Chapter 118: Azalea’s story part 3

As a child I didn't realize things. I didn't know them, I didn't understand them.

As I grew up, I came to know how people discriminated against other people based on things they couldn't even control.

A few years later from when we started living with aunt and uncle I came to know about humiliation, not because I did something or Dahlia did something but because people made fun of us, they made fun of Lia being different and me being her sister.

I didn't realize how different my sister was from us. How her degenerative brain activity could ever become the cause of kids teasing and pointing fingers at us.

I didn't like it.

Everytime I went out to play with Lia, kids would start making fun of us because Lia acted like a kid despite her age and size.

Clair had already stopped appearing anywhere with us and I always stood by Lia in confusion when kids in the park pointed fingers at us and teased us.

I would often look at my sister and think about the time she was hit in the playground while trying to save me.

The hit damaged her already hurt brain and the loss of our parents took another toll on her mind.

She forgot many things including the reason why we were staying with distant relatives.

Now after all these years she still remains a kid.

We both stopped going out when the parks and playgrounds were busy instead we both stayed in our room and played amongst ourselves.

No matter what the world says. Lia was my family. My only living blood relative.

Even though other people gave us weird gazes and even though they didn't understand her, I did.

She was still as sweet as ever.

She couldn't go to school anymore but she always helped aunt around the house.

It wasn't so bad.

Everything was pretty normal and I was a really bright kid.

I won many school competitions and I was quite happy with my life but not everyone is happy for you.

Not everyone likes it when you are getting praised.

And that someone can be anyone, even the closest person to you.

In fourth grade Claire suddenly started getting on my nerves.

She started making fun of Dahlia and even started annoying me.

Her friends in class always went against mine and it started getting bad. She made claims about how me and Lia were harming 'her' family and how her parents were only hers.

Still I just ignored her but slowly things started getting worse. From verbal abuse she started getting physical.

That, I couldn't just leave alone.

There were many occasions where we both ended in physical fights. Aunt and Uncle didn't really take it seriously and just scolded us both whenever that happened but it wasn't just some normal sisterly fights like they were thinking.

Claire had really come to hate us.

Maybe it was her age. She wanted the attention from her parents to only be hers.

Or perhaps she was mad at being compared.

Still, it doesn't justify what she did.

In fifth grade she heard about Me and Dahlia being daughters of a mafian clan.

Maybe she heard it when aunt and uncle were talking because I myself had some discussions with them about it. I came to know about the 4 clan war from them and understood things a bit better.

So I was pretty sure Claire heard it from them too or she ended up eavesdropping on their conversation.

Whatever the case, she had her group of friends take me to the P.E shed and teach me a lesson by accusing me of theft.

"Stop!" The kids around me held me down on the ground. "I didn't do anything! It wasn't me!" The eleven year old me screamed.

"It has to be you. You're a bad person. My mom said so." The girl with pigtails, Vanessa, stood in front of me with a lighter, "You must be the one who stole my charms."

I felt something trickle on my back. Alcohol? Oil?

Click!

Vanessa tried to turn on the lighter.

Click!

"I'm telling you it wasn't me!!!" I screamed and struggled to somehow get out their hold.

Click!

The lighter ignited, a beautiful blue flame danced on it.

I stared at it, "It wasn't me…"

She threw the lighter at me and I closed my eyes in fear.

Nothing happened.

The kids holding me suddenly let me go and I opened my eyes to see fear in their eyes. They all stood staring at someone in horror. I turned and saw our homeroom teacher standing there with a stern expression on his face, the lighter in his hands.

I took a sigh of relief, then my eyes travelled to someone standing behind the teacher.

"Matthew?" My neighbour was there as well, even more angry than the teacher.

Maybe he came to my school because I hadn't reached home yet.

As soon as I saw him I stood up and ran to him, "Matthew!!" When he saw me running towards him, his expression softened and he opened his arms for me.

I ran into his embrace and started crying.

He took me home with him after telling the teacher to take care of the problem nicely.

I don't think I'll ever forget that day.

Not just because of the incident with the kids but because of Matthew too.

He carried me in his arms while constantly telling me that he wouldn't let anything happen to me.

He even bought me chocolate ice cream and kept me close to him.

That was the day I started liking him. He was just so cool and charming, and I guess the best thing I liked about him was that he even treated Dahlia nicely.

He didn't discriminate, he didn't make fun of her and he didn't say any bad things or words at all like the other adults.

He was eight years older than me but I still couldn't help but find him attractive.

***

Claire and I didn't talk to each other for days because she ended up getting in trouble as well because of her friends.

I thought it would be the end of it and that maybe she'll leave me and Lia alone.

How wrong I was.

In the end the situation took the worst turn.

I don't know if I should call it an accident or something I did on purpose because I did intend the first half.

But the second half?

It was something I had never even imagined.