Regret ✔

7

I stopped wiping her arm and rolled up the really long skirt she always wear, and there, I saw how her skin was covered with bruises and wounds, like her arms.

I feel so pity for her. Good thing, I found her.

Eomma came back and helped me right away. Once we're finished wiping her arms and legs because obviously, we can't take off her clothes. We started treating her wounds.

This is so unfair! Really really unfair!

Appa finally arrived home, he also gave the same reaction when he saw her. After he changed, he carried her to my bed so she can rest comfortably. She'll have back pain if I'll let her sleep here.

And it's also a good thing that today is Friday. I do all the requirements that my teacher gave to me and my classmates tomorrow, I'll take care of her tonight.

"I'm gonna go and check on her." I told my parents and made my way to my room. We're cooking dinner and we're almost finished already.

I slowly opened the door and saw her still sleeping. I guess she's really tired. I feel so bad for her, she doesn't deserve to be treated like this. She doesn't and she will never be.

I was about to close the door when she suddenly screamed.

That alarmed me. I immediately went inside and saw her crying. Oh my God! She's having a nightmare!

"Hey, hey calm down,calm down." I said, even though I know she won't hear me. Eomma and Appa entered my room, worried.

"She's having a nightmare." I informed. "Calm down, hey." Her cries becomes louder even more. She's screaming for help.

"Stop it, please! It hurts! It hurts!"

"Hey, calm down—"

"Please stop! Please! I can't take it anymore!"

And suddenly, she opened her eyes and sat up. Her eyes widened at the sight of me. "No, please don't! Please don't hurt me! Please, I'm begging you!" She cried as she shakes her head continuously. "No, I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm here to help you." I smiled at her.

I extended my hand to her, hoping she'll accept it so I can welcome her with a warm hug.

She was having second thoughts whethere she'd accept it or not. But in the end, she accepted it. "Y-you're the girl I helped before." She says as she breaks the hug. I nodded my head at her. "My parents and I are going to take care of you. I saw you lying on the sidewalk so I took you here."

Tears rushes down to her cheeks, she wipes it as she flashes a small yet full of pain smile. "T-Thank you."

My parents left us to continue finishing cooking our dinner. She have calmed down now.

"They are bullying you even harder, aren't they?" She nodded her head as an answer. "Y-Yes."

"I-I heard something about you. They said you changed your course last year."

I nodded my head. "I did, to avoid them and to change myself as well."

"I followed you." She clears her throat. "I-I'll be your classmate starting on Monday. I-I went to our University earlier to change my course like yours." She continues.

"You'll be part of our family soon." I smiled at her and held her hand. I think I know the feeling she was feeling right now. This is what I felt when Hara went to me. "We help each other and they won't make you feel that you're different."

"Here's the dinner for the both of you." My parents out the tray on the mini table I have in my room. I helped to stand up and led her there.

"T-Thank you, for this Mr. and Mrs.?" She glanced at me. "Im." I mouthed.

"Mr. and Mrs. Im." She continued. My parents nodded at her. "Call us if you two need something." Appa said before leaving with Eomma.

"It tastes good." She says as she scoops another spoonful of it. "It's my Eomma's specialty."

"I'm starting to envy you." That made me arch my brow. Envy me? For what? "Why?"

"I-I uh, an orphan." She answers. "The family that adopted made me feel like I am only their slave."

"They were the main reason why I have these on my whole body. They always hurt me. They always shout at me. They always beat me."

"They treated me like a slave. I don't know why they adopted me in the first place when they already got three kids. I was the one who does all the chores and their kids' assignments and stuffs. And the same thing happens here in our University."

"You don't deserve this." Yes! She doesn't deserve this!

"I know." She smiles, sadly. "But they made me feel that I deserve to be treated like this." Her tears fell. "They just told me last week that I'm not part of their family as I am just an orphan and they adopted me. I've been sleeping on the streets for a week now because I ran away from them."

"Until you found me."

I held her hand and held it tightly. "Thank you for opening up to me. Thank you for trusting me."

"You can count on me. Though we don't exactly had the same experiences but I know very well what you felt. From now on, you'll stay with me. You'll stay with us. We'll take care of you."

"Thank you. I don't know how could I repay you for letting me stay." She uttered. "You can repay me someday."

"Let's continue eating, the dinner won't taste good if it's cold." She smiles and nodded her head.

"And uh, what's your name, though? I forgot to ask you when we first met and also, thank you for that."

"You're welcome." She says. "And when my friend and I found you, the nurse said you left already."

"That's because the family that adopted me will beat me to hell if I don't arrive at the house at the exact time they've given to me." She answers.

"My name is Chou Tzuyu."