Spectre || ONGOING

⚜ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4 xɪᴀ⚜

'Xia, you can stay over if you want. Mom has a spare room for you if ever you want to stay." A tall, tan skinned boy suggested.

Xia looked at the boy and smiled sheepishly.

'I really can't, Nick. Thanks for the offer, but—I need to head back home.'

Nick looked at her with a dejected face and nodded. Xia began to collect her books and stuff them in her age old rucksack.

'Why don't you ever accept my offer?' Nick asked.

Xia sighed as she hung her rucksack on her shoulders.

'I don't like being a burden. I can and I will manage everything on my own,'

'I can't believe you still don't think you can count on me! Why don't you let me help you? How long are you going to survive with the meagre—'

'As long as it takes, Nick! Good night!' Xia snapped at him.

He looked hurt, and quietly nodded. Xia felt a sudden feeling of shame and regret, and she decided to open her mouth to apologize. Instead, she let the silence linger a bit more longer, and then got up to leave. Nick did not stop her. On her way downstairs, Mrs Sanders stopped her.

'Oh, Xia, dear! You're leaving? I thought—' she trailed off.

Xia smiled apologetically. 'Thank you very much for your offer Mrs Sanders, but I really can't stay,'

Nick's mother smiled sadly and nodded. 'But you're always welcome here, remember that.'

Xia nodded, and hurried out of the door. As the door shut behind her, she drew in a deep breath and began her walk towards home. She was used to the dark. It was the only thing that would always keep her company at the end of the day. Her parents died in a suicide bombing, leaving her alone with her drunk uncle who didn't give a damn. He never bothered about her, didn't even realize she was there when he was drunk.

But Xia remained grateful, for he was providing her with food, shelter, and enough funds to get her education. He wasn't a terrible person, but only because Xia always made sure to steer clear of him. But he too, a while later, died of a stroke. The only advantage was that he had no family to inherit his belongings, and no will to help the authorities manage his funds and property. Since Xia  was his only relative, she got all of it. To make sure her funds didn't run out, she got a job at the local store for after school hours.

It was the only way she was surviving. Sometimes, if the store owner felt pity on her, he would give her a few daily supplies like milk and bread so she didn't have to buy it. Her days went by this way, tiring and hectic. She refused to let Nick help her, for she didn't want to feel obliged than she already did. It hurt her to see him so dejected, but she had to manage on her own. No way did she have the capacity to feel like she owed someone something.

Sometimes, Xia wondered why things like these happened to her. Her parents had gone out for a while, while she'd chosen to stay in to study hard for her exams. Every time she thought about it, tears welled up in her eyes, her heart heavy with sorrow and regret. She shouldn't have stayed home. She should've been with her parents. At least she would have been with them. Xia sometimes blamed herself for their deaths. It was her fault. They wouldn't have been there if she'd gone with them. She believed it was her fault. And it was.
She was an only child. They'd do anything for her. Xia blamed herself constantly. They would never had gone there, if it weren't for her. And now, they were gone. Dead.