A novel of salvage high chapter 12
Stefan’s POV
Keisha led me to my room, covering my ears with a handkerchief. I don’t know why she butt in, but I was glad that she saved me from my parents unwanted conversation.
I didn’t even hear whatever they had to say before I started feeling uncomfortable. Returning from school and seeing the both of them together was traumatizing enough, and I made sure I had a music on so I won’t hear whatever they had to say, but mum angrily removed my headphones from my hear, and all I could hear was echos, taking back to while I was younger. I might be a kid then, but their loud voices while arguing were very fresh on my head. I covered my ears trying to avoid hearing those echoes, those loud cries that always gave me nightmares, and thankfully, she came to my rescue like she could hear my silent prayers. She blocked my ears with the handkerchief, and I instantly felt relieved allowing her lead me away.
She was the first, the first to remove my headphones from my ears, the first to ever force a conversation with me, barging into my room and demand we study together. The first to politely ask why I never take off my headphones. She was the first. I disliked her from the start for her nosy personality, but now I can’t help but adore her for coming to my rescue. There was a reason why she is always butting in others business. Standing up against a bully at her first day at school, and getting bullied right after. The first student to be added to Alex black list, and also found her way to become friends with him after her first attack. She was just different from everyone, and I felt she was the one sent to save me from the hole I’ve been hiding for years.
She gave me my headphones, and I plugged it on my ears, looking at her.
She smiled beautifully, and embraced me. I have never seen her smile before, but her smile is so beautiful. She pat my back gently, and I felt comfort in her embrace.
“It’s fine, Stef, you are safe now.” She said, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. Those were the words I wanted to hear all these years, when I was a child, and while growing up.
We stood that way for few minutes before she disengaged.
“I’ll leave now, we can just skip reading today, and continue tomorrow.” She said, and I chuckled. I know she was trying to avoid studying; but since she hates it that much, I wonder why she wanted to study in to begin with.
“Wait.” I stoped her when she was almost at the exit.
“What?” She asked looking at me. The look on her face says it all, she thought I was going to bug her about studying.
“Why are you leaving? Why aren’t you asking me anything?” I asked, and came to me.
“It’s obvious that you don’t want to talk about it, so I won’t push it.” She said, but I could tell from her face that it takes a lot of self control for her to say those line, because I’m sure she is dylng to know.
“The woman earlier, is my mother.” I said, and she looked at her. Obviously, she could guess that much.
“What did she want? Why is she back?” She asked, and I chuckled. She was trying to be modest earlier, but she couldn’t act for too long.
I removed my headphones, and dropped it on the cabin. Tapping a seat for her to come sit.
I’ve never been comfortable being around others without my headphones on, she was the first. Even at school, it was always a struggle for me to remove it during lectures. Everyone outcasted me at school, and I was glad. Being around others was also uncomfortable. So I wonder why I could comfortably be without my headphones around her.
“When I was younger, my parents always fight a lot before they finally annulled their marriage.” I said, and she looked at me; anticipating the full story.
“I was a kid back then, but I understood that everything is not right. I don’t need anyone to explain the situation on ground to me for me to understand it. It continues regularly and I became traumatized by it. Watching your parents argue when you are barely four years old is a really traumatic experience. I think of a way to avoid going home, but the driver was always at school to pick me up from school. Until one day, I found a solution. I used my headphones to block my ears while playing video games, and I used it often to block my ears whenever they were around. The the only thing I can see was watching them argue like they were talking. No one asked if I was ok, no one asked the reason I was using headphones. I was just a child who needed someone to talk to, but no one cares. After the annulment, my mother didn’t fight for my custody, and my father got married right after the divorce. The only thing I could hear when people were chattering was the voice of my parents arguing. No one asked if I was fine, no one cared to check up on me. My stepmother tried to get closer to me, but she was just a stranger that I was too scared to talk to. I suffered alone from nightmares, I…”. I was saying, when my voice faded; and she embraced me, permitting me to let out my tears.
“It’s ok, Stef. They are all bad people, they were the ones who abandoned us to take care of ourselves, they are all useless parents, they brought us selfishly to this world, and didn’t care to know how we survive each day, they are all bad.” She cried, confusing me.
I instantly understood that she was lamenting her own pains, I remembered that she ones told me that her mother was a stranger to her. She was right, they are all bad people, and useless parents. They brought us to this world, and didn’t care about how we survive.
We remain that way, comforting each other, when I heard a knock on the door; but I ignored it as always, but this time, I didn’t use my headphones. The door slugs open and my father barged in but I held Keisha still from releasing from the embrace. That was why he spoilt my doorknob - so he could barge in whenever he wants. I’m fond of locking my door behind because I want no one in, but when dad gets the habit of trying to starts conversations with me, he always ensure he has a spare keg with him to have access in because he knows better that the door will always be locked. Until when I shut the door and left the key behind it. He struggled to come in, and spoilt the key in the process. Ever since, he refused to repair the key, and I know better than asking him to.
