Strings Attached

~Chapter 11~

They do try not to make me feel left-out or unwanted, but sometimes my thoughts overwhelm me and I can't help being rude. It's better I avoid confronting them than go headlong into a fight and ruin the whole group. I wish I could be normal like them. Or even like Hiba, she has an awesome dad, Seth tells me. She even has a sibling.

I don't know why I'm thinking about her. It's not like I want to have anything to do with her. Or even turn into a girl. Not even in the other life!

When I reached home, or a place I have to call home coz I've nowhere else to go, I found it quite empty. Not that I was surprised. But I thought I'd have to see Rich's obnoxious face. Even that was nowhere to be seen. I'm not one to complain though. Besides, it's not like I have any connection with the people I live with.

"Master and Rebecca are gone for the week, Danny. They'll be back next Tuesday," Molly informed me, emerging out of the kitchen and wiping her hands on her apron. I knew she'd be here. She never goes out, except for buying groceries. "You think I care!" I retorted and marched up the stairs, climbing two at a time. "Do you need anything to eat? I could bring it up to your room." "Don't pester me, woman! I'll eat when I'd want to."

And reaching my room at the end of the corridor, I slammed the door shut. Glad that I've a separate room, at least. Mum prepared it for me as my study room as soon as I turned five. But I moved here from my old room when I realized I was getting in the new family's way. It was better this way. I can find peace here. It's my haven and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I felt tired and crashed onto my bed, not even bothering to remove my shoes. Mum used to dislike this habit of mine, and chided me every so often over it. And picturing her scrunching her face in revulsion, I reluctantly pushed myself out of bed to remove them. And the moment my head touched the pillow, I fell asleep.

In spite of my tiredness, I had a troubled sleep. And I dreamt of a thousand things. It was a whirlwind of faces and memories, and a little... unsettling. One moment, I saw mum and dad, and then suddenly, Rebecca came barging in with Rich. I even saw Hidayah at some point. And then I saw all three of them (mum, dad and Hidayah) together, slipping away from me as Rebecca and her prodigal son stood there, laughing.

Or... am I the prodigal one? I'm the one usually getting detentions and bad grades. But it doesn't really matter what they think about me, as long as I don't do drugs or forget my aim in life. Anyway, long story short, the dream was bad.

That evening, when I went out to get my guitar repaired, I got into a fight with some street hoodlums, not far from the mansion. I forget what the fight was about, but they bruised me black and blue at various places. After all, there were five of them and there was one of me. They left me bleeding on the sidewalk, barely conscious and hours later, a cop dropped me home. Molly tended to me like she always did when I was small. Or the way she cares for me even now, but my state deteriorated further the next day.

When I didn't show up at school, Seth came by to see me and vowed to talk to Hidayah. After all, she was the one who'd brought this upon me, though indirectly. But I stopped him from saying anything to her. She doesn't deserve to know she's caused this to me. Besides, it'd become the talk of the school that Daniyal Hasan went nuts after a rejection from the newbie.