Healing The Void (The Roys, #2) ✔

Chapter 29 - Thin line

While she was doing her special needs education course with the emphasis on autism spectrum disorder, she took an additional short certification course on clinical psychology. A brief study on personality disorder was included in the syllabus which she had just skimmed through without getting into details. Since her aim had always been to work with children, she didn't pay much attention to that short course of six months. But now that she was facing this unexpected turn of events in her life, she had no other option but to recall the lessons on schizoid personality disorder.

When Priyasha revealed that shocking information, she couldn't believe her own ears. Since it was relatively difficult to diagnose this disorder as people with schizoid personality disorder were able to function fairly well and seldom sought treatment, it never occurred to Shreya even though all the symptoms were out in the open. In fact, extremely visible, extremely in the eye.

A person who has been diagnosed with Schizoid personality disorder are extremely withdrawn from general interaction and social activities. This eccentric type condition makes a person appear odd and different than the others around them. People with schizoid personality disorder tend to be apathetic, distant, indifferent, and detached towards social relationships. They just prefer solitude and do not view their personality as a problem. Cause, they can function pretty well in all other aspects of life if they get to do the activities in solitary.

Schizoid people can't express emotions. In fact, they don't feel emotions.

The most terrible trait a schizoid has, they do not desire or enjoy close relationships, neither emotional, nor sexual. Even if it's their family members, they do not just care. Even, it can be safe to say that they do not feel the pull towards anyone in general.

Always indifferent to praise and criticism, they do not like making friends. They appear completely aloof and cold both inside and outside.

Shreya rushed out the room as soon as she processed what Priyasha just revealed about his son. Her parents followed her obviously. She knew they thought she wanted to get away from here. In fact, everyone thought so. So, no one came after her.

She did leave the house. But not to go away.

There was a vague chest pain she couldn't explain. She didn't know what exactly she was feeling. Her brain felt foggy. But it worked perfectly, as if it was on autopilot.

Just before running across the driveway, she stopped her parents to follow her.

She held up a hand and said quietly, "Maa, Papa, you don't need to follow me now. We can't board the train anyway. Just wait for me here. I'll be back."

"What? Why?"

"But where are you going?"

She didn't stop to answer as she was already halfway down the driveway. She glanced down on her phone and wiped off the tear stains that had almost dried by itself.

Why did she always end up in crossroads where she couldn't take decisions on such big of an issue? She felt so helpless and in need of support. But she didn't know where to go? Whom to call? She raised the phone and stared at the screen while walking out the main gate.

She noticed Neil and Rafi stood by the gate, while Irfan talking with the gatekeepers. They noticed her, but didn't come forward to stop her. Her mind raced towards the thought of them watching over her along with Abhimanyu and Dev while they were in Darjeeling. Blood rushed to her face when the thought of them watching the viral clip dawned on her. She felt ruined and used. Moreover, she didn't even know whom to blame. Whose fault was it? But the camera installed in Abhimanyu's room - who did that? How could she let it slide without knowing the truth? Or should she? Must she run away from here and start anew? Would it work?