Led me to you

It had been four days since Seraphina had accepted Octavia's friendship, and the day before she was due to return to school. Her father, concerned about her having too much free time at home, couldn't let her stay idle for long. He pleaded with Nicole to take her back to school and assign her some work as a form of punishment. As the day unfolded, Seraphina found herself hanging out with Mike at the beach, engaging in casual conversations about various topics.

"You know, people at your school don't understand you," Mike remarked in a casual tone.

"Likewise, people at your school didn't understand you either," Seraphina responded. "Yeah, I guess that's why I dropped out. I couldn't handle the pressure."

"School is like a scam that inflicts trauma and anxiety on us. It's absurd how a simple piece of paper and ink can make us feel anxious as if our entire world is ending," Seraphina passionately expressed with animated gestures.

"True, it's ridiculous to cram someone else's words, theories, and formulas and pretend to understand it all. Why can't we keep our knowledge to ourselves since we've done the research and created it?" Mike added, also expressing his agreement through gestures. "Sometimes, I think being smart is actually not being smart," Seraphina mused.

"I think we're both just high on drugs," Mike playfully remarked, causing Seraphina to giggle lightly. Even though they were completely sober, they engaged in friendly banter, momentarily embracing a carefree and lighthearted attitude.

As they sat by the beach, Seraphina gazed at the horizon and started singing, "All of my life, I thought I was right, looking for something new. Stuck in my ways, like old-fashioned days, but all the roads led me to you." Mike joined in, looking at Seraphina, and added, "The house that you live in doesn't make it a home, but feeling lonely doesn't mean you're alone. People will come and go in life, but if I had a choice, I know where I would want to be."

"Being us sometimes sucks," Seraphina admitted, leaning her head on Mike's shoulder. "I really want to be okay and normal again, but all this hate and anger inside me doesn't allow me to be," she confessed.

"Everything is going to be okay. We are Seraphina and Mike, and we'll be alright," Mike reassured her, gently resting his head on hers.

After their refreshing day spent together, Seraphina returned home. As she entered the house, she heard giggles coming from the lounge. Curiosity piqued, she made her way there, only to find her father sitting with Nicole and another woman. Leaning against the door, she cynically remarked, "And you just had to bring her home again."

"Oh, you must be Seraphina," the other woman greeted her with a smile, to which Seraphina responded by rolling her eyes. Her father warned her to be nice, but she couldn't help but express her disgust. "Be nice? Me? I thought you knew better than to ask me to be nice, especially to her," she retorted.

"Seraphina, be respectful," her father's stern voice echoed in the room. Trying to defuse the tension, Nicole intervened, saying, "Chris, it's okay."

"No, I'm tired of her behaviour and attitude. I've put up with it for far too long. I understood she was hurting, and I let her be. But has she ever thought about how I've been feeling all this time?" Chris expressed his frustration.

"That's the whole point. I don't want to know how you felt or feel because you don't deserve anything but guilt. It's all your fault, Chris," Seraphina boldly accused.

"Watch your mouth, Seraphina," Nicole cautioned.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me to watch my mouth? You're not my mother," Seraphina lashed out.

"You see what I'm saying? She has zero respect," Chris remarked.

"Uhm, Seraphina, calm down," the other woman softly interjected.

"Fuck you and your 'calm down'," Seraphina replied, walking away. But her father grabbed her and slapped her. "You will not speak to your elders that way. Your mom didn't raise you to be like this," Chris scolded, his face filled with fury.

"I hate you. You should have died instead of Mom," Seraphina muttered as she walked out of the house. It was a little dark outside, but she kept walking until she reached someone else's house. With tears in her eyes, she knocked on the door until a kind-looking woman answered. "Hi, may I help you?" the woman asked.

"May I talk to Octavia? I'm his friend," Seraphina managed to say while trying to hold back her tears. "Oh yeah, sure. Come on in, Seraphina," the woman said, welcoming her with a smile. "How do you-"

"Octavia tells me all about you daily," the woman explained. "He's upstairs, first door on your right," she pointed out, heading to the kitchen. Seraphina made her way to Octavia's room and stood by the slightly open door, where she could hear a girl giggling. Peeping inside, she saw Angelina lying on Octavia's bed, and Octavia was playfully tickling her.

A heaviness filled Seraphina's heart, and she quickly walked away. As she passed Octavia's mom in the kitchen, she called out to her. "Did you find him?" she asked, confused by Seraphina's sudden return.

"Uhm, yes. Thank you," Seraphina replied hurriedly, walking out of the house. Standing on the pavement outside, she tried to regain control over her emotions. Octavia's mom went upstairs to Octavia's room, knocked, and then entered. "Mom," Octavia called out.

"Hey, did you see your friend who came to see you?"

"Which friend?" Octavia asked, perplexed.

"Seraphina," his mom stated.

"Seraphina was here?" Octavia asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, she said she talked to you, but I knew she didn't. She didn't seem fine to me," Octavia's mom explained.

Octavia rushed out of his room and hurried downstairs, spotting a crouching figure outside. "Phinny," he called out, approaching her. As he drew closer, he could hear Seraphina's sobs. "Phinny?" Octavia's worry filled his voice. Seraphina quickly stood up straight, attempting to wipe away her tears. "Are you crying?" Octavia asked, concerned.

"No, I'm laughing. The street seems funny," Seraphina replied, trying to stop the tears from flowing. "Phinny, what's wrong?" Octavia pleaded, trying to reach out to her, but she moved away from him. "Don't touch me," she warned.

"Did I do something? Talk to me, Phinny," Octavia pleaded, desperately searching for answers.

"Stay away from me. Don't come close," she repeated firmly.

Octavia attempted to pull her into a comforting hug, but she screamed at him again, demanding that he not touch her. Their interaction quickly escalated into an argument. "Just let me comfort you," Octavia pleaded.

"I can't do this with you right now," Seraphina said, attempting to walk away, but Octavia held onto her, refusing to let go. "Octavia, let her go," Octavia's mom intervened, pulling them apart. Angelina had been observing everything from the doorway.

"Honey, are you okay?" Octavia's mom asked Seraphina.

"No," Seraphina sobbed, breaking down. "Oh, baby, come here," she comforted, pulling her into a warm embrace. Seraphina cried on her shoulder as they walked into the house. They sat together on the couch, Seraphina resting her head on her lap, and the tears continued to flow. This continued for 15 minutes until Seraphina eventually fell asleep.

"Poor kid," Octavia's mom remarked. "Is she going to be okay? What did I do wrong?" Octavia asked, feeling a heavy weight of guilt.

"You didn't do anything wrong, dear. She wasn't okay when she arrived. She came seeking comfort from you, but when she saw you having fun with Angelina, she couldn't bring herself to find solace in you. She built walls around herself, and just when she was about to let them down, she couldn't find a reason to do so. When you approached her, she felt attacked and overwhelmed. She will be okay, but it might take some time," his mom replied. Being a psychologist by profession, she had insights into Seraphina's emotional state.

"I think I should go home," Angelina said. Octavia accompanied her, and after ensuring she was safe, he quickly returned to check on Seraphina. "Please be a darling and carry her to your room. I don't think she's going to wake up today," his mom requested. Octavia lifted Seraphina gently and carried her to his room, placing her on his bed. He removed her shoes and jersey, covering her with a blanket. "Please be okay," Octavia whispered, planting a soft kiss on her forehead