Bleeding

Emiliana

My eyes never left them as I waited for their response. My heart sank when all I got was silence from my mom, and dad… he averted his gaze back at Trisha.

Well, I guess this is my answer. They just proved to me that I am nothing to them. Maybe they never think of me as their daughter, but an expense and disposable asset when they have the chance to do so. 

I turned my back on them. I don’t care anymore if they view me as an ungrateful daughter. I know in myself that I have been a good daughter. I was always a good daughter. 

I always make sure to follow what they want. I didn’t get myself in trouble while growing up because I didn’t want them to worry.

As I walked out of our house, my tears started making my sight blurry that I couldn’t help but halt my steps. I harshly wiped the tears in my eyes.

“Let me send you back to the condo,” I hear Sebastian whisper to me. I felt his hands on my arms, guiding me back to the car.

They didn’t even follow me out or yell for my name. Until our car left the premises of the subdivision.

“Let’s have a takeout first. I’m starving.” I finally was able to mumble a word after Sebastian’s repeated question on whether I am hungry or not. My tears also stopped flowing and along with it is my eyelids getting heavier and heavier as I watch the cars pass by.

Sebastian got me a take out from McDonalds. I dozed off while on the drive and when I woke up, I was already laying down on the sofa bed in the unit that Scott got for me.

“Would you like some?” I offered the fries to him when I saw him getting out of the bathroom. Sebastian simply shakes his head.

He was already wearing a shirt and board shorts. I raise an eyebrow at him. “Are you going to sleep here?”

“I am. I cannot let you sleep here alone. Not when you are in pain, Liana,” said Sebastian. His voice coated with gentleness in it. He even called me by the pet name he used to call me during my younger days.

Now, that’s new. He was never  gentle with me. Not even once if I remember it correctly. Sebastian slowly walked towards me. The sofa bed bent a little when he took a seat at the available space beside me.

 “I may be a bit rude to you but you know Liana, I always think of you as my little sister. I am more comfortable teasing you than your younger sister. She just looks like your mother.”

So, he doesn’t want to be rude to Trisha just because he looks like mother? Why? Don’t I look like my mother?

“What do you mean?” puzzled, I inquire.

“They both have that mean look. It’s scary, you know.” Confessed Sebastian.

What he said made me chuckle. Well, I guess he was right. Mom does have a mean look and so does Trisha, but she sometimes looks innocent and I was completely fooled by it.

The heavy feelings slowly disappeared while conversing with Sebastian. Our talk continued ‘til daybreak appeared.

It’s been a week since I caught my younger sister and my ex-boyfriend cheating on me. I am still occupying the unit Scott lent to me. He didn’t mind at all when I told him that I will stay for longer than what I had expected.

My parents never reached out to me. Not that I mind it. I already sent them a message of apology the very next day after our argument. I was also at fault for being rude to them. But I never dared call mom or dad.

I know we’ll only get into an argument. I don’t want it. I don’t want to question their love for me again.

“Emiliana! Hurry up!” I turned my attention to the guy who was leaning against the frame of our classroom’s door.

I quickly stuff my remaining things inside my bag before hurriedly skipping towards Scott. Nicholas was standing behind him, both arms crossed on his chests. He looked bored. Well, he always looks like that. Or sometimes he looks like someone pissed him off. Brows halfway meeting each other.

A lot happened in just a week. I totally became a loner in our classroom. I cut ties with my friends when I accidentally heard them talking behind my back. Unfortunately, they were also friends with my sister.

And I didn’t even know when that happened. Well, I don’t mind it either. I know they just let me in their circle because I was a daughter of two influential people.

Now Scott and Nicholas have been my buddies since then. They never left my side. They always make sure that I eat lunch with, go home with and even in my spare time, they know where to find me. Because of it, I sometimes wonder if they had a GPS linked to me.

“Where do you want to go?” asks Scott while his hand is comfortably resting on my shoulder.

“Home!”

