Author's pov
The next day both of them as usual woke up and headed towards their schools...
Previous night Scarlett had a lot of trouble deciding on the clothes she will wear to the party, she had no good party wear clothes...
She very well knew that there will be rich kids flaunting their Oh-so-good costumes and Scarlett would look like a beggar in the costume she had...
She had already made up her mind to write a job letter and apply in some cafés and stores to get some work ...
On the other hand, Liam had debated whether calling Scarlett *burden* was right or wrong...
The fiend in him said *it was absolutely right*
But the angel told him *it was wrong and he should apologize*
But people tend to listen to the devil more and hence he concluded that she is a burden and she should take her to leave as soon as possible...
In the morning Scarlett had informed Liam that she will come home by herself today..She had even borrowed some money from him which she promised to return back...
Scarlett went from different shops to stores with her resume but no one accepted it...
They denied keeping a mute girl at work
"Sorry Miss, but your inability could cause problems for customers, We can't hire you", Scarlett heard this everywhere...
Broken-hearted she returned home and straight away ran to her room...
She fell on the bed and buried her face in the pillow to sob her heart out...
Soft sniffles could be heard from her room...
She was unable to speak but whenever she cried or laughed her heart out, sounds were heard....faint but clear, very innocent and soft...
She was grieving at the thought of being helpless and a burden to others...
Again and again, Liam's words rang in her ears...
*She is a burden to me*
Then her foster mother's words ...
*You are such a pathetic low-class girl, You are a load in our family ...Your parents chose to die rather than raise a mute girl...You don't deserve anything*
She used to spit venom from her tongue...
Once again the same thought struck her
*Suicide*, she thought to herself...
She chose to end her life rather than being a burden on this earth...
She wiped her tears and sat up...
*The best way could be cutting her wrist with a sharp object* she thought to herself...
She sneaked down the stairs, she had no control over herself...
Her brain only told her *End yourself*
She went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and slashed it through her skin when a large, strong hand came with force and pushed the knife away...
"What were you trying to do? Trying to kill yourself again?
Huh!! Are you that tired of your life?", Liam shouted...
Scarlett's wrist was bleeding, the cut wasn't deep because Liam saved her at the right time...
She was crying to herself and staring at her feet...
"Lookup",
No movement
"I said Lookup",
Again no reaction...
"LOOK AT ME SCARLETT",
Liam raised his voice causing the poor girl to flinch.
Scarlett looked up into his eyes, they were red filled with fury...
"Why were you trying to kill yourself? What is going on in your brain?", he asked her...
Scarlett bit her lower lip in fright...Tears were already flowing from her eyes ....Liam furiously held Scarlett's wrist and carried her to her room.."You will stay here from now and don't come out without my permission, you are only allowed to go to the places where I take you.. Do you understand?", Liam ordered her.
*Okay* she nodded her head afraid.
"And dare you to carry any act like this again in future", Liam warned her...
*Okay* she nodded again.
After that Liam stormed from the room and locked it from outside...
Scarlett cried to herself for some time and dozed off to sleep....
AT MIA'S HOUSE
Liam furiously went to Mia's house.
Mia was shocked on seeing an angry Liam ...
"What happened?", she asked
"Huh!! Silly girl", Liam punched his hand on the wall in frustration.
"Calm down Liam and tell me what happened and who is this silly girl?", she asked.
She brought him a glass of water.
Liam cooled down a bit and then told her how Scarlett tried to kill herself again...
"You have to be patient with her Liam. She has already suffered a lot and now you are adding more to her miseries. Remember you said that she is a burden. That made her hate herself more and hence she decided to end herself ...You should talk to her and lessen her pain ...Hmm", She told him.
"But she is mute, how should I talk to her?", Liam said.
"First of all stop calling her mute. Treat her as an ordinary girl. For making things easy I will teach you sign language, it's very easy", Mia suggested.
