Yay me for an early update! Btw- Brace Yourselves.

Quote of the Day

Chapter |27|

It's weird how such a simple combination of letters can have a huge impact on the life of a person.

Words create magic that can brighten your life and dampen it at the same time. It can create happiness and destroy relations. It can bring a smile on your face or be the reason of your tears.

Though the effect of those words depends on the power you give them.

Words may not physically harm a person but it can wreck a person mentally. And that is more dangerous than physical harm.

Physical harm leaves visible scars. But the mental destruction? It leaves shattered ruins of the past. Ruins that can never be returned to their prior glory.

I haven't let any of the words of people around me make much of an impression on me but that doesn't mean that I haven't heard them at all.

It's like letting bees surround you but never letting them sting you. That, however, doesn't mean that they won't sting you ever unless you find a way to escape their presence.

Sitting isolated under a tree with my book in my lap, I observed the light chatter and playful banter as the bikini clad girls and half naked guys chased and splashed around in the water.

It had been half an hour and thankfully no one had managed to come near me. They were busy having fun, eating and playing in the water.

I glanced up at the sky which was getting filled up with dark clouds, ready to burst any moment, letting their drops graze Mother Nature on earth.

I had tried looking for Andrew earlier but upon calling him, I got to know that since Emma had told him that I wasn't going to be here, he had asked Karen out on a date.

He did propose to cancel it but I declined. I couldn't let him spoil a date because of me.

Throwing a few cautious glances around, I dug in my bag for something when I saw that no one was paying any attention to me.

I pulled out a locket from the inner pocket of my bag. It was a cute, vintage locket in the shape of a book and had a key attached in the front.

Opening the book revealed a small photo on the right and a small caption on the left side.

Running my finger on the locket, I slowly pulled it open. It was my mom's.

The picture inside was my favourite one that I had luckily forced mom to put a smaller version of it. Lucky because the original one was burnt away by Alicia.

The clouds grumbled above me as I felt gloominess fill the cracks in my heart.

A small, sad smile made its way on to my face as I observed the goofy smile on my face as mom had her hands on my waist. She had been trying to make me laugh by tickling me.

I shut my eyes, keeping in the tears as I remembered that my mom's death anniversary was just a few days away.

I leaned my head back and before I could open my eyes, I felt a stinging pain crawl up from my hand to my wrist.

My eyes snapped open as I saw a ball resting a little away from me. My eyes going wide as I noticed the missing locket in my hand.

I quickly got up and tried searching it on the ground. I ignored the shouts of others asking me to return the ball.

I couldn't loose it. I couldn't.

My eyes scanned the ground carefully. My breath had started coming out in pants and my attention was totally focused on finding my locket, so much so that I didn't hear the nearing footsteps.

It wasn't until I felt a sudden force on my back, making me stumble, that I noticed the crowd behind me.

My nerves were jittery and the frenzy increased when I saw Alicia's face. If she found my locket, she would destroy it and I couldn't have her do that.

"W-What do you want A-Alicia?" I asked, trying to calm my nerves but failing.

The fact that she was standing somewhere near my locket was enough to make my mind boggle. I tried hard to keep my calm façade on but the truth was that I was nearly trembling.

Alicia was wearing a purple bikini that showed off her stomach and thighs that she was proud of. She knew that a lot of people checked her out and that was mainly what she wanted.

"You seem to think too highly of yourself. Touching a dirty ball seems to be below your standards, doesn't it?" She sneered and I could feel a crowd gathering up.

"It's not like that. I-"

"You need to be punished. Your arrogance needs to be brought down a notch but since I seem to be in a happy mood, we'll decide about it later," she said, smirking at my flustered self.

I tried to control my panting as I barely managed to nod. I almost sighed in relief as I watched her turn around.

But my relief was cut short when I heard a small crunching sound that seemed to have come from under her foot.

No. It can't be.

Alicia paused. Please walk away, I prayed in my head.

She removed her foot from the ground and picked up my locket. Dread pooled in my stomach as I noticed that it was open, displaying the picture of my mom and I.

Nerves crawled my spine as she turned slowly to face me. My breathing fastened and my eyes widened as I felt a panic attack coming as I observed Alicia twirl my locket with a malicious smirk.

"You didn't tell me you had brown hair?"

I gulped. No. Please, no.

"Alicia, p-please give that back," I nearly begged.

She gave me a cold smirk. It was so cold and empty that it sent a bone-chilling sensation down my body.

"Boys! I think the punishment could be given today itself. What do you guys think?" She asked and hoots of approval followed.

"Alicia, not today. P-Please. Just give me back my locket and I'll go away. You won't see me today," I tried but she simply laughed at my pathetic attempt.

"Pick her up!"

And that's when I knew she was the worst person ever born. The fact that she knew my phobia of going near a water body and was using it against me when I had barely done any thing to her, proved that she was worse than the devil itself.

Hands grabbed me by my arms and legs and they dragged me towards the lake. I thrashed, sensing my panic attack almost on the verge of engulfing me.

