Past - 16
Third Party's POV:
"What the heck were you doing in there?" As Elysia dragged Sven outside the mansion, he abruptly pulled his arm away from her grip and demanded, his voice laced with anger. He could sense her trembling, which only fueled his frustration.
Elysia couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief, one that signified her personal victory over her deepest fears.
With surprising calmness, she turned to face Sven and retorted, "What do you think I was doing?" Her voice conveyed a firmness that contrasted with the swirling emotions inside her.
Sven was seething with anger. "Don't play games with me, Elysia! Why were you in there? What were you trying to do? Did I ask you to save me?" He queried with flaring nostrils, raising his voice, even though his entire body ached from the earlier ordeal, his back was throbbing in pain but he didn't drop his facade.
Sven's anger ran deep, and he was furious beyond words. He had deliberately skipped school to avoid uttering harsh words to Elysia, and here she was now, standing in front of him. He felt exposed, vulnerable and furious at the same time.
He did not need this world's feigned sympathy, he had moved beyond the point of needing or wanting it. All he desired was to be left in solitude. For a brief moment, he had thought he could be genuine with someone, with Elysia, but then, that girl had abandoned him as well, just as everyone else had.
And there she stood now, pretending to be his savior.
"I wasn't saving you," Elysia retorted, her voice maintaining its composure. "I was saving myself."
Sven was left speechless, his brow furrowing in response to her unexpected answer. Her apparent calmness confused him, but more than that, he was filled with a bubbling anger.
"How much did you see?" He asked, referring to the earlier drama that his so-called parents were displaying.
Elysia lowered her gaze and shrugged her shoulders slightly. It didn't take much for Sven to know that she had witnessed the entire scene.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, clenching his fists by his side. Then, he walked toward a nearby bench outside the mansion and sat down, gazing into the distance.
Sarcasm and mockery crept into Sven's voice as he let out his mounting anger. "What's the deal, Elysia? Are you now going to tell me that parents always have their children's best interests at heart? That they can never be wrong because they are older? Am I the only one to blame for everything, labeled as a troublemaker?" The turmoil within him surged to the surface.
Elysia followed Sven, sat on the bench beside him, and shook her head. "Who said elders can never be wrong?" Sven's head snapped towards her in surprise. She faced forward, staring into the distance, and spoke in a softer tone. "Who said parents always do things that are best for us?" Elysia recalled a woman who used to torture her physically and emotionally for years, just in the name of being her mother. She remembered Sven's father, who didn't seem affected by the blood flowing from his son's injuries just now. Then her mom, Sandra's figure flashed in front of her, someone who was different from them, different from others. "Not everybody is the same, and not every time they are right," she turned her face to look at Sven and stated firmly, "and it's not our fault, it's theirs!" There was a huge difference between raising a hand over their children in some situations to discipline them and beating them to the point of drawing blood in the name of discipline. It wasn't parenting; it was downright abuse.
Sven's mouth gaped at her words, creases forming on his forehead. No one... No one ever said that it wasn't his fault. Every time they blamed him, saying he was trying to infuriate his dad, which was entirely true, but they justified his father's merciless beatings every time his step-mother manipulated the situation and he was beaten as a result.
He never said a word, never defended himself, because it was useless when his own father's eyes were closed to the mistreatment he had endured for years.
'What was the use of speaking the truth when my own father had already believed the one-sided story, not once listening to my side of the story?' Sven always thought.
"Why...Why were you here?" Sven averted his gaze from Elysia and asked in a slightly gentler tone, changing the topic. This little timid girl, who always had trouble talking to people, was surprisingly leaving him speechless every time she spoke, and he didn't know how to respond at all.
"I...I came to apologize," Elysia stated, surprising Sven more than he already was.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry for how I behaved with you earlier," Elysia lowered her head in guilt. A bitter snort escaped Sven's lips.
"Why are you sorry? You're not the only one who doesn't want me around. As you can see," Sven raised his eyes towards the Damaris mansion, "Pretty much everyone wants me to disappear," he couldn't help being sarcastic.
"No, it's not like that, please believe me. It's really not," Elysia explained honestly. She didn't know how to make him understand.
Sven looked at her for a moment before a humorless chuckle escaped his lips. "I understand Elysia, you don't have to feel pity for me–" his words truly shocked Elysia. He was taking it really wrong.
"It's not!" Elysia exclaimed, surprising him. "I'm not pitying you, and it's...it's not because of you," she told him, taking a deep breath.
