Wandering Fireflies

Chapter 33: One Step At A Time

Song: Superheroes by The Script

The little red-bricked house at the end of Appleberry Lane has always had the most beautiful roses growing in the garden.

"Are you ready?" Vance asked.

"No. I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You can choose to go back to your parents but I don't think you want to do that."

He was right.

"Hey, it's okay," Vance said softly with an encouraging smile. "You have to at least try. And if anything, I'll be right here. I'm not leaving you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I nodded and taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell.

"Just a minute!"

My heart pounded as she opened the door.

Aunt Holly wasn't a very tall woman. Her wavy blond shoulder length hair had more streaks of silver than ever before. Whenever I would ask her why she didn't colour her hair, she'd tell me that to her, every grey strand was a symbol of her experience in life. Every strand of grey hair and each wrinkle on her face was like a badge of honour. She was never ashamed of her looks, she always dared to be herself.

For a minute, we just stood there, home trembling and Aunt Holly's hand covering her mouth.

"Zaavan?" she whispered. Slowly, I nodded. In a matter of seconds, aunt Holly was pulling me into a hug.

"I can't believe you actually came," she breathed once we were inside. She was smiling yet near tears as she handed Vance and I a glass of juice. "I've been waiting so long to see you again."

As happy as I was to see aunt Holly again, I couldn't help the bitterness that was inside my voice. "Then why did you leave me with them? Why didn't you at least try to come back for me," I said, trying to maintain a steady voice.

"Zaavan, please understand. Your father threatened to move away if I ever tried to reach out to you. I knew if he took you and left I'd have no chance of ever finding you. I was waiting until you turned 18 to come and get you. That way, he'd have no legal authority to hold you back if you wanted to come stay with me."

"You could've came anyways," I spat. "I would've chosen to stay with you. I would've ran the second I got the chance!" I knew I had no right to be upset, heck I came to aunt Holly for help and the first thing I was doing was yelling at her. But I couldn't help it, she left me to rot in hell.

"Sweetie, they would've gotten the police involved. Your father already threatened to file a restraining order. I didn't want to lose you. Honey, you know I care about you," she insisted, giving my shoulder a light squeeze.

"No you don't," I said, my voice wavering. All the confidence in the world couldn't get rid of my doubts and insecurities.

"Of course I do. Why would you say such a thing like that?" I watched as her soft grey eyes slowly drifted to the dark purple ring around my neck.

"Zaavan, what happened?" she asked quietly.

I was so close to backing out and I probably would have if Vance wasn't there. Seated across me, Vance nodded, giving me an encouraging look. Taking a deep breath, I slowly told aunt Holly everything. How my parents treated me. How doctor Jones treated me. How Beth wrote that website and what school was like. How I was being sent to boarding school at the end of the school year and being forced to permanently be a girl.