He looked at us obviously taken aback before he left, and I released from Keisha.
“Was that your dad?” She asked, and I nodded.
“Keisha, we should take today off from studying as you proposed. I need to rest.” I said, politely asking her to leave.
“Yes, you should.” She said, and smiled beautifully, before leaving.
*
*
📌Alex POV 📌
•
Jeremy tossed and turned on my bed obviously whining over the meatballs. He has been talking about how delicious the meatballs were, compared to the others that were prepared so far, so we were quick to catch on that he couldn’t stop thinking about it. So why did he gave them to Keisha to begin with? Probably, she is blackmailing him with something, because it was obvious, her expression was quite intimidating; sending him warnings behind those fake smiles.
“Jerry, I already placed an order for meatballs.” Gabriel said, and Jeremy jotted up from bed.
“Really?” He asked, his face brighten up.
“Look at that, look at that. You couldn’t get over it, so why did you let her have it?” Gabriel teased.
“Because it’s ladies first.” Jeremy blurted, and laid back.
“Ladies first?” We both shouted.
Jeremey always considered every gender equally that’s why he couldn’t date any girl for too long. The only woman he feared was his girlfriend, Ella. Gabriel’s little sister. Well, we all feared her. She might be just 6-year-old, but she is scarier than an adult. She proposed to be Jeremy’s girlfriend, and there is no way he can turn her down.
“Guys, I heard that Melanie is back.” Gabriel said, and we both looked at him.
Jeremy sat up from bed, and I stopped pressing my phone.
“How sure are you?” Jeremy asked.
“She went to school today, Leon saw her.”
“How come she didn’t contact us? Could she be avoiding us?” Jeremy asked, with wide eyes.
“No way, boys.” We heard Melanie said, entering the room.
“Melanie.” Gabriel shouted, and went to embrace her.
.
Melanie, Gabriel and me have been friends since childhood. Connected by our families relationships. Gabriel’s grandfather, Melanie’s uncle and my father were close friends and business partners so that brought we the kids together. Jeremy became friends with Gabriel and me at elementary school, and he became closer to Melanie when we were in middle school. Because she didn’t attend the same elementary school we did.
The four of us formed a bond as best friends ever since; until I started developing feelings for Melanie. They both encouraged me to confess to her, and after I did, she turned me down and the next news we heard about her was that reallocated to another county, and she stopped contacting any of us afterwards.
*
“Melanie, we’ve missed you.” Jeremy said, and went to embrace her.
“I’ve missed you more guys.”
“I doubt. Because if if that’s true, you should have contacted us. It’s been almost three years.” Gabriel whined.
“I admit guys, I was wrong. But a lot or things have happened, and…-“.
“..- it’s ok, what matters is that you are back. I’ve missed you.” Gabriel said, and embraced her again.
“It’s not ok Melanie. Do you think all will be fine by barging in here? Do you think everything will return to normal? We understand that you might be going through things while you were away, but you should had still contacted us when you returned. We have to hear the news from others which is not fair.” Jeremy rants, and she went to embrace him.
“I’m sorry, Jerry. I just wanted to surprise.” She said before they disengaged. “And guess what?” She giggled.
“You brought a present for us.” Gabriel shouted.
“Is my presence not enough present?” She whined.
“So, what?” Gabriel asked, already impatient.
“I already completed my transfer process, I’m returning to salvage high.” She said, and they both jumped up for joy.
“Yay, that’s it girl, that’s it. We will be complete again.” Gabriel said.
“Alex, why aren’t you saying anything?” She asked, and they all looked at me. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” She asked, and counted few steps closer to me.
“Of course not, welcome back, Melanie.” I found myself saying. I doubted if I still have feelings for her, but even still, I couldn’t bring myself to welcome her back with open arms like nothing conspired between us in the past.
“I’m also glad to be back, I’ve missed you, I’ve missed us, I’ve missed our friendship.” She said, and embraced me. I was glad she included friendship before the embrace, because there was never ‘us’z There would’ve been ‘us’, but she rejected me, and flew.
“Since I’m back, what should we do guys.” Melanie shouted.
“Party.” Gabriel giggled, and a notification beeped into his phone. “Yay, our order just arrived.” He announced.
“What did you guys ordered?” She asked.
“Meatballs.” He replied,
Jeremy jaw dropped, and he went to lie flat on the bed. Melanie is also a meat lover, so he already knows that he can’t enjoy the meat as planned.
“Amazing! Let’s begin our celebration with that.” Melanie giggled.