"It's because of me," she said in a voice just above a whisper. Sven's eyebrows furrowed, watching her in confusion.
Elysia exhaled a long breath, intertwining her hands on her lap, and began explaining, "I...I had a different childhood, um, a little difficult, you could say," her eyes lowered to her slightly trembling hands as she rubbed her skin, a habit she had picked up whenever she felt anxious.
"I... was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a few years ago." It was the first time she was talking about her past, and it was difficult to recall those memories, but she wanted to let it out. Sven paused in shock, his mouth gaping, hearing her words.
PTSD?!!
Elysia was suffering from PTSD? That explained her odd behavior a lot of times he had noticed, and now he was recalling her memories from her diary. He felt it was odd; her way of explaining things, her simple memories, her fears, her wishes, especially her odd behavior in school. Everything was falling into place, and now the reason behind her behavior was revealed to him. He felt like he could understand her better.
"I refused to speak for months. It took me more than a year to just interact with others, but I still feel anxious around strangers. When I finally joined school after my treatment, my parents admitted me to a high-class school because I was a good learner, but," she exhaled a long breath, "the students there bullied me because of my past situations and poor background." Sven's fists clenched tightly, and an odd thought of burying those people alive who bullied her was so strong that he had to shake his head to clear his mind of these outrageous thoughts. When he read her diary, it confused him, but he was unaware of her reasons.
"Since that time, I feel uneasy if I become the subject of attention, regardless of any reason." Elysia turned her face to look at Sven, who instantly neutralized his expressions. "I did run away because I didn't want to be seen with you, but the reason isn't whatever you're thinking," she explained. "You're really famous in school. Boys admire you, and girls squeal whenever they see you. You may not have noticed yet, but the class attendance is always higher whenever you are around. Your friends are popular in school because of you, and if someone gets acquainted with you, they also become the center of attention, and students start gossiping about them," Elysia continued, "It's not you I was running from. It's the attention that I was afraid of getting from others."
"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings that day, but I just want to tell you that you weren't the reason." Elysia gulped, lowering her face, nervously waiting for his answer.
Sven heaved a sigh and spoke, "I'm also sorry!" Elysia's eyes snapped back to Sven in surprise, making a small, almost invisible smile appear on Sven's face. "It wasn't actually you I was angry at. It was just me..." He knew that it wasn't really her fault; it was his life that made him like this. It was his past that made him react like that.
"Would you also forgive me as well?" He shifted his gaze to Elysia.
"You're forgiven," she responded without hesitation.
A small chuckle escaped Sven's lips. "That was quick!" he remarked, making Elysia smile.
"I'm also sorry for annoying you for months, you know," Sven scratched his head awkwardly, a nervous smirk on his face. Elysia pursed her lips, suppressing a smile.
"Hmm, you certainly did," she nodded seriously, making Sven feel guilty.
"Yeah, would you forgive me?" He glanced at the ground, nervously rubbing the back of his neck, resembling a child seeking forgiveness.
"Not until," Elysia spoke, narrowing her eyes. Sven looked at her questioningly, his eyebrows raised and eyes widening slightly, when Elysia suddenly moved her face closer, stopping right in front of him.
Sven's eyes widened even further, his breathing suddenly halted, making him gulp. "Until I do this," Elysia said, a mischievous smile appearing on her face, and in the next moment, she flicked his forehead with her hand.
Sven's hand immediately flew to his forehead, his lips parted in disbelief. His heart pounded so hard inside his chest that he thought it might leap out at any moment.
A soft laugh escaped Elysia's lips, seeing Sven's shocked expression as she spoke with a wide smile on her face, "Now, you're forgiven."
Still frozen in place, Sven couldn't tear his gaze away from Elysia and her radiant smile. He had never felt this way before; his heart had never reacted like this.
'What's wrong with me?' Sven thought, blinking repeatedly and finally snapping out of his trance.
He cleared his throat, averting his gaze from Elysia, the tips of his ears turning slightly red. His heart continued to race.
'Why is my heart beating like that?' He wondered.
"So..." Elysia began, breaking his train of thought. He turned to look at her as she extended her hand, "Friends now?"
Sven stared at her in surprise. Elysia Lawson wanted to be friends with him? Sven Neve Damaris, the campus' biggest troublemaker and Damaris family's headache?
He tried to discern uncertainty or pity in her eyes but found none; they were transparent, pure, just like her.
