Light Behind The Dark

33

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"Your parents...are they..." Chris couldn't complete his sentence. Kaya suddenly had tears in her eyes. Chris moved a little forward to comfort her but stopped as she started to speak.

"They're alive. My biological mother had me when she was sixteen and gave me to my father before running away. I never saw her and don't intend to either. And then, dad, he got married to another women and that lady wanted me out. So he disowned me Chris. My own dad disowned me for a stranger." She took a deep breath as a tear trailed down her cheek. It hurt him to see her like that.

"And then, I was sent to an orphanage but I started getting these weird thoughts to hurt something. To hurt someone and I didn't like it Chris. I couldn't help it. So I hit a few younger kids and when they cried in front of me, I used go and comfort them. I used to hurt them and then tend to their wounds and I felt disgusted with myself. So, I started hurting myself." Kaya paused, looking up at Chris. A smile on her face. A sad one.

"I used to cut myself Chris. Just like you." And then she stared at Chris's wrists. Chris didn't know what to say. He always assumed Kaya led a happy and free life. Her smiles seemed so real and carefree. "And then, someone came, like a drop of sweet honey into a pot of poison. That someone, saved me from myself and I couldn't be more grateful. But he had to leave me." And now, she started sobbing. It was too painful to hear Kaya sob, but Chris moved closer and wrapped his arms around her. 

For the first time, he had the urge to comfort her. It was always Kaya being strong for him but for once, he wanted to be there for her.

"I loved him Chris. But he had to leave me." She sniffed out. And then she roughly rubbed her face off her tears and turned to face Chris, who was now sitting next to her on her bed. "And everything he did to me, to help me save myself, I'm trying to do the same. I'm trying to help you. But I can't do that unless you tell me everything Chris. You have to be honest. Tell me if you're dad hurts you. Tell me if you get bullied. Tell me if you feel bad or depressed." She said, staring at Chris right in the eye. Chris didn't know what to say. He was speechless.

"How do you do it?" he asked her after a minute. "How are you so strong? You've been through so much and yet here you are, being strong, helping me get through my days." He whispered. Kaya finally let out a genuine smile through her tears. She smiled brightly at Chris.

"I told you someone helped me. And I want to be that 'someone' that would help you." She said and Chris smiled at her.

"Just promise me that you'll tell me everything from now." She said, holding out her little finger. Chris laughed at her childish way of sealing a promise but still held out his little finger and connected it with her.

"Promise." He said and leaned in to kiss her. He liked it. He liked liking her. Kaya was caught off guard, sure, but she kissed him back with a grin through her tears.

Chris meant what he said. He promised to share everything with her and he will do it.

And right then, he made one more promise. He promised himself. To fight. To stay strong like Kaya and fight his demons away.

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