New Beginnings. Ch.5

Chapter 5: Pains of the Past

The ride back home gave me the same feeling as the first time but this time it was more overwhelming as now I understand his feeling and accept our new relationship. Arriving back into my apartment, I returned to my room and dozed off to sleep. During my rest, Darren was downstairs making a light meal for me and when the time came where I need to pick up my sister, he in my place did it for me. Since my sister recognized him they followed him to the apartment however he had forgotten one small thing, that was he didn’t have the key to my apartment therefore he wasn’t able to open the door. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long as I woke up a few minutes after he had arrived at door. Having that tiny amount of strength that allowed me to inch towards door and and opening it letting him and my sisters in. Seeing me open brought worry to his face but confirming I am in perfectly fine he helped to the dining table before bring the meal he had cooked. My younger sister complained, jokingly about where there meals are but were stopped by Darren just in time as he made preparations for their afternoon tea. I couldn’t remember the last time I was treated like this, in fact I don’t remember ever experience this. I always helped my sister cook and bring it today the table or I cook it instead. This was the feeling of being dependent on someone else, it was a feeling incomparable to anything else I have experienced.  The rest of the day was spent helping my sisters with homework and completing other necessary work as Darren always trailing behind me, helping when ever he can. Once my sister arrived home from work, we had dinner and Darren  was invited to stay and dine with us. Feeling overwhelmed with the new experience my spirit soared high above the clouds, nothing can shoot me down. As the day came to a close I walked Darren towards his bus stop, we laughed and joked around like we always do as we had not noticed that our hands are linked together as we walked side by side. Standing so close to each other made me feel so nostalgic as if we have down this a long time ago, way in the pass. As if we have been together in our past life, as if our lives were destined to be bound together for eternity. However even so, I am glad. I am glad for this relationship I have with him and that I can be with someone I love who also loves me back. I was overwhelmed with happiness. 

The next morning, my sisters and I where ready to leave the house. I patiently waited outside the door as my sisters where getting their bag, placing on their shoes and making their way towards the door. A small gush of wind blew past as I turned around to face Darren on his bike waiting for me by the sidewalk. Opening his bag Darren took out a small cartoon of milk tea, and past it to me. 

“ From now, on I will send you to and from school along with your responsibilities of sending and picking your sisters up. I will also bring you, your favourite drink every morning.” He explained with a big smile on his face which almost seems as if it wouldn’t fit. My sisters had already noticed the difference in our behaviour however both unwilling to say instead they secretly had a cheeky smiled on there faces. Everyday since then, Darren would accompany me to and from my house to my sisters school before taking me to school on his bicycle. I spoken to Alice the day after I fainted and our relationship has returned as normal maybe even stronger than before  though unknown by her, I feel that she is hiding a deep secret she is unwilling to expose just yet. Deciding not to question her about it unless one day the problem begins to rise to the surface and where I can help her like she helped me. For now, one problem has been solved but other problem have bubbled right after. 

“ So Dora, what have you been up to lately? You know rumor has it that you have started dating Darren. Is it true?” asked Denise curiously as Belinda and Yuki stood by listening intently. 

“ Well. . . I. . . You know. . .”

“ So you really are!?” questioned Yuki even though it was more like a statement than a question. 

“ You could say that...” I whispered nervously as I felt my cheek turn red. 

“ That bastard, I will kill him. I will get him.” called out Belinda in half joking manner. The question went on about Darren and I relationships as I hesitantly answer at times while others I would try and brush off. The topic gradually changed as we moved on to talking about a new transfer student that has moved in our school. He was a year older than us and a great martial arts expert. Within the our school only one student has a chance in defeating this state champion, our best karate fighter, Blaine. Gradually I noticed the similarities of the transfer student and Damien which lead to questions wondering within my mind. Halfway through our conversation, a shadow was cast in front of us, our eyes followed this shadow towards the owner. For a few second, all I could see was the silhouette of the mystery person however, once my eyes adjusted to the light I could finally make out the figure of the mystery person. 

“ Hello, I’m Damien and I am the new transfer student which I think you might have heard of. Anyway do you know where the gym is?” Damien asked, directing his question at me. Without a second thought I brushed passed him as I glared at him while passing him, taking my leave. I could feel the his eyes and my friends staring blankly back at me as I walked away towards the dance hall. Belinda, Yuki and Denise decided to follow what I did and walk away however Yuki pointed the direction of the gym before she made her leave. Dancing was one way, for me to calm myself and another way for me to express me feelings out. So far, no one has understood my dancing accepted a rare few, one in which includes Darren even though he knows nothing about dance. Leaving the dance room, I noticed Damien outside the door waiting for me. 

“ Hi. . .”

“ I have nothing to say to you. I need to go to class and since you are so popular in this school, you better stay away from me. I don’t want to be hated anymore than I already am.” I said as I pushed past however it was unsuccessful as Damien grabbed hold of my wrist and stopped me mid-way. 

“ Please. . . Please stop avoiding me. I don’t understand why. . .” 

