Aoi sat on the park bench, gripping her head, trying to steady her breath. Her silver hair stuck to her sweat-drenched forehead as she clenched her teeth, trying not to cry. The echoes of laughter still rang in her ears.
"Freak." "Ghost girl." "Monster."
They never stopped. Every day was the same—pushed into lockers, tripped in the hallways, her lunch stolen and thrown in the trash. Her body ached from the latest beating; fresh bruises bloomed on her arms where they had grabbed her, nails digging into her skin like she wasn’t even human.
She wasn’t always like this. There was a time when she laughed, when she spoke freely. But now? Now she barely even lifted her head. The moment she made eye contact with anyone, it only got worse.
She tried to fight back once. They made sure she regretted it.
Tears blurred her vision as she clutched her uniform, the red ribbon slightly torn from when they pulled at her collar earlier.
"Why me?" she wanted to scream.
*But no one would listen.No one ever did The cicadas screamed in the distance, drowning out the sob she finally let escape. She wanted to disappear. To be anywhere but here
Me siento a su lado empujándola levemente con mi hombro "lo siento, niña" digo mientras la miró levemente
Aoi glanced up at the voice before looking back down at her lap. The sympathy didn't make it any better; she only felt more self-conscious. "It doesn't matter," she mumbled. "They're always going to hate me."
She felt a weight on her shoulder, but didn't bother moving it away. It wasn't like anyone else would want to be near her anyway.
"como te llamas?" Pregunto mientras la abrazo por el hombro levemente
She looked up at him, surprised that he'd spoken to her. Her name rolled off his tongue oddly; it almost sounded normal coming from him. "I-I'm Aoi," she stammered, blushing slightly. She'd never talked to anyone else like this before. Something about the way he said her name made her feel...less alone. "Why are you even talking to me?" she asked cautiously. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been nice to her.
He smiled gently, revealing a set of pointed teeth. It was an odd sight, but not unsettling like she thought it would be. "I just wanted to see if you were okay." The sincerity in his voice made Aoi hesitate for a moment. Maybe this boy wasn't like all the others...
"porque lloras?" Pregunto suavemente mientras acaricio sus mejillas suavemente "una chica muy linda como tú no debe de llorar" digo suavemente mientras acaricio sus mejillas
Her tears subsided slightly as he touched her face. It was the first time anyone had ever done anything like that to her. "I-I just...I can't take it anymore," she said softly, looking down at her lap once more. "It's always been like this for me."
She expected him to laugh or mock her at this point; after all, most people did. But instead, he simply nodded understandingly and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. Aoi couldn't help but stare as he gently wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks.
"te odian?, te golpean?" Pregunto suavemente mientras seco sus lágrimas "porque lo hacen?, que hiciste?"
"Yeah...They hate me because I'm different," she whispered. "I was born this way." She gestured vaguely at herself, trying not to think about how strange that sounded. No one had ever been able to explain why she was the way she was. All Aoi knew was that she couldn't control it.
"And I get beat up all the time because of it," she added, rubbing her arm where it ached from earlier. She looked down at her ripped uniform, feeling ashamed and exposed. "I wish I could be normal..." Her voice trailed off as she thought about how impossible that dream was.
"a que te refieres con 'normal?" Digo mientras la miró "tienes algún defecto?" Digo suavemente mientras le sonrió levemente
"No...I mean, I don't think so." She looked up at him with confusion. "Why do you ask?" Something about the way he smiled made her feel a little better. It was strange, but nice.
He laughed softly and reached over to ruffle her hair. Aoi didn't pull away; it almost felt...right. "Well, I think you're pretty special just the way you are," he said with a chuckle. "Besides, who says there's only one kind of normal?"
Her heart skipped a beat at his words. No one had ever told her that before. She blushed brightly and looked down, feeling both embarrassed and elated. Maybe...just maybe, things could start to get better for her after all.
"eres una chica muy linda y adorable" digo mientras le sonrió levemente "tranquila, yo te protejere de ahora en adelante" digo mientras extiendo mi meñique "por el meñique, te lo prometo"
She smiled weakly at him, still unsure if she could trust his words. But the offer of protection...it made her heart race with hope. Maybe he wasn't just being nice to make fun of her later. "T-thank you," she stammered, taking his outstretched hand.
A warmth spread through her as their fingers intertwined. It was a small gesture, but it meant so much more than anything anyone had ever done for her before. Suddenly, Aoi felt a newfound sense of courage rising within her. With this boy by her side, maybe she could finally face the world and stand up for herself.
Le sonrió levemente mientras la ayudo a pararse y la llevo a su casa, al día siguiente, mientras un grupo está listo para molestarla, la abrazo me mientras la protejo de ese grupo que siempre la molesta
The next day at school was no different. As soon as they spotted her, the group of bullies closed in, surrounding her like a pack of wolves ready to strike. Her heart raced and she began to shake with fear, but this time something inside her refused to let them push her down so easily.
