19. Mary

Mary had forgotten a very important detail about her life, she was not supposed to live normally. There was nothing usual to her, going out with friends or having fun was something she was prohibited from doing.

Mary didn't want to be punished again but there was no safe way for her. She made a mistake, and she would have to pay for it. "Mary, slow down." She didn't remember how fast she was running until she heard Aaryan and her feet gave up. "What happened?" He asked, walking with fast steps to her. "I- I need to go home as soon as I can," She answered, trying to keep her breathing in rhythm. "But why are you running?" She had to lie. Mary had to make excuses because how was she supposed to say that her brother was going to beat her into a pulp "It's just- I don't want to be grounded. My curfew is ten, and I am already

three hours late." She never used to stay out past the curfew, but today, Mary was happy that she did not realize "It's not like someone is going to beat you up just for being late." Aaryan laughed, and she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried to smile, she failed. Mary was afraid to go home, but there was no other way around. "Hey, what happened?" Aaryan looked worried as he stepped closer, and just then, she realized she was crying. "I am just so happy," Mary smiled with tears. "I am happy because this was the best day of my life," she said, vanishing the tears. "It was nothing. Trust me, ART is going to be fun." he laughed and Mary nodded vigorously. "Can't wait- I can't wait." She was just saying anything that was touching her lips because her brain was unable to function, all it could think about was it was one fifteen. "I should be getting going," Mary said and moved, but then her feet stopped when she felt his fingers enfolding her wrist. Mary turned around. "Let me walk you home," Aaryan said softly, and then his fingers moved lower and crossed with hers. Mary couldn't reply to him.

Aaryan was caring about her, she hasn't felt that care ever. She could breathe.

As they walked, all Mary had in her brain was him. There was no Matthew but Aaryan and how he had always been there for her. He never made her feel lonely but there was no happily ever after for them. She knew even if she had feelings for him, their love was forbidden

"Mary," he called her name, his voice soothing, causing a halt in her steps. "Yeah?" She responded slowly and stopped by his side. "I want to tell you something." The cold wind suddenly started to feel warm, as soft as his voice at the moment. "What?" She asked, looking down to the road. "You know you are precious to me." No one, no one had ever said that Mary was worth anything. There were people who liked her, but that was just her fans, and to her family, Mary was always a disappointment, but Aaryan saying those words was like a fantasy, and she said nothing.

Aaryan had been acting weird all day and she noticed it and anticipating his voice she was both happy and afraid "I don't know how to say it but I just want to stay with you" He inhaled softly "I want to keep you with me, keep you safe" Aaryan sounded like as if he was specifically indicating to something. "I am not sure if I am good enough for you, but I want to be with you, Mary, because I like you." It felt like love, a foreign feeling of dreams in her heart, as light as the clouds, as soft as the wind. "So, Mary Christopher, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" Mary didn't know she could answer a question this simply, and she just said, "Yes," nodding vigorously. Aaryan was unable to move for a moment and so was she.

Mary just said it, she didn't really know how or when the word came to her tongue but she said "Yes, I want to be with you" And then after a second of him being frozen, Aaryan held her in his arms "I like you so much" He said and she felt like breaking in his arms, floating in the warmness, melting her crushed being in him "I like you too" She said, Mary was crying the tears of happiness and she wanted this moment to end forever– but forever was just a myth. Before she could tell him what he meant to her and how special Aaryan was Mary parted away and looked into his eyes. She didn't want to go. She wanted to always stay with him but that was not a choice for her "I- am sorry but I need to go" She didn't wait for Aaryan to reply and just ran to her home

She was happy

She was distracted. Aaryan and happiness made her go the wrong way. Happiness didn't belong to her harshness.

For five minutes, she stood at the door of her house. "Help me, Lord," she brokenly repeated the prayers

Mary opened the door, and there were two wrecked faces in front of her. Matthew and Smith. Her mother and Eve were not there, and it was the worst possible thing to happen at that time. "Where the fuck were you?" Smith groaned, moving towards her. "Don't interfere, Smith," Matthew said, and Smith stopped at his words. "Where were you, Mary?" he asked in a deadly deep voice. It was enough to pass a jolt in her body. "I- I was with my friends," She said, and fearfully, she took some steps forward.

It was easier for her to move for now so she walked as close as she possibly could to the stairs that lead to her room "You don't have friends" Matthew said, stepping toward her "I- I ma-made some friends from class"

"Were you with that Muslim kid?" Mary couldn't lie. She wanted to lie, but she knew Matthew would find out the truth, and the punishment would be doubled with it. "Yes," She said, and a forceful punch landed in her face. She got all blind for an instant, her brain passed an electric shock. She opened her eyes, feeling the blood flowing down her nose. "DID I NOT TELL YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM?" He shouted, making the entire house growl. "We were just practi- practicing." Only if she could make it stop with excuses, she would have spoken for hours. Matthew slapped her in the face. "Why the hell do you not listen to me?" He thundered. Smith was standing peacefully in a corner, and he was smirking as if he was telling Mary that once Matthew is done, I will continue. She could not bear it. She could never abandon herself and throw her body to that monster, so Mary decided to do something foolish. "What the fuck is your problem, Matthew? Why do you get from beating me?" She yelled at his face. Her eyes were stretched wide open, and her breathes were crushing with intensity. "How dare you speak to your brother like this?" She only received that shout in reply "Brother? How can you call yourself a brother, Psychopath?" She smirked and laughed, watching her trick working

Mary saw a knife appeared from somewhere in Matthew's hand

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" and then it felt like hate. The torture and the trauma. His feet kicked her, pushing her into the wall. Hands throwing several sharp objects in her direction. She didn't know where they were attacking. Mary was unaware of where it was hurting because it was all the same. He kicked at her legs, and she collapsed to the floor, but the hits never stopped. Her brother kicked her face, stomach, and legs, and it was unendurable. Mary screamed but there was no one to save her. She laughed for an unknown reason, and then tears were all that were left. Mary cried from the pain but it just intensified the hits and pain. It was the worst beating she had ever received from Matthew.

She was almost unconscious but she could feel the hits till now. Her white dress was shocked in blood. Even the silver lines in her hair turned red, and everything around her was getting black. The attacks continued and she went unconscious after mumbling something like "I… need…help"