“ Let go. . . Let go!!!. . . LET GO OF ME.” I said until he finally let go on my wrist before I walked off, leaving him stunned, not knowing what to do. In my heart, I know I might have been a little harsh but I just want to avoid that part of my life and live my own life. Time continued to tick as the afternoon drew near and throughout the day Damien had stop following every step I took. However on the following day he continued to persist in finding the answers he needed. 

It has been three days since I last spoken to Damien, even though he often keeps pestering me wherever I went. At the start of lunch I was in the dance hall stretching when I heard some of the group members gossiping about some rumours that they had just recently received. They had just walking in the room gossiping and preparing for our dance practice.

“ I wonder, what happened between them?”

“ You know, I heard this isn’t the first time they started a fight.”

“ Really!? When did they fight before?”

“ It was in front of the school when they had it.”

“ Oh yeah, I heard apparently. It was because of a girl that they started the fight and everyone says it is the girl who stop the fight.”

“ Who is that girl?”

“ It is. . .” I felt their eyes turned towards me before they mumbled something at each, something I couldn’t make out. I tried to ignore them and continue on with my stretches until Alice rushed in and grabbed my hand.

“ What are you doing, Alice?” 

“ Come on, let’s go.”

“ What~ dance practice is about to start, you better get ready.”

“ Dora, Darren is in a fight with Damien. . . Your. . .” She didn’t have to finish her sentence to allow me to understand what is happening. Shocked, surprised, worried all came at the same time and without anything rational thoughts to have pass through my head when I jumped to me feet and rush out the door. The other dance members watch as their eyes followed me out the door while Alice followed not far behind me. Out in the playground on the basketball court, I found a crowd of people standing and watching something intently. Assuming it was their fight, I pushed me way through the crowd until I found myself in the middle of their brawl. Darren  was on the floor panting for breathe as Damien was about to throw his last punch Blaine was on the edge of jumping into the protect his friend while Belinda argue against him for his own safety. The rest of our friends watched helplessly within the crowd, to shock and confused on what they can do. In this kind of chaos, I jumped and put a stop to it. 

“ What do you think you are doing?” I yelled at Damien as I rushed to Darren  followed by Blaine and Yuko who helped Darren to his feet. 

“ Dora, tell. . .”

“ I have nothing, NOTHING to say to you. So please leave me alone.” I said 

“ Mei~ What did I do to you? What did I do to make you hate me so much? How am I mean’t to know how to make things right if I don’t know what I did?”

“ Do you really want to know?”

“ Yes, I want to know.”

“ What you did, I can never tell you how much you made me suffer. Everything you did made me life unbearable. You always got your way and never got in trouble. Even when it was you who did something wrong, you would blame it on me so I get in trouble. You know that you won’t get in trouble like I would. You had it easy when you got in trouble but not me. I had to do all the chores you couldn’t do, even when I had assessment I had to do it because you would slacking off. That is why you always got good marks because you have the time to study or do what ever you wanted. You had to destroy every happiness that came my way. When I had presentation days, you had to have your sport carnival. When I had won an award you had to get a trophy. Why is it that all my efforts are looked down upon especially when I don’t get the time to improve like you did. Not only did u make my academic life miserable, you would always bully me, tease me and you always got your way. I can’t win either way. You took everything I owned that you knew I loved, I had nothing. I was nothing. Compared to you I am still nothing in front of our parents eyes. But at least now I have people that treat me as someone. Do you understand now. . . Ge. . . Do you understand how much suffering you caused? Not once where you like a proper brother to me. Not once. You happy now? You happy that you know how much pain you caused. So now you can stop pestering me and I don’t want anything to do with you, ok. . . Ge” My eyes filled with tears of pain and sadness but I had to keep it in. I don’t want to show my weak point in front of all these people. I help Darren  up as I accompanied him to the schools infirmary walking past the crowd of people with their eyes watched me as I left Damien within the crowd. In the infirmary, I helped Darren  clean off some of his wounds that was made during the brawl as he watched me. My heart felt so heavy even though all my anger and sorrow have just been emptied out to the entire school. Knowing that rumors will began to spread around the school, my mind was running a thousand miles per second. I don’t know what to feeling or think anymore nor do I want to look into Darren’s eyes as I feared what would be going through his mind at this point of time. Finishing bandaging Darren’s wound, I turned to walk out the door but before I made it out the door I felt Darren’s arms wrap around me hugging me tightly. 

“ Dora. . . You don’t have to face this alone anymore. You have me. . . To me you will always be someone. Someone more special than anyone you can ever imagine. If you want to cry or yell then just let it out. You can fall apart if you want because I will be here to support you and pick you up every time you fall. Trust me because I Love You.” Darren whispered quietly in my right ear as I felt his warm breath breathing into my ear as he talked. My heart felt light and the stormy clouds above my head begins to clear as I turned facing Darren. 

“ Thank You, I Love You Too.” I said as I wrapped my arms around him hugging him tightly while my tears gently fell down my cheeks. These were tears of uncertainty but also tears filled with relief and happiness from the love Darren is passing to me. The tears flowed until I had no more water to cry out allowing me to move on from this sorrow and continue the life I love and enjoy the company of the people that truly care about me.