"Okay", Liam agreed to the offer and then after some time returned back to the house...
All the time he was questioning his actions.
The way he shouted at Scarlett.
The way he was worried about her.
The Soulmate effect once again did its job properly.
Liam's heart ached on seeing Scarlett's teary eyes but being a cold-hearted boy he chose to shout at her to make her understand that ending her life is not the right option.
Nevertheless, he reached the house only to find Scarlett sleeping soundly on her bed hugging her teddy bear.
Liam noticed how her teddy looked old and worn out...
Liam's pov
I decided to go through her things and room for once...
I know that invading someone's privacy was not at all good but I was more curious...
To wipe away the guilt of touching her things without her permission I tried to assure myself that I am doing it so that I can understand Scarlett properly...(Wow Liam😂)I opened her closet as carefully I could so that she doesn't wake up...
All I saw were two to three pairs of clothes which looked old and worn out and her school dress.
There was only one pair of slippers which was also very shabby...
On the dressing table lied one branded watch which was old-fashioned, probably her mother's.
There was no makeup or cosmetics, only some colorful ribbons used to tie to hair were hanging there...
Then I went through her bag and books...
There I found a treasure, *her personal diary*
All the time I was searching for some phone or electronic but there was none, guess she did not own any...
I sat at a chair quietly and read the pages of the diary...
15th February 2018
*Dear Diary, Today I turned fifteen years old.
Happy birthday to me.
I celebrated with Emily like always.
Mother James scolded and shouted at me and tore the precious card Emily made for me.
I feel bad, I hate her but I know I don't have any other place to live.
She will disown me if I go against her...
When I will grow up more then I want to become successful and earn for myself...
Oh, dear diary I am really sorry I have to go.
Mother James has asked to cook a meal...
Bye❤️*
I became curious about this lady's whereabouts.
She looked strange and cruel woman.
I quickly flipped some more pages and started reading the recent entries...
1st February 2021
Oh, that's right I found her on 1st Feb...
Author's pov
Liam started reading her entries when he came across his own name in the diary...
He read how she was deprived of everything that day, her house, happiness, a friend named Emily and then he found her...
*Liam a good boy saved me today*
He was happy with this small praising given by her to him...
Then he read further...
*I want to earn for myself, I don't want to be a burden on others. I try to cook delicious meals for Liam because that way I will trouble him less, he already pays for my food and gave me a roof to live .*
The day When Liam had scolded her
8th February 2021
*I have prepared a resume to apply for a job. Everyone sees me only as a burden, I want to be independent on my own... Hopefully, I will get a job and then leave this place and go, giving Liam his privacy back. Mia called me for a party but I don't have anything to wear, all my clothes are old which foster mother gave me *
Liam's inner self twitched a bit on reading * leave this place and go*
He somewhere doesn't want her to go.
His inner voice said,
*You didn't save her to let her go*
He understood that today she went to apply for jobs but did she not get one and that is why she cried...
He turned the pages and saw.
*I AM MUTE I AM MUTE I AM MUTE*
*I DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE*
written all over the back pages of the diary.
Guilt gushed over his face and then Mia's words rung in his ears...
*Stop calling her mute and treat her like an ordinary girl*
Liam had been bewitched by the devil in him and hence he looked down upon Scarlett.
He thought that she never made efforts and was very weak and timid...
But now he realized that her life had been miserable.
She had been through the worst circumstances which killed her inner voice.
After that, he just left the room quietly...
Next day
Scarlett approached Liam, he understood that she wanted to say something..
He took out his phone from the back of his jeans and gave her...
*I can't come with you to Mia's party. Plz, can you tell her*
She wrote
"Why?", Liam asked
She thought for a second and then wrote
*I don't know anyone over there, I can't even talk ...There will be no use of me going there*
"You are coming with me that's final", Liam declared...
Scarlett made a *Why* face...
"Go and bring me breakfast, I am hungry", Liam said and Scarlett followed his orders...
