The Cursed Passion

(AHVI'S POINT OF VIEW)"You can run, dear, but you can't hide from your destiny. When you fear and love something, it becomes your greatest flaw."There are a few things I know I can't run away from. First is the reverberating sound of my grandmother's words in my head for no good cause and some so-called destiny she invariably speaks about. Second is the loud cheers of the audience right outside the backstage, waiting while their screams get vociferous. I swallow the lump that has cropped up on my throat and rub my moist hands together. And thirdly-"Ahvi, are you ready?"The hasty voice of my manager, Katherina hauls me out of my reverie and the woman materializes in front of me. I blink, clearing the sudden gauze that barricades my vision. I look and realize everyone is staring, waiting for me to give the go-ahead as I always did before every concert but this time, the words get sag in my throat."No." The word flees my lips before I can stop it. "Can I quickly use the restroom?" I

(AHVI'S POINT OF VIEW)Not wanting to feel a thing gets even harder when I'm sitting across from him at the dinner table. When I get a sniff of his scent, I can feel my hands tremble around the spoon. Is this even a normal reaction? I know I like him but I'm not usually this sensitive, when did it get like this? I'm suddenly hyper-aware of every move he makes; every glance he sends my way across the table."Are you okay, Ahvi?" David, my step dad breaks me out of my daydream, resulting in a jerk that makes me drop my spoon and make an awful sound. I cringe.I look at him with a smile, it's the least I can do. "I'm fine, David," I take a glance across the table; Vance has stopped eating and is just watching me with his predatory green eyes. They make me uncomfortable but in a good way. Makes this pool of fervor spread in my stomach and down south. "You have barely touched your food." He continues, being the kind, caring stepfather he has always been since the day he came into my life

(AHVI'S POINT OF VIEW)“I’m thinking we should get something to eat…”Raven’s voice is like a fading tone as we saunter out of our last class of the day. Gradually and sluggishly, I blank out and only tread incautiously with an overcast gaze and head deep in thoughts.It has been two days but it feels like yesterday. I can still remember the feel of his breath on my face, the fragrance of his cologne, and his in-depth voice as he emitted those words.‘Are you jealous?’Who the heck asks their stepsister such a question? I have no rationale to be envious whatsoever even though it was so debased of him to let her kiss him in front of me; the mere thought of it gave me perturbation and a downpour of anger; the brashness was daunting.“Are you listening to a word I've said?” Raven's sharp voice made me halt in the middle of the school corridor. She snaps her finger in front of my face. “Back on earth yet, Ahvi?”I tsk, wave her off and resume strolling toward the exit with her beside me.

(AHVI’S POINT OF VIEW)It's 6 pm on a Saturday. After a long, grueling day at practice, my body aches and begs for a bed, but as soon as I walk into the living room of the house where I grew up, I wish I hadn't.The stench of smoked tobacco in the air is so overwhelming that I have to clap a hand over my nose to avoid inhaling it.The floor is littered with empty cans of beer and other unknown alcohol, particles of half-burned cigarettes, and a cloud of smoke, and amid the chaos is the familiar form of my Mom, crouched on the floor, her back against a sofa, and a full stick of cigarette stuck between her fingers.In an instant, my body is leaking feelings to the surface as my jaw tightens, and my hands clamp hard around the rucksack on my shoulder. Not again! I thought she stopped when she got married to David! “Mom,” My voice is barely audible as I try to contain the flood of emotions as she raises the cigarette to her lips but comes to a halt at the sound of my voice. She looks at

(AHVI'S POINT OF VIEW)Coming to practice is one thing I always look forward to; it's my only escape and it gets even better when Raven gets to escort me. It's fun seeing her trying to skate but only ends up falling on her ass for times I've lost count and after another failed attempt, Raven gives up with an exhalation and doesn't bother getting up from her position inside the ice rink.I giggle and slide towards her on my skates and pass her a bottle of water she'd shoved in my hand earlier. She takes the bottle from me with a snort and I sit in front of her with another laugh.“I just don't get how you do this, I'm flexible too you know. I can bend however you want,” her tone goes from annoyed to teasing in a second at the last part of her sentence which tells me she isn't talking about skating anymore. For someone who's a virgin, she's never shy to open her big mouth and say absurd things.“I'm a professional in his field just as how you're good on the tracks.” Although we share a