I fixed my glasses that were slowly slipping down my nose. Then next is my sling bag. Scott’s hand was pushing it off my shoulder.

“Sc—hey!”

I watched Nicholas stealing my bag away from me. He slid it on his shoulder.

“Let him be!” Scott whispered when I was about to complain and take my bag from the guy who's watching me with his bored eyes.

Scott did not let me go home immediately. He dragged me to the nearest mall and here I am, holding a gun while panicking as I tried to kill the zombies on the screen.

“Oh God, Em! You are so bad at this!” Scott exclaimed. He was laughing his heart out at my poor performance.

“I’m sorry! This is my fi-ahhh damn it just die will you!”

Now, I can clearly hear Scott’s hard laugh. “I wish you’d choke on your own saliva!”

The game ended. I grimly stare at my score. There were tons of zombies on the screen, yet I only managed to slaughter 5.

“Better luck next time, Em. Now, let’s go shoot some balls!” The moment I let go of the toy gun, Scott held my hand and dragged me towards the basketball rings.

We stayed at the arcade for two hours before Scott, again, dragged me to a fast-food chain for dinner. Nicholas, as usual, was behind us. He was walking slowly despite having such long legs.

When I glanced at the entrance of the mall, it was already murky outside and I could see the rain pouring hard. I didn’t bring an umbrella, and Sebastian is no longer my driver. He was assigned back to Trisha since I am not staying at the Vergara’s anymore. There is no need for me to have one.

“Don’t worry, we will take you home!” I look up at the man who’s standing behind me. He was only an inch away before our bodies would touch.

Nicholas' gaze was so intense that I immediately averted my gaze off of him. “Thank you.” I mumbled. And followed Scott, he was already a meter away from us. I didn’t even feel that he let go of my hand.

I let the two of them order our dinner. I am not picky and I don’t have any allergies. However, after seeing the amount and variety of dishes laid on our table, I instantly regretted my decision. The restaurant staff even got another table to connect to ours so that the other dish could fit.

“Are you feeding a basketball team?” I blurted out as my eyes examined the variety of dishes.

“No. We are feeding you. Are you sure there is enough food in the unit? You looked starved!” Scott pointed his fork on my wrist.

Excuse me? This is what I look like!

I glared at him and the guy just smiled back. Teasing me.

“I will only eat what my stomach could fit,” I mumbled before stuffing my mouth with a grilled shrimp. 

I could feel my forehead creasing as I watched Scott putting another five scallops on my plate. “I’m already full!” I complained. There is no way I am going to fit this on my stomach. I could even feel the other dishes I’ve swallowed on my esophagus. 

“That's enough, Scott. I’ll eat it if you can’t.” Nicholas pulled my plate towards him and just like what he said. He really did save me.

It was already seven thirty when the three of us left the mall. The remaining untouched dishes were packed for takeaway. Scott didn’t want to, but I insisted.

“Just drop me off at the convenience store near the condo building, I have to buy something.” I instructed Scott when we were about to reach the convenience store I was referring to.

He gave me a nod.

Scott swiftly parked the car. I thanked them before going out. The rain died down a little and so I didn’t need to cover myself up.

Scott drove his car away from the convenience store. I waved my hand and was about to enter when I felt a warm liquid running down my back.

And in a swift, I felt my uniform getting soaked on the back. An excruciating pain creeps in. Making me gasp for air. 

“EMILIANA!” I moved my head towards the voice that’s calling my name. My sight started to get blurry, yet I saw Nicholas kneeling on the wet ground. 

“Hey! Fuck! Scott! She’s bleeding!” I could faintly hear Nicholas scream, despite the loud ringing in my ear. I can feel his hand on my back.

Oh! So, that was my own blood. I could feel my senses slowly being sucked away.

“Hey, don’t close your eyes. Stay with me, Emiliana. I will stop the bleeding, so don’t you fucking close those eyes. Let’s wait for the ambulance, okay?” I can feel the panic in his voice. I wanted to listen to him, if only my eyelids would listen to me.