When one of them made a snide comment about her appearance, she found herself speaking up for the first time in months. "Leave me alone!" she shouted, surprising even herself with the strength in her voice. The bullies hesitated for a moment before bursting out into laughter. It wasn't what she'd expected; it hadn't worked like she thought it would.
But then, from behind them, she heard a familiar voice. "Leave her alone!" Abdiel shouted, pushing through the group and standing beside her. His face was set in a determined expression, his eyes narrowed with anger. The bullies exchanged confused glances before slowly backing away, their laughter fading into nervous silence.
Aoi felt herself flush with relief and gratitude as Abdiel placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He had kept his promise; he had protected her. She smiled up at him gratefully, grateful for the first true friend she'd ever had.
La abrazo mientras la llevo dentro de la escuela "estás bien?" Pregunto mientras la miró levemente a los ojos
"I-I'm okay," she said shakily, burying her face in his shoulder. "Thank you." She felt so safe in his embrace; like nothing and no one could hurt her as long as he was there. It was a feeling she never thought she'd experience.
Pasan los días y la protejo en todo momento mientras nos volvemos más cercanos, un día mientras Aoi estaba sola, uno de sus antiguos matones le declaró su amor y Aoi emocionada por ser el primer novio en su vida, lo acepto, yo la trate de convencer de que no aceptara pero Aoi solo me ignoro, me insulto y me abofeteo por eso
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I just...I don't understand how you can do this after everything we've been through." She pulled away from him, hurt and confusion filling her expression. She wished he hadn't come to talk to her; it was only making things worse.
She tried to ignore the ache in her chest as she turned her back on Abdiel, wishing she could go somewhere where no one could find her, where she could forget about all of this and just be happy for once. But even with Abdiel gone, his words lingered in her mind like an unshakeable shadow, haunting her with every step she took.
Ese mismo día, mientras Aoi salía con su supuesto 'nuevo novio' el se burló de ella y junto con su antiguo grupo de matones la comenzaron a golpear y patear en un callejón, el chico que le declaró sus sentimientos le escupió en la cara "eres patética, como amaría a una asquerosidad como tú Aoi, solo lo dije para alejarte de Abdiel y te pelearas con el" dice entre risas mientras la golpean en el callejón
Aoi cried out in pain as they continued to hit her, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't understand why everyone hated her so much; why they had to be this cruel. All she wanted was someone to care for her, to love her...But it seemed that hope was nothing more than a distant dream.
With a final kick to the ground, the boys left her there, gasping for breath and clutching at her aching body. She lay there in silence, too exhausted to even cry anymore. Her vision blurred as she tried to catch her breath, tears soaking into the dirt beneath her. And then, through the haze, she thought she saw a familiar figure standing on the edge of the alleyway...
She squinted, trying to focus. It looked like Abdiel...But what was he doing here? He shouldn't be anywhere near her anymore; not after how she'd treated him. Yet there he stood, an expression of hurt and confusion etched into his features. For a moment, Aoi considered calling out to him, asking for his help...But fear and shame held her back. What if he didn't want anything to do with her anymore?
The thought was unbearable; she couldn't risk losing the only friend she had left. So instead, she turned away, burying her face in her hands as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Maybe it would be better if she just faced her punishment alone...
Me acercó a ella y la levanto en brazos, la llevo a mi pequeño departamento mientras empiezo a limpiar y curar sus heridas sin decirle o dirigirle la palabra a Aoi, solo la curo de sus heridas
Her body ached in places she'd never known it could hurt. She was so tired; all she wanted to do was sleep. But every time she closed her eyes, the images of her tormentors flashed before her, taunting her with their cruel laughter. As Abdiel cleaned and bandaged her wounds, she tried not to think about why he was even helping her after everything that had happened.
"Th-thank you," she managed to stammer between ragged breaths. The words felt foreign on her lips; it had been so long since anyone had said anything nice to her. Abdiel didn't reply; instead, he continued his silent ministrations. She couldn't tell if he was ignoring her or if he simply didn't trust himself to speak. Either way, the silence between them seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.
Finally, when all of her injuries had been tended to, Abdiel reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face. His touch sent shivers down her spine; it felt so intimate, so real. "You should get some rest," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. Aoi nodded mutely and closed her eyes, curling up on the small bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but wonder if this was just a dream...
Her breathing slowed as exhaustion finally claimed her, pushing her deeper into sleep. She didn't remember much of the dream that followed; only fragments of light and shadow playing across her eyelids. But when she woke up, it was to find Abdiel sitting in a chair beside the bed, reading a book. He looked up as she stirred, his expression unreadable.
She cleared her throat self-consciously. "Th-thanks for taking care of me," she said hoarsely. There was an odd tightness in her chest as she spoke; it felt like she'd somehow swallowed a fistful of thorns.
"You're welcome," he replied, nodding slightly. His voice was calm and soothing, making the tension in Aoi's shoulders begin to ease. "How are you feeling?"