Fortunately, the schools were closed due to pre-exam holidays...
This way Liam could understand her better...
He himself wasn't sure why was he doing this?
Why did he care about her?
Why did his heartache on seeing her cry?
*You can't see your soulmate in pain*
One of the effects of the Red thread...
After having breakfast Liam called Mia and told her that Scarlett denied coming to the party...
Mia thought for a while and being the smart girl she was, she told him that Scarlett needed some accessories and clothes to come to the party...
Earlier Liam had even told her that Scarlett's closet was empty, except for two to three old-looking dresses...
After hanging the phone with Mia, Liam debated with himself and finally approached Scarlett...
She was in her room studying...
"Umm!! Silly girl", he said.
Scarlett looked in his direction with a strange expression.
She had a poker face and she seemed irritated.
"Would you like to join me for shopping?", Liam asked
Scarlett scribbled some lines on the notebook and showed him...
*No, I am busy*
That was a straight rejection, Liam thought to himself...
"You are coming with me, that's final, now go and get ready quickly", Liam ordered...
He decided to play tough again...
He had understood that Scarlett wasn't some easy girl and winning her and getting to her heart was difficult but not impossible...
She had lived all life on others' pieces, she had trusted strangers and then got betrayed.
It would be hard for her to trust a stranger again and open to him.
So ordering her would be the best way to get to know her...
Soon both of them were in the car in their respective seats ...
There was utter silence in the atmosphere when Liam played some soft music ...
Scarlett just looked zoned out of the window, she didn't look at Liam, she despised him so much...
AT THE MALL
Both of them reached the mall and Liam dragged her to the women's section.
Scarlett pointed at the store asking why are we here.
She thought maybe Liam wanted to buy a dress for himself but why in the women's section...
"Okay now choose whatever you like and go and try them", he told...
Scarlett nodded in a *no* and tried to drag him out of the store.
"Do as I say", Liam again ordered...
"You will have to do whatever I tell you to, that's my payment for living in my house", he declared...
Scarlett nodded in *yes * this time...
She was confused as to what she should pick, she had never bought dresses for herself...
Everything over here looked very expensive.
She hung her head low and stared at the floor...
"Show some dresses for her, some casuals and party wear also", Liam told a staff.
The staff carried her along and she gave her some skirts, shirts along with mid-thigh dresses...
"Go try all these ",
Scarlett did as said...
Soon they had selected some attires for her. It was only Liam choosing the dress and Scarlett just nodded her head in yes...
After that, they chose some party wear dresses and some more clothes for Liam...
"Now what?", Liam looked at Scarlett with a smirk plastered on his face..
Scarlett just lowered her gaze, she was always public shy...
Both of them went to the food court to grab something nice to eat...
"What do you want to eat?", Liam asked her
The girl was practically starving and she wanted a stomach full meal to calm her tummy...
Unable to decide what she should order she turned the menu towards Liam and asked him to choose ...
"Silly, can't even decide on a dish", he chaffed her for fun...
Scarlett looked at him with futile expressions...
Liam went and placed the order. Soon delicacies and beverages were spread on the table.
"Eat, why aren't you eating?", Liam asked
Scarlett quietly munched a slice of pizza and sipped on onto her coke...
"So slow", again he teased her...
This time Scarlett got frustrated and took big bites from her pizza. She even ignored him and puffed her face in fury...
Then she took a mouth full sip of coke and gobbled the pizza quickly...
"Be slow or else you will choke yourself", Liam warned her.
She gave an *I don't care look* and continued gobbling her food...
They were back at 7 pm...
"Wear the red one at the party", Liam said suddenly...
*Okay*, she nodded...
Scarlett had been entangled in her thoughts all the time as to why Liam was so sweet suddenly...
His personality was hard to understand. One moment he would order her and scold her and the other he would be so sweet and caring.
He was a bipolar person.