Chapter 2: It just happened.
Chapter 2
Arylan spent the majority of her time with Aiden without realization. Eric left confused by the extra person in their small circle choose not to question what was happening, and accepted their new routine.
“ sooo, are you going to explain? Or should I guess…” asked Eric handing a textbook to her, after pulling her aside?
“ well, umm he apologized. And made an effort sooo now we’re friends. Nothing to be confused about.”
“ wow… next time I’ll sign up for summer school as well, never knew they thought people about overnight bonding as well.”
“ha-ha-ha, aren’t you funny.”
“ Whatever, you’ll regret it one day.”
“ I did not ask you to become a father figure what so ever.”
There was a little tension between the two boys who had plenty of awkward situations from time to time.
Arylan had more company, which meant an extra study buddy. There was a reason the school accepted him as a last-minute student, he was as smart as a wit, even if it meant Eric was uncomfortable most of the time… that will teach him, he use to bring his two month girlfriends over...but Arylan was certain that they would get along eventually. Arylan dodged the bullet one day as they were walking home. They were laughing and joking around on their way back from a local sweet stall.
A car came at her at full speed hooting in impatience. Arylan stood in the middle of the road to shocked to move, the sound drew her closer as if she were about to touch something. She was met with a flash and a shove when Aiden quickly pushed her to the pavement, she fell roughly onto the ground hitting her head, she felt dizzy trying to stand up. But the more she tried to push herself the pain in her head grew. She began seeing little sparks of darkness. Her nose begun to bleed and the sounds of the cars around her faded with every second, the sounds of the morning traffic reduced little by little. The darkness grew, with a growing thud at the back of the teenager's head, she fell into Aiden's arms, who yelled for Eric to phone an ambulance.
Only 17, unable to control the amount of pain she felt. They carried her to the ambulance. she felt the movement of the people carrying her before she completely blacked out. Eric and Aiden left to bring the terrible news to grandmother who immediately rushed over with a taxi, calling Tim over.
Arylan woke up with a few drips and bandages on her arms… she felt a slight pain as she tried to slightly set her fading gaze onto grandmother’s worried face, before shifting them around the room towards uncle Tim. Eric and Aiden were missing. She sat up and looked around her, the headache grew. She ignored it placing her hand on top of the area that hurt.
“ Why am I here?” she asked moving her hands.
“ are you okay?” grandmother asks. You could see her face was swelled up, even if age made her face look plump, it was easily noticeable. Grandmother cried for hours.
The pain grew behind her head and she began seeing random faces around her. She sat there silent before the doctor rushed in with a nurse, who uncle Tim summoned at her awakening. She heard the machines around her beep, which made her panic grow before she returned to the peaceful darkness she removed herself from.
The scenery around her changed, she was near a garden… there was a huge tree with two swings on it, one swing was occupied by child her and the other by a younger girl who resembled her. They were both dressed in white.
The vision blurred out little by little and then the girl eventually disappeared When a man walked into her fantasy to pick up child her...she woke up at that very moment
“ the patient is stable,” the doctor said passing the injection to his assistant.
Grandmother quickly grabbing her skinny hand hugging it in relief. An extra drip, and the oxygen mask still connected to her in case she’d stop breathing.
Grandmother did not speak this time but continued to hold Arylan who struggled to keep her eyes open. Her condition was unpredictable She lied in the hospital for a week, before she was cleared from all complications, Arylan spoke to a therapist from time to time and met grandmother occasionally.
Arylan was kept in the dark about what was happening to her, the wounds on the outside healed, but why was she lying in the hospital if the car barley even touched her. She was given no answers and had difficulty sleeping. The people with no faces that kept on appearing in her dreams did not let her rest. Child, her would often talk to her.. but it drove her nuts. The recovery was slow and tiring.
she managed to reach a safe point, accompanied by Eric and Aiden her biggest strength being grandmother. Grandmother would go over with delicious food, plenty of dua(prayer), and a heart filled with stories to tell.
“ she’ll be out today,” grandmother said to the boys standing outside of the ward.
She went over to sign the paperwork needed. They walked in with her lunch and placed her homework on the table. It was their routine by now. She insisted on continuing her school work.
“Asalamualikum,” she greeted them with a bright smile. “ what work do we have today?”
“not much, we have a physics exam next week about circuits.”
“ easy beans…I’m sure we’ll make it.”
“we most certainly will. I’m so glad that you’ll be out of here soon. The atmosphere doesn’t suit you,” Said Aiden handing her a juice
“I’m excited as well.”
“We can’t wait for everything to return back to normal!” Eric said stealing Aiden’s coffee
Arylan looked okay but distant. It's as if for the past 3 weeks she lost the real her. She hardly spoke on their way home, avoiding grandmother and uncle Tim. When she got home she rushed to her room and sat there.
The doctor's final words could be the reason behind the sudden change of mood.
She was diagnosed with childhood trauma and was given prescribed medication for her illness. Something she did not mention to grandmother who was already stressed enough. Arylan does not recall any bad incident in her past. It was all rainbows and sunshine The only thing she remembers that was terrible was when grandmother fainted, otherwise it was all good. everything became heavier, it became confusing for her too.
***
“Just because she carries it well, does not mean that she’s okay,” Uncle Tim said making some tea.
“I understand, but the girl hardly talks to me Let alone leaves that room of hers. Sometimes she screams at night but I can’t go in cause the door is locked.”
“ screaming, d-do you think that she remembers her father’s death perhaps… remember she was there… and was even mute after the entire thing… or perhaps she remembered being squashed to a pulp by a van. ”
“ impossible!” grandmother cries, “ the doctor said that she will never remember those days, no matter what…”
“ those are her memories biel, they are apart of the child whether you like it or not.”
“ I agree... But how would I know if she does not tell me, Tim?”
Besides her secret about her suffering, Arylan had to keep up with her school work. Online classes were not the same but bought a little ease. Aiden and Eric would often come over with the school work and assist her. Sometimes Eric would not come because he would be stuck in detention. But Aiden always made it on time.
“ you’re here alone again?”
“ my apologies am I not wanted?” he said jokingly
“ to be honest I prefer you teaching me over Eric he gets emotional quickly.”
“ agreed, I’m glad you’ll be back at school next month, everyone misses you terribly.”
“ I’m glad as well, anyways let’s start.”
Things went smoothly and everyone around her tried burring the fact that she’s sick trying to cover it all up, assuming that it will go away on its own.
But things don’t just go away, things are forgotten for a while but when they come back. They return with a vengeance twice as powerful… and the carrier is left to deal with the old and new wound.
Even If everyone tried to make everything seem less obvious, she just felt sick at how everyone just pretended like it was nothing.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone