Blood rushed out and he instantly pressed the cotton dabbed with antiseptic, she didn’t even flinch. Usually, she’d throw a fit and refuse to apply medication but she’d never just sit there motionless.
“Sis” he grimaced as he blew on her wounds.
A gentle hand on top of his head surprised him as he flinched and looked up at her. She caressed his face with her uninjured hand and sniffled on her tears.
“I want to go to the orphanage, Kahlil” she whispered as he looked at her with wide eyes.
She never made a request to go to the orphanage unless something terrible had happened or something had triggered her memories.
“Ok” he whispered “We’ll go after I dress your wounds”
“You ready?”
Kahlil asked as he saw his sister exiting her room in an oversized hoodie with the hood on and dark blue skinny jeans. She wore a mask and sunglasses to cover the rest of her face with her bandaged right hand.
Reporters were not what they wanted right now. Or ever, for that matter.
She nodded and picked up her purse, walking towards the door. Kahlil watched all this with furrowed brows and worried eyes.
He was ready to kill whoever triggered her memories, it didn’t matter if he himself died in the process.
He followed behind her as she opened the door, and as if on cue, the door next door also opened as Abigor and Karl came out while talking to each other.
Abigor’s gaze fell on her as a small smirk surfaced, recalling the happenings just an hour ago. But his smile fell as he stared at her bandaged hands.
“What the fuck happened!” he boomed and in a flash he was by her side, holding her hand surprisingly gently.
“Wouldn’t you know?” Kahlil sneered back at him with clenched jaw.
“The fuck you mean, pretty boy?” Abigor snarled as he inspected her whole body for any other injuries “I swear to god if you are the one who hurt her” he threatened further as he took a threatening step towards the younger boy.
“Boss” Karl interjected as he glanced at Kahlil and the look Kahlil gave him back was enough to tell him that he wasn’t the one to hurt her.
“What? You are going to go against me because of this bitch boy?”
Abigor gritted out as he pulled Aria close, it almost surprised him how she hadn’t said a single word till now. Usually, she’d have thrown a curse or two at him by now.
“That’s not what I meant boss” Karl huffed as he ran his fingers through his dark hair “I don’t think Kahlil can hurt her, he’s her brother”
“Adoptive” Abigor corrected as Kahlil hands fisted in rage.
“I love her like my own sister. But you wouldn’t understand that because you are a heartless monster!”
“THE FUCK YOU SA-”
“Kahlil can we go now, please?” Aria cut Abigor off with a small whisper as all the three pairs of eyes landed on her. She struggled in Abigor’s hold but he didn’t let her go.
“Where are you going?” he inquired Aria but she didn’t reply.
Abigor sighed and looked at Karl and motioned him to take Kahlil with him downstairs and leave them for a few minutes.
Karl nodded, understanding his boss’s order as he grabbed Kahlil and started dragging him out.
“Hey! Where are you taking me!”
“Let me go! My sister needs me!”
“HEY!”
His screams subsided as Karl dragged him downstairs and Abigor could feel Aria struggling, but not muttering a single word.
He had enough of this shit.
He grabbed her shoulder and slammed her on the nearby wall. He snatched the sunglass and mask from her face as her puffy red eyes and swollen red lips came into his view.
He closed in on her and held her jaw to make her look up at him, but she had her gaze cast down.
“Why were you crying?” he asked as he ran his nose up and down her cold tear-stained cheeks.
She didn’t reply, she just stood there. Frozen.
He frowned “Did that little shit do something?”
Realization hit him “Or is it because of what I did?” he said in a low whisper as he slightly squeezed her shoulders.
She slowly looked up at him, her eyes brimming and her nose a little red. Her eyes were a dark shade of blue now, but that wasn’t what he noticed, it was the way she was looking at him.
Saying so many words while remaining silent. As if she was trying to reach out to him, ask for help, ask for comfort, ask for love.
“Aria” his tone softened, the softest tone she had ever heard him use.
The look immediately vanished from her eyes as she looked away. She grabbed her mask and sunglasses back from his hands, putting them on again.
“I need to go”
That was all she whispered before walking away. Abigor didn’t try to stop her, he stood there, missing her touch not knowing what to do or what to say.
“Are you sure you are okay?”
Kahlil asked Aria who sat facing the window, barely looking at him. After Karl had dragged him downstairs, Aria came running back a few minutes later and sat inside the car without a word.
They were currently in the car after buying tons of gifts for the children in the orphanage.
She sighed and nodded “Abigor just doesn’t leave me alone”
Kahlil gritted his teeth “Do you want me to take care of it?”
Aria scoffed and finally turned to look at him with raised eyebrows “And get you killed? No thanks”
Kahlil sighed defeatedly and shook his head in disbelief “You know I’d die for you sis”
A small smile surfaced on her face as she turned to look at him with soft eyes “I know” she mumbled before continuing “but I won’t let you”
“Aria! It’s been a while!”
The headmistress of the orphanage came running down the stairs as Aria and Kahlil exited their car and watched the elderly woman rushing towards them with a huge smile.
“Hello Mrs Dias” Aria said formally, it didn’t matter to her that she grew up in this orphanage as Mrs Dias the only mother figure.
Mrs Dias hugged her tightly, finally reaching her, as Aria hugged back and rubbed her back. She was a short, plump lady who loved giving out hugs.
“Um, I’m here too you know!” Kahlil interjected.
Mrs Dias pulled away and playfully glared at the young boy “I’m still angry at you for leaving the orphanage so soon! If Aria wasn’t the one taking care of you, I would have dragged you back here”