We all claim we know the world but when an accident makes us realise that what we know isn't everything then what do we do?
*********************
Many years ago, a war wiped out all that was left of a group so talented t...
AN :- Hey guys! This chapter contains a trigger warning for attempt of sexual abuse. I didn't want to put the scene but it was crucial for the latter part of the chapter as well as the next one. So people who have this trigger, you have been warned. I will also put a warning before the scene so that you can skip that part and continue with the chapter. Still I ask you people to forgive me for putting it in. Thanks.
*********************************
Atalie freshened up and went downstairs for dinner. The truth was, that, she was still rattled but she needed to be strong for her parents. The dinner that night was Atalie's favourite lasagna. After scarfing down her food— which made Janet chastise her— she made her way upstairs ready to sleep the whole ordeal off. Atalie had been asleep for only a few minutes when it came. The dream.
************************** The room was sparsely decorated with minimalistic furnishings but there was a homey feeling to it, one which could not be replicated. A young mother was busy bouncing an infant child on her side. The baby was giggling with laughter and the mother was smiling as well. It was so long since she had last smiled!
"Come on baby! Say Mama!" The woman coaxed the child but the small baby did not pay heed to her words and started playing with the woman's necklace. She was enchanted by the light reflecting off the surface of the necklace.
The woman noticed this and kept the baby down on a sofa nearby. Again she was asking the child to say 'Mama' but the child refused to oblige. Suddenly a phone rang somewhere in the house. In her hurry to get to the phone, the woman – seated as she was – banged her knee against the coffee table and cried out "Ouch".
Seeing this the child began to laugh, clapping her hands with joy. "Hehehe Mama. Hehehe Mama." The woman turned to stare at the child incredulously. "You little brat. You think it is funny to laugh at Mama getting hurt?" She said with faux anger. Suddenly she realised something and froze. "You said Mama. You said Mama!" She said smiling like a fool. And why wouldn't she? It was believed that a baby's first word was the name of its favourite person or thing and by saying 'Mama' as her first word, the child had elevated her mother's status from simply a mother to her most favourite thing in the world. "God, I love you so so much!" The woman said, twirling and spinning with her baby.
************************** Atalie sat up in bed. This time the dream was a very sweet one. She feel the lingering smile on her face as she thought about how amazing and emotional it must have been for the mother to hear the baby's first word. Truly a beautiful moment! Atalie sighed and laid back down to sleep. Strangely the dreams didn't plague her for the rest of the night.
*************************** The entire day was tiring. Between the dreams, the discussion with Meher and the shadow in the bathroom mirror, Atalie had had a really bad time with school. By the end of the school day she had made up the mind to go to the party just to let loose and leave all her troubles behind. Okay, that was too justificational. The truth was that Weston's invitation had lingered in the back if her mind all day. Nobody had ever invited her to a party anytime. Now that Weston was inviting she was going to enjoy the experience and then forget about it.
When evening came, Atalie got dressed in a dark blue sequined dress. She had no idea what to wear to these parties and decided to go with what was - according to her - appropriate.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
