Chapter 4 - Flashbacks

~Bismika's P.O.V.~

(On the way to school)

'How the fuck has my sweet simple life turned into this hellish mess?'- my brain is engrossed in the thought while my legs are dragging me to the hell hole, I call 'school'.

I really can't remember how all this started. After my dad's death, it was complicated for me to understand the actual mess I was in. Carla started to behave like a stranger. I was too young to realize that she believed the accident was my father's fault. But as time went on, she started to say words like we were a curse to her family, and my father was the reason she lost her husband. Mason and Meghan were also too young to understand the situation. But their mother's continuous cold behavior towards me engraved the fact in their brain that I wasn't someone to be loved.

Among all granny was the only person who wasn't cruel to me. Though she was mentally broken at her son's death but wasn't heartless to accuse a 10 years old kid who had lost everything in her life. She used to console me if I had cried at Carla's behavior. But at some point, we both knew that time wasn't healing anything. Rather it was making things worse.

Granny couldn't go against her daughter-in-law. So she thought it was better for her to leave everything behind and went back to her village home than to act as a silent spectator. Granny leaving us was the last nail in my coffin. It meant there was no one anymore to hear me out. All these commotions create such a whirlpool in my life, my school life also washed away along the turbulence. My grades started to fall.

Pouring water on a drowned mouse, my only friend had to transfer to another school. I was thinking that it was the worst period of my life. But to prove my opinion wrong, there came Satan himself!

When Liam Miller transferred to my school, all the attention was diverted to him. Everyone was only talking about him. 'Liam this, Liam that.' I think being the son of the school's chairman and looking the hottest among all is really something to be appreciated. However, my lonely self wasn't insane enough to brush that fandom thing up my own self. Though I admit that, I also found Liam very charming at first sight but wasn't paying attention to his whereabouts until he started to realize that, it was very entertaining to cause me trouble.

He started by destroying my homework, writing words like 'bitch, nerdy' on my locker, and throwing ink at my backpack. I was tolerating all this just thinking that soon he will get bored with his nasty games. But no. Rather than getting bored, he thought it was time to escalate the torture. He pushed me from the stairs which broke my forearm.

~Flashback 1~

(In the school library)

It was recess period. I was in the library as usual. I was drowned in the book 'Anne Frank'. A familiar voice made me look up from my book. I got nervous looking at the smirk Evan was wearing. Evan is one of those lap dogs whom Liam used to have as friends.

"Hey, nerdy. Mr. Roger is calling you. He is at his old office."- Evan spoke in a bored tone and left the place.

Old office! I wondered.

Mr. Roger is our math teacher. I sometimes talk to him personally to solve problems. But he never called me on his own, let alone meet me at his old office. I knew that the old building was basically used as storage and no one normally went there. But I was too afraid to ask Evan. So, without giving it much thought, I put the book on the shelf, grabbed my bag, and left the library. 'Maybe Mr. Roger wanted to show me some old copies,'- I thought myself.

(In the old building)

Standing in front of the old office, my heart started beating eradicate. The office was locked as it should be. A harmless prank? Or just a part of a bigger one?

Without wasting my time, I ran towards the staircase. ONLY TO MEET THE JERKS!

"Awww. Is my bitch looking for its master?"- Liam pouted, while the others laughed as if they were enjoying some stand-up comedy. They all blocked the way making sure that I could not escape.

"L-let me go"- a stammered cry escaped through my mouth. Staring at my glistening eyes, Liam clenched his jaw. His gaze was getting darker.

"I think my doll is in hurry. We should let her go guys.", Liam spoke without moving his eyes from me and his friends clear the way. No doubt this behavior was shocking. But without knowing what to do, I started to go down the stairs.

The first step, second step, third step, and BANG. He pushed me!

I could hear their proud laughing while I was rolling towards the bottom of the stair. I was whimpering in pain and the next moment everything went black.

After that, I woke up in the infirmary with heavy plaster on my hand.

"She woke up,"- I heard the nurse's voice.

My teacher came near my bed. "Bismika, explain what you were doing in the old building during recess. Why did you go to such an abandoned place? You know no one's allowed to play inside that building." -my teacher burst with anger. And all I could do was stare at my plastered hand.

Looking at my condition, my teacher sighed and continued, "You were lucky that Liam was outside the building. He bought you here in the infirmary." Then he looked at Liam, who looked nothing but an angel himself. "Thank you, Liam. It was so nice of you."- teacher appreciated him and patted his back.

"It's okay. I was looking for an empty place to practice for soccer and then heard the noise,"- Liam replied. Looking into my eyes he continued, "You were unconscious so I took no time to bring you up here in the infirmary," The generous smile on his face was mocking my condition. And before I could manage to say anything, he started again. "Sir, I'll request you not to complain to her guardian that she broke school rules and went inside that building. She's already scared."

"Okay. I understand."- the teacher smiled at Liam. "Bismika, thank your friend properly." His last words cut deeper than any blade. I looked at Liam who was wearing a mischievous smirk on his gorgeous face. I closed my eyes.

"Thanks for your help,"- a single tear escaped from the corner of my eye.

~End of Flashback~

It's not like every time Liam trapped me to shut my mouth. Sometimes I really complained about him to teachers. But no one ever believed me. I even told Carla about Liam once.

~Flashback 2~

I was returning home from school. I saw a puppy near the school gate. There were some leftovers from my lunch. So, I thought to feed the pup. Carrying the little guy, I entered the nearest bush so no one could see me. After feeding the pup, I put my empty lunch box inside my bag and was about to leave the place. But I wasn't allowed to leave my bloody fate as Liam and his gang entered there. On top of that, they had cigarettes hanging on their lips. Well, it was new information for me.

'What the hell! He's just 12!'- my brain screamed inside my skull.

He also didn't look happy about letting me know about his smoking secret.

"I won't tell anyone. Please let me go." I pleaded. But he didn't look convinced.

"Can't you stay away from your master for a few minutes?"- Liam mocked greeting his teeth.

"I-I was," - I couldn't form a proper sentence as I saw Liam coming towards me with a burning cigarette between his fingers. And before my brain could understand the situation, he placed the cigarette on my neck making me scream in pain. Before I could escape from there, Grayson took my left arm in his strong grip and place his other hand on my mouth. All I could do was cry at their inhuman torture.

Coming home with burnt flesh, I was determined to talk to Carla.

Carla never asked about those blue marks, and bandages before. But that day, I had my back to the wall. Returning home, I told her what happened. I was sobbing while telling her all the things. And after all the crying, she said- "Are you in right mind of yours? You are not telling me to complain about Liam, are you?"

was shocked at Carla's words. She grabbed a magazine from the table and continued, "I worked at their family's company. I can't badmouth my boss's son. You have to understand that."

I couldn't believe my own ears. I look at her emotionless eyes. Turning the pages of the magazine, she added- "Treat your wound properly so it can heal faster. And about Liam, he will soon get bored with his pranks."

PRANKS!!!

~End of Flashback~

Now I'm standing in front of my high school, praying to find any kind of way to avoid Liam.

'Is there no one to save me from this hell?'