Time Heals

"Did you guys remember Penny??"

Scarlett wasn't facing the boys but leaning on the pony wall as her voice reached the boys. Penny was the only close friend Martha had when she was 10 and before. She was not much close to these boys but Victor was aware of Penny and Martha's friendship. They were used to have lunch together in Martha's house. Actually Victor was pretty jealous on their closeness that he used to wish everyday about their friendship break-up.

Vincoln looked at Victor as if he didn't get what Scarlett meant. There's a reason for Vincoln not knowing about Penny. His face expressed dubiety and he was anxious to know about this so called Penny.

"Uhm... Who's this Penny??" Vincoln stammered in doubt as he raised his voice.

"I know. She was Martha's bestfriend, right?? I'm glad that she isn't here now. Or else she would snatch away Little Grape from us." Victor responded as he looked at Vincoln.

"Hmm....You feel glad that she isn't here, but do you know the reason why she left??" Scarlett's voice was deep representing there was a serious reason for her to leave.

"It wasn't a normal case?? Don't tell me this so called Nyna did something to these both girls." Victor uttered as he frowned his brows trying to predict the matter deeply.

"You can say that, Vicky. This Nyna had something with this." Scarlett then turned her frame facing boys.

"What happened??" Vincoln was agog to know about this issue as he raised his voice though he didn't has much awareness about the issue.

"Not a big deal. Four years ago, The books of students of grade which was Martha in were torn. I mean wholly. It was end of the term and It was important time for the students to eventuate their grade. Martha and Penny were studying as they were scheduled. Then this Nyna suddenly appeared." Bringing her name up, Victor could see the change in Scarlett's face. Her fists clenched with a scowl in her face.

Vincoln then took his step forward, placed his arm on Scarlett's shoulder as his voice echoed.

"Continue." His voice was gentle as if he was soothing the pain she was suffering with. Scarlett's fists even clenched tighter as she spoke.

"Nyna brainwashed Martha that she needed to teach a lesson to Penny for torturing her back and she was the one did all the ripping thing. Martha did mention her not to cause serious effect but she didn't seem to take her words to her mind. Someone took advantage of the situation and inadvertently everyone's books were torn. That wasn't Nyna. There was a big issue about this. Nyna and Martha were about to be expelled but Mom did a humble talk with our principal. Martha barely passed her term. I accidentally left a slap on Nyna's face enough to catch a fever. I thought Everything was fine, But."

The second time she halted Victor predicted what happened next. He then clenched his fists as he frowned his brows. He took his step forward as he began to speak.

"This issue made Martha's classmates corner her and bully her. Am I right??" He said as his face darkened.

"Bullying isn't the only thing. They used to have bets on her saying who would avoid her much would be winning at the last. Everyone started to avoid her, restricting her to every place they go and they didn't let her eat her lunch with them. There were many days when she brought her box back as it was made in the morning by mom. She cried a lot under my embrace many nights. Crying used to make her prone to attacks. She used to get high fever every now and then. Her health was really bad then. She really was left deserted when she needed to be cared most. She used to shiver when mom said to go to school."

Scarlett's eyes seemed faint as she spoke. She recalled how her sister used to cry screaming out losing her patience. She used to scream shouting "Why must this happen to me!!!" She recalled how her sister rushed to Scarlett's class, couldn't stay in her own class with her classmates attitude.

"How did she change then??" Vincoln's voice echoed as he was rubbing crying Scarlett's shoulder trying to soothe her pain. His face was red as if he was controlling his emotion but the guy infront of them stood motionless. His head was lowened, fists were clenched tight as his eyes were widened as if he was trying to control his tears.

"But there's a say, " Time heals". I believe it in Martha's case. No one trusted Martha but Lorries did and after Martha spending much lonely period, Lorries stood by her side, tried to clear her name. Martha's face shone when she was with Lorries. But Lorries wasn't with Martha every time. She did make her cry too but she was better than everyone else. Martha has no one else to get along with." Scarlett then covered her face with both of her arms sunk in her sleeves as she smiled.

"But Martha is still haunted by those bad terms in her dreams. She wakes up with high sweat on her that can say that she had a dream again involving her bad terms. She prays god daily to change her class so that she could find the right place for her which will be done soon." Scarlett was left in her thoughts that she didn't notice the guy infront of her who was breaking down inside himself.

"Didn't expect my cat to bear such a bully. Didn't expect my cat to scream the way she did. Didn't expect my cat which is joyous now actually cried in that amount. I really am a moron. I should've bounce back before. I'm really a moron. I didn't stand beside her when she needed me the most. I'm really a moron." Victor's words which echoed slowly made other two shift their gazes towards him.

"It wasn't your fault, Vicky. It was Nyna's." Scarlett didn't want Victor to blame himself for something which wasn't even his responsibility.

"How can I even call myself her friend now?? I couldn't stay with her when she needed me the most. I didn't soothe her pain she got even this morning. Though she was averted, it was my responsibility to soothe her pain. Whatever it might be. I'm not deserved to be....."

"VICTOR!!!!" Scarlett didn't let him finish his traumatic words that he yelled at him.

"It was past. You can't decide present through the past. Yes, She was left alone then. But what about now?? Are you going to leave her side to get punished yourself?? That'll leave her alone again, You get it?? TIME HEALS. Now Heal her. Pay your compensation standing beside her when she needs you the most. Let her fall in love with her school life which she lost then, Understand??"

Vincoln and Victor : ...