Before he knew it, he had already held Elysia's warm, outstretched hand, unaware that it was a hand he wouldn't be willing to let go of for the rest of his life...
"Oh, right!" Elysia exclaimed suddenly, releasing Sven's hand and opening her bag, leaving Sven puzzled as he glanced at his now strangely cold hand, subconsciously closing his fingers to preserve the residual warmth.
From her bag, she retrieved a small first aid kit, causing Sven's eyes to visibly widen. Who in high school carried a full first aid kit in their bag?
"Why do you have a kit in your bag?" He inquired, genuinely intrigued.
"It's a habit," she replied, her movements indicating that it was more than just a casual habit. "Now, give me your hand," she opened a small bottle and gestured for him to extend his hand, holding a piece of cotton.
"I'm fine—" Sven attempted to brush the matter aside, but her 'give me your hand, now' expression made him promptly place his injured hand in her outstretched palm.
With utmost care and concentration, she tended to all his visible wounds while Sven sat in silence, watching her every precise movement, his gaze completely captivated.
"There, we're done. You did great!" Elysia announced, finishing the last of the wounds and smiling at him. "Keep this; it's good for healing your wounds," she handed Sven an ointment for his remaining injuries without allowing him to protest.
Sven discreetly slipped the tube into his pocket, realizing that he was losing arguments in front of this girl, so he'd better comply with her requests to avoid trouble.
After all, this was the first time in his life he had found a genuine friend who didn't befriend him solely because of his background or reputation. He watched with curiosity as Elysia continued rummaging through her bag.
"Here, this is for you," she handed him a small white box adorned with a ribbon. He accepted the box, a look of perplexity crossing his face as he started to open it.
As the lid of the box was removed, creases formed on his forehead. His hand paused in mid-air, and a silent gasp escaped his lips as he stared at a beautiful chocolate cake inside. It was slightly smudged at the side, but the words on it were still clear to him.
"Happy belated Birthday, Sven!" Elysia spoke beside him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was your birthday that day. I wanted to thank you for taking me there. I had a really good time, so I made this cake to apologize and wish you a belated birthday." He turned to look at her radiant smile, his emotions swirling.
She retrieved a plastic spoon from her bag, opened the packaging, and extended it to Sven. He blankly gazed at her outstretched hand holding the spoon, still in shock from learning that she had baked the cake for him.
Elysia's smile briefly flickered, and uncertainty flashed in her eyes. "It's...it's clean, I mean, I used fresh ingredients, and..." Creases formed on Sven's forehead as he didn't catch her point. "And the spoon is brand new; I just bought it today. But it's okay if you—" the spoon was snatched from her hand before she could finish her sentence.
She turned her surprised gaze toward Sven, who was already busy devouring the cake. A relieved smile immediately spread across her face.
She fetched another spoon and was about to taste the cake when her hand was playfully slapped away.
Sven turned to her, his cheeks stuffed completely, his mouth full of cake, with some crumbs and chocolate smudged on his lips. "It's mine," he barely mumbled with his mouth full, his dark grey orbs playfully glared at her for a moment before resuming his treat.
Elysia was momentarily taken aback. She was the one who had made the cake for him, and here she wasn't even allowed to taste a bite. However, when she observed his stuffed cheeks, she couldn't help but chuckle. He looked like an adorable little kid.
Shaking her head with a smile, Elysia pulled a chocolate bar from her pocket and started eating it without minding him. She was glad to have put a smile on his face after what happened inside the mansion.
After the events of the day, one thing was clear to her: there was a lot she didn't know about the person behind the rebellious facade of Sven Damaris.
Sven secretly glanced at Elysia, who was happily enjoying her chocolate. He had no idea why was he so possessive over the things she was giving him that even she wasn't allowed to touch it after giving him.
He turned his gray eyes back to the cake, which he considered the best he had ever eaten in his life, and took another bite. His hand paused, his gaze falling on a bandage on his hand, then back on the cake. Involuntarily, his eyes turned misty, unwanted tears forming in the corners.
He blinked rapidly, determined not to let the vulnerable tears escape. For the first time, someone had baked him a cake, treated his wounds, and wished him a happy belated birthday. It was the first time someone had treated him as an equal. He slowly turned his wavering gaze to the oblivious girl next to him.
This petite 5'6" girl, whom he could easily lift with one arm, was treating him like a child. A smile crept onto his face, and Sven found himself loving every moment of it. The once infamous bad boy of the school wasn't so tough anymore...