My heart increased its pace as I felt tears escape my eyes. I held in my sobs, pushing back my panic attack because I knew if it happened, I wouldn't be able to stay strong.

I would crumble and the walls that kept me upright would fall down, taking me with them.

My breaths were coming out fast and heavy, worse than running in a marathon.

A sob broke through when I reached the outskirts of the lake. Every eye was on me, but no one dared to help. Another sob followed as my plea drowned in the laughter of the people around.

Flashbacks drowned my mind as I felt myself being thrown into the water. It took seconds for the water to engulf me in its arms.

"Mom! Help m-"

"M-Mom! N-No!"

My screams of plea were now only heard by the water surrounding me. I thrashed, flailing my arms to go up but darkness surrounded me.

Even crying for help seemed useless because all I could think of was how similar the feeling of drowning was. I was almost in the verge of giving up.

What was even left to live for, anyway?

Everybody I loved had gone away from me, one way or another. My mom passed away, taking a part of me with her. My father was no more than a contributor in giving me life and I barely had my own identity. So, why not just pass away. Atleast I could be with mom, that way. 

But that's how funny life is. When you accept your death, it decides to give you another chance at life. Atleast that's what life must've intended when someone grabbed me by my arm and pulled me into the world of the living.

The moment I was out of the lake, vigorous coughs overtook me, making my throat ache. My mind was a jumbled mess and so was everything around me.

I could barely make out the sounds of laughter as I coughed my life out.

It seemed like hours which were actually just a few minutes when I finally stopped.

My wig clung to my neck and forehead, my clothes hugging my belt-clad body. My drenched body proving to be a weight I wasn't sure I could carry.

I tried to get up and did manage to do it but my knees buckled. I was a wreck, inside out.

"You're a loser," Alicia sneered and laughed.

Loser.

"Pathetic," another voice chimed in.

Pathetic.

"You're such a bitch!" My breathing increased.

Bitch

"Good for nothing!" More voices started shouting, making me tremble.

Good for nothing.

"You don't belong with us!"

I was better off dead.

"STOP!" A male voice thundered but no one listened. I barely managed to see a drenched Tyler glaring at the people around me.

I slowly backed away. I needed someone to tell me it was alright. To tell me that what they were saying wasn't true.

Someone who knew my story.

I limped my way as the sky grumbled, one last time before letting loose the rain drops.

The attention of people seemed to have diverted a bit and I took the opportunity to stagger my way out.

My mind was reminding me the words that were carelessly thrown at me earlier. With each step, my mind convinced me that I was what they were saying.

Tears were mixing with the rain drops as I limped my way, struggling with each step as I tried to go to someone who might be able to calm my mind.

Loser. Pathetic. Good for nothing.

Loser. Pathetic. Good for nothing.

Better off dead.

I shook my head. No. Stop!

The moment Emma's house came into view, I increased my pace. Please be at home. Please.

I dragged myself, barely able to keep up. Once I reached the door, I banged, desperately. Please, I don't think I can hold any longer.

The door creaked open after a moment and I almost wanted to sigh in relief but couldn't when I saw Lacey standing there with a smirk.

"L-Lacey, please call s-someone," I pleaded, my voice barely making it out from my throat.

"Oh so who would you want me to call? No one is home except for Daniel," she faked an innocent expression and the voices in my head became harder to control.

Loser. Pathetic. Good for nothing

"P-Please. L-Lacey, call D-Dani-"

"Oh look at you. You're so pathetic running after my boyfriend. Did you really think he liked you?"

No. Shut up, please.

"He was nice to you because I asked him to," she started barking at me.

No. Please tell me that it's not true. Someone, anyone.

"That day on the treasure hunt, I asked him to try and win your heart so that I could see you crumble. Because you are a worthless and a piece of shit!"

Worthless. Piece of shit.

I staggered back. My mind taking control.

"Alicia told me about your mom. And how you're the reason she is dead. About how you killed your own mother," she snarled at me and that's when I couldn't take it.

My eyes heavy with tears. Clouded my vision. The panic attack I had been trying so hard to control, taking over. I stumbled back, limping my way, dragging myself to wherever my feet were taking me.

Loser. Pathetic. Good for nothing. Worthless. Piece of shit.

Murderer.

Rain was pouring hard as if Mother Nature herself wanted to punish me. When my vision cleared, my knees buckled as I dropped down on the cold concrete step.

Loser. Pathetic. Good for nothing.

Black dots clouded my vision and I barely made out the embossed words on the tomb stone that stood right in front of me.

Worthless. Piece of shit.

"I-I'm sorry, mom. I'm not a g-good daught...."

And that's when darkness took over, making me tilt to my side, letting my body weight take over.

Murderer.

********
Hey Guys!

How do you feel about the chapter? I tried my best to put emotions into my words and I hoped that I succeeded.

Do tell me how it was. It's the only reassurance I can get.

My heart did break while writing it so I really hope I did justice to the emotions.

Thank you! Love you all!❤️❤️