One Winter
It was a chilly morning, snowflakes twirled airily in the wind before coming to rest on a brown, leafless branch of the tree outside Ally's window.
She looked at herself in the mirror, acknowledging how insignificant her life is. Every day in these seventeen years of her life, she had been reminded that she was an unwanted child, that she shouldn't expect anything from her single mother besides some basic amenities that were to be provided.
Her heart ached when she remembered how mothers kissed their children before seeing them off, while she had to totter alone to her school. She tried to keep up with the shadow of the parents of other children when she had to cross roads to get to her school. All went alright until it was winter, because now people used cars instead of walking their children to schools and it also meant no shadows to walk beneath.
Time passed by and she grew up to be fourteen. Her mother had started dating a man, who also provided them with some monetary help. He was a drunkard and would often become violent and abusive with her mother, but the latter was only interested in paying her bills and not in her depleting virtue. But one day, they had a big row and that man had stormed out of their house angrily.
Ally had sighed with relief, hoping that bad things were finally coming to an end, but she had never been so wrong before. That evening, when her mother was out at work, her doorbell rang. It was the same man but apparently even more drunk than he was in morning. He wanted to punish her mother for the ugly words she had spitted out at him, but no one was home other than this scared little teen in front of her.
He violated her. Being fourteen, it was not difficult for her to understand what was happening to her, but there was no one to hear her sobs. When her mother came to know about it, she had threatened the man. Ally thought that no matter what she said, a mother is a mother. But soon after, the matter was settled between them and her mother had grown a little richer than before. Virtue had never been important to her, even though this time, it was not hers to trade.
Though that man never came back into their lives, Ally had now learnt to guard herself from others, especially her mother. She had started training herself in martial arts at a local gym, with the money she had gathered by cutting her expenses and working part time in a local café. Though the wound had healed itself a long time ago, the scars were still left behind.
Ally looked at her wrist watch, she was getting late for her school. Just a few more months to go, before she leaves this place forever. She walks downstairs to leave, before muttering, "I'll be back later." to her mother. Over the years, it has become just an obligation to inform her, even though she knew her mother couldn't care less about her and she had been repeatedly told that she was nothing more than a mistake.
She walked into her school, carelessly brushing off the snowflakes that fell upon her hoody. When she started walking to her locker, she became aware of all that curious gaze which were falling on her. She ran her hand through her hair, as if to check if she had an ugly leaf sticking there. None. She looked at her deformed image in a glass window of library, discreetly checking if she forgot to apply a concealer under her eyes. No, her dark circles were not visible.
She slowly reached her locker, wondering what she had done now, but her eyes fell on the words which were etched on the metal.
Slut.
Stripper.
Whore.
Tears pooled up in her eyes and she read these words over and over again, not able to believe her eyes. Even though she was bullied almost every day, nothing was able to perturb her. The worst has already happened, she had thought. But these words were successful in invoking long suppressed emotions out to the surface, where everyone could see them. She turned around to see people giggle and laugh at her. Her eyes met familiar blue ones, which were not laughing but worrying for her. Jake Carlson. Who didn't know him in this school?
For two years, she had known his name. They had never talked, just exchanged glances everytime they were around each other. For some reason, she never felt the need to speak to him, because it seemed like they could talk with their eyes. Words were never enough to express how she felt for him, neither was he good with words. But this time, there was something in the way she looked at him. She looked vulnerable, she looked weak. And he knew at once that there was something she was trying to hide inside her. So much pain, he wondered how it ever escaped his eyes before.
She watched his fist clenching visibly and his veins popping out. But she was forced to turn her eyes away from him when a familiar sound hit her ear drums.
"Hey Ally," She heard Blake speak as he walked towards her, "Do you have some time for me tonight? I hope you do because if you do not, you'll have to make it up to me right here."
He high-fived one of his friend and came to stand dangerously near her, pinning her to her own locker.
"Leave me Blake, if you want to stay out of trouble." Before she knew, she had already spitted these words out of her mouth.
He glared at her and clenched her wrists tightly, "Bitch! Finally remembered you have a voice box too?"
"Get your hands off me!" She yelled but he just snickered. His hands had left her wrists but now held her waist instead.
In a moment she was twisting his hands behind his back and then pushing him away. A few chuckles were heard which in turn enraged Blake, because women were weak and he knew that. There was no way a woman can humiliate him like this and now there was no getting away for her.
He tried to punch her but little did he know that she was a master of this art. A part of her training was to focus her fury and anger and then attack the enemy rather than beating about the bush. Years and years of torture and anguish now flowed through her veins, tears streamed down her eyes and her vision blurred, but not even for a second did her moves falter.
When she finally came back to her senses, Blake was on ground, bleeding. She looked around as if she had woken up from a trance. People were looking open mouthed at her, no one being able to digest what just happened. Not a sound came out of anyone's mouth, except Blake's exasperated gasps.
Her eyes met the blue ones again, which were looking intriguing. Even though she had won this battle, it felt like she had lost everything. Now jake will know what a monster she is. Good for him, because she knew she was never good enough for him, and now atleast he'll stay away from her.
She picked up her bag and ran away. She'll never be able to look at him again, she thought. She entered the gymnasium of her school, the sports classes had been suspended because the teacher was out, so there was not even a soul lurking around.
She fisted the punching bag, aggravated at not being able to control herself. She was sure that Jake would hate her now, and why would he not? After all she had beaten his brother up. And why would anyone ever in his sane mind, would like to get associated with her? She had nothing to offer them.
A hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from the punching bag. Was it Blake?
Even though she had just injured him, his mere thought was enough to scare her.
"It's okay." A voice husked in her ears. It was not Blake. She turned around, perplexed. It had never happened before that someone would waste their time in trying to calm her down.
She looked up to find those same blue eyes looking down into hers, but they were so close this time. They did not hold anger or disgust for her, but looked soft and worried.
Jake slowly wiped tears away from her cheeks, and suddenly she was aware that she had been crying. She tried to get away from him, but his grip tightened around her, holding her close to him. He ran his hands through her hair, lovingly, to straighten them before leaning forward to kiss her forehead, which lingered longer than the others. He then brought her close to his heart and hugged her, and she hugged him back.
What went unnoticed was a little smile that played on his lips. Oh, how much he loved her!
As they hugged, Ally saw snowflakes fall down outside gym's glass window. Winter was here again, and it meant no shadows to hide beneath. Though it didn't feel like she'd have to hide ever again.
My weakness makes me stronger.
My calm makes a storm.
My confidence hides my insecurities.
My strength is just an illusion.
My past does not define me.
*********THE END**********
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