***************
He entered the classroom and took his seat, patiently waiting for Elysia, purposefully ignoring the gasps and whispers that circulated around him. After giving it a lot of thought, Sven had come to understand Elysia's hesitation towards him, likely due to his popularity in school. He made a decision that he wouldn't annoy her anymore and would settle for being a secret friend to her, ensuring her comfort and peace.
However, his plan was disrupted before he could even put it into action. When Elysia entered the classroom and spotted him, a wide smile lit up her face. She waved at him and greeted, "Hi!" It was at that very moment that his heart literally skipped a beat, and loud gasps followed her greeting as the entire classroom burst into hushed whispers. It was always Sven who used to annoy Elysia in the past, it was the first time she responded in front of everyone.
So, this was what Elysia was talking about yesterday!
Sensing the attention, Sven coughed to cover up his initial shock, in case Elysia wanted to withdraw. But she had no intention of hiding, casually taking her seat.
"Are you okay?" Sven asked in a low voice. Elysia nodded and made an "OK" gesture, giving him a reassuring smile. He noticed her hands slightly shaking with anxiety. She was making an effort to overcome her fears, and if that's what she had decided, he would stand by her side. He smiled back and nodded, allowing Elysia to focus on taking her books out of her bag.
Sven immediately shifted his gaze towards the students in the class who were already watching him. His smile faded immediately, eyes darkened turning into a darker shade of gray, and his gaze turned sharp as he silently sent a warning glare to everyone. They gulped instantly, averting their gazes and hastily moving away, no longer wanting to intrude on them.
For the first time, Sven paid attention in class and actually studied, occasionally sneaking glances towards Elysia. However, she was wholly engrossed in the lectures and didn't seem to notice him.
During the lunch break, Elysia packed her lunch and made her way to the shared courtyard. Scanning the area, she spotted a figure in a far corner, holding a can of cola and gazing into the distance.
Elysia quickly walked over and sat down beside her. The girl's head jerked toward her but, upon recognizing Elysia, her cold demeanor returned.
"Hi again," Elysia greeted with a soft smile, causing Esme, to furrow her brows, wondering why Elysia was there.
Without waiting for a response, Esme resumed staring into the distance, seemingly uninterested in Elysia's presence.
"Would you like to have lunch with me?" Elysia cheerily asked, not bothered by Esme's aloofness.
"I said a few words to you yesterday, doesn't mean we're friends now," Esme replied, turning her face to Elysia.
"I know we aren't friends. That's why I wanted to ask, would you be my friend?" Elysia inquired, pausing her movements.
"No," Esme immediately replied, and faced forward.
"So, you don't want me around you?" Elysia asked cautiously, her eyes locked on Esme's face.
Esme turned her face to Elysia, initially intending to deliver a harsh response. However, as she gazed upon Elysia's innocent face, a younger figure flashed before her eyes, reminding her of someone dear to her. As much as she wanted to say harsh words, her mouth refused to cooperate.
"Do whatever you want," she said, looking away from Elysia, her voice tinged with bemusement.
A smile crept onto Elysia's face at Esme's response, and she immediately pulled an extra sandwich from her lunchbox. "I brought it for you," she offered to Esme.
Esme reluctantly accepted the sandwich, quickly devouring it. She then turned to Elysia, stating firmly, "We aren't friends," and walked away.
Elysia was left in confusion. Esme had said she didn't want to be her friend, yet her actions spoke otherwise.
Meanwhile, Sven, who had bought lunch and chocolate for Elysia, was searching for her everywhere. He finally spotted her sitting beside none other than Esme Vasquez.
Approaching them, he observed Esme walking away. Sven settled beside Elysia, disrupting her thoughts.
"What were you talking about with the 'beastess'?" he asked, grabbing Elysia's lunchbox and placing his lunch in her lap.
Elysia gaped at him, but he was already devouring her sandwich with gusto. She shook her head playfully and opened the sandwich he had purchased from the school's cafeteria. She asked, "What's 'beastess'? Is that even a word?"
Sven shrugged his shoulders and nodded in the direction where Esme had gone. "That's what others call her, Esme Indira Vasquez, the campus 'beastess'!" he explained while munching on her sandwich.
"Eh? Why?" Elysia inquired, her eyebrows furrowing at such a nickname. She wondered if Esme knew about it.
