Healing (Discontinued)

c h a p t e r • 5

Liliana

"W-what?" I gulped.

I held back my tears and tried not to hyperventilate.

"Mom got into a car crash, which put her in a coma for past 5 months. Dad is slowly losing his mind. He's depressed and busies himself with work but he goes to the hospital every day." Kyle says, everyone was quiet.

"And you're only telling me this, now?" I ask, softly.

"What do you expect, Lili? You left right after...that and we had no idea where you were and not even a number to contact." He says, sounding hurt.

I gulped.

What did I do? What did I just start?

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I stuttered as I got up from my seat, not meeting anyone's eye.

Why am I so selfish?! I never think about anyone else but me! I just wish someone would end my misery and run me over instead!

"I'll be back." I breathed out, heading for the exit.

I stood by the side of the entrance where luckily there was no one.

I tried to steady my breathing but it was hard.

An image of mom in a car crash, dad being depressed, Oggy in the fire and Kyle having to deal with this by himself all attacked my mind making me start hyperventilating.

I clutched my head and tried to make everything stop. Make the pain go away. Something!

It's all your fault.

You brought this upon yourself.

You were the selfish one.

What a bitch.

I muffled a scream.

A pair of arms engulf my frail body and I found myself struggling against it but I gave in when I heard his voice.

"Shh. I'm with you. Stay with me, Shortcake." He says, soothingly.

I hug him tightly as if he was gonna disappear.

"I...I'm sorry. I was being selfish." I sobbed into his chest.

He stays quiet but rubs my back gently.

"You look so fragile." He whispers to himself.

After a while, I pull myself together and Ryder helped me get up.

He didn't even struggle. It was as if I weighed nothing to him.

I wiped off my tears and went to the washroom to freshen up.

I rolled up my sleeves so they don't get wet and washed my face from any tears and walked out.

Ryder was there, most likely waiting for me.

He glances at me, then at my wrist.

His eyes darken and his whole demeanour went from calm to deadly.