse part is, the teacher to whom I told about the abuse, told some other teachers how I lied about my own parents and they started considering me a liar. They never gave me a free pass for even the small mistakes. They used to give me detention, leading to more punishment at home. 

If I thought my life was bad, it turned into hell after that incident. I could neither be at peace at home nor at school. I never again went against their rules after that. 

But that didn't stop the punishments. They used to abuse me for the smallest of the mistakes, like forgetting to polish their shoes. At school, people made fun of me and always called me a freak for not having friends and not talking to anyone. The verbal abuse at school and the physical and emotional abuse at home had turned my life into a literal hell. 

It was a living hell.

I flinched hard when a pair of hands hugged me tight, rubbing my back continuously. I could hear muffled voices of someone speaking, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. It was getting hard to breathe each passing second.

I was trying to breathe but my body was not supporting. I couldn't move my limbs and everything looked blur. Someone hugged me from the other side too and started rubbing my hands. I could hear multiple voices, but they were not clear. Even my vision was getting more and more blur.

"Arianna!", I heard someone shouting my name before I completely blacked out.

Vince

After I asked Arianna about her old house, I didn't expect her to say the entire truth. I know it is very hard to talk about abuse, but I at least wanted her to accept that she was abused.

If she accepts that she was abused at her old house, I would have slowly suggested her to attend therapy. It would help her to overcome her fears and anxiety. She would be able to let go of the trauma and live to the fullest without any burden.

After I asked the question, Arianna froze in her place and didn't say anything. I expected that. It isn't that easy to talk about a traumatic past.

I, better than anyone, know that!