Sven raised his eyebrows and looked at her. She had been so friendly and had been talking to Esme just a few minutes ago, and here she didn't even know much about her? "You haven't seen her in action, have you?" he asked, surprised. Elysia shook her head, confused.
"A while ago, she beat up a guy from our school," Sven explained. Elysia remembered Aubrey telling her something like that. Sven took a gulp from Elysia's water bottle and shook his head, as if it was still surprising for him. "That girl is merciless; the word 'beastess' barely describes her. But she did the right thing," he added.
"What do you mean? How do you know?" Elysia inquired, her curiosity piqued.
Sven continued, "You know how I always used to end up in detention, right?" Elysia nodded, and he further explained. "One day, I was punished to stay after school for some reason. When I was free to go, I coincidentally passed by the north building of the campus, where I heard a girl screaming. I followed the voices and was shocked to see a girl. She was probably from our school because I saw her uniform. She was screaming while a guy was grabbing her, trying to silence her. The guy was trying to r*pe the girl, and when I was about to intervene, someone beat me to it." Elysia gasped at the revelation, pointing a questioning finger in the direction that Esme had gone. Sven nodded and continued, "Esme was the one who beat up that guy. Well, she did give him the right lesson; he would never even think of forcing himself on anyone ever again." An amused chuckle escaped Sven as he muttered, "Not that he can!" He left Elysia confused, and she raised her eyebrows, seeking an explanation. Sven finally shared the gruesome truth.
"She didn't just break his bones. That guy would never be able to use his thing again, you know," Elysia covered her open mouth in shock.
"The boy's father was outraged and wanted to take this to court, but Esme's father intervened, and I served as a witness. To protect his public reputation, the boy's father withdrew the case and left the country, while school closed the matter to save its name, and the girl was also transferred to some other school or so," Sven explained further. "No one really knew what happened except for the rumor that Esme had brutally beaten someone. When they learned about the guy's serious condition, they were scared of Esme, but they were even more frightened of her because of her background. She was allowed to roam freely even after almost killing a guy and school didn't punish her either, which indicated that she had a powerful background, even though that wasn't the actual reason. Since then, she's known as the 'Campus Beastess.' But honestly, if you told me one day that she was an assassin, I would believe it without a doubt. I've seen how brutal she can be, and she's just a teenager. Imagine how brutal she could become in the future."
"That's shocking," Elysia muttered in a daze, and Sven nodded in agreement, sharing her sentiment. It had been a shock for him at first, too.
After their detailed discussion, they didn't realize how time had passed, and the lunch break was over.
As they were returning to class, Elysia received a notification on her phone. Sven's keen eyes didn't miss the slight blush on her face. His eyes narrowed, and he was itching to know who the message was from.
"Who's that?" he casually asked, concealing his curiosity.
"Oh, it's my study partner," Elysia replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. Sven raised an eyebrow, sensing that there was more to the story. Seeing Sven giving her a sidelong glance, Elysia sighed and decided to tell him about the upcoming competition.
"So, you're going to study with him?" Sven asked, trying to appear nonchalant. He wasn't bothered, or if he was attempting not to be bothered, it was hard to tell.
"Yeah, for two months, he's going to guide me to prepare for the upcoming competition," Elysia explained.
"That damn old man and his competition," Sven mumbled under his breath, giving Elysia a half-hearted smile.
Elysia returned to the classroom, while Sven excused himself to the restroom.
Leaning against the wall, Sven became lost in his thoughts. He wished that Elysia would come to realize that the path she was pursuing was nothing but a mirage, one with no end, for one-sided love had never been easy.
He feared that she would end up getting hurt in the end, especially now that she would be spending more time with him.
'What if he also falls for Elysia?' A sudden unexpected thought crossed Sven's mind.
"It would be a good thing for her," he murmured softly, trying to convince himself, yet his heart whispered otherwise. It stirred an unfamiliar, unsettling feeling within his chest, something dark and unknown that he couldn't quite grasp.
**************
Hey, lovelies, I have a question here! A reader requested to finish past POVs soon and return to present while the other reader requested to keep the story pace. So, I need your suggestions about what are your thoughts, do you guys want frequent (or longer) updates and finish the past POVs, OR, to just wrap up the past and return to present? Yes, the story would seem rush in this case so I would trust your readers judgement here, please comment and let me know! Although I had mentioned in the starting author's note that it's a slowburn novel category but I'd be waiting for your comments...🤗