Old Friend

The world beyond is vast but, small to those who see no value in it. That was the case for Liliane Fray, the only daughter and hope of two beta couple.

The two couple hoped for the possibility that the girl is to be even a recessive Alpha and be the hero who saves them from the lower rank of their lives. She was showered with all the love but, what is the use of such a thing when it keeps you locked away from the world?

As a child, all of what she can remember was the coldness of the living room's tiles of which she always sat on, biting on her knees. The unending loop of a show played on a disc as she was surounded by books that she read many times when her eyes have grown irritated from staring at the light of the playing screen.

"Mom and dad will go and run the pharmacy so that our dear could enjoy all the toys and things she like. Stay in the house, okay?" Her parents says as they kiss the child before they bid her goodbye.

Liliane thought that she was loved. Liliane thought that was love. Yet, she envied her cousins as she watch them play outside, running around with their friends and laughing under the sun.

One time, she remember asking permission to go outside and she was not allowed to do so, she daringly snuck out and once she was caught, she would be beaten by sticks from behind their garden or sometimes a leather belt that was a favorite of her father.

"The outside world is dangerous, you know we get angry because we worry for you, right?" Her mother whispers with a loving voice that she would hear everytime before she completely pass out from all the tears and desperate crying, begging for it to stop.

Once more, she sats down on the cold tiles today but, today is special as she plays a new disc gifted as a present to her after yesterday's disciplinary. The cold tiles were a comfort as it mades her knees numb of the pain from the splinters she attained after the long beating.

"School... They say that I could wait to play with others because I'm going to school soon..." She whispers to herself, not that anyone could hear as she have always been alone.

Hollowness from her voice as she couldn't even imagine what will it be like. She have only seen school from the shows and she did thought how fun would it be. She should be happy yet, she didn't know why she felt so empty and numb like her the wounds on her knees.

Until the day finally comes, it was curious to see a room filled with peers of her own. Liliane felt loss, seeing all children laughing within their own created groups. She didn't know how to enter their space, she felt no belongingness.

She watched everyone from her seat and noticed one boy intruding one circle to another. Not that the boy was rejected by any of these groups but in fact, he already made friends with everyone so easily. The boy was like a star, so bright and charismatic that he draws every children on the room to his way. Liliane couldn't take her eyes away from the boy and when that boy finally approached her too, she felt strange yet, so wonderful when that charming little boy finally introduced his name.

"I am Garen! Do you like that cartoon too!?!" The boy was so excited that it made Liliane a little flustered.

"This one?..." Liliane asks as she points at the cartoon character designed on one of her notebooks.

Liliane felt a tug in her heart as she saw the boy's eyes lit in joy and excitement then, smiles so bright.

"Yes! I like that character! Do you like them too?" The boy asks with a bright and wide smile.

Liliane didn't know but perhaps at that point on, she was already learning what real love truly is.

The girl love the way she could talk with the boy, it felt so light in her heart, her statements were unending, her heartbeat was like a beating rhythmn of a new found wonderful melody, her figure reflected on the boy's eyes, and the way the boy would call her name. She love how her heart would flutter from the very small interactions they share.

Liliane's home was simply a few walk from the primary school. She walked home with a big and warm smile, this was the first time she ever smiled like this and she can't help but to do so as every muscle in her body seems to remember the joy that the boy have given towards her.

"I'm home..." Liliane says, her soft voice slightly resounded in the hallway.

There was no one to greet her but, she already guessed that her parents might be still running the pharmacy as always. The little girl felt a little sad, not that she missed her parents but, because she was simply too excited to share her joy of making a new friend and that the first people she wanted to tell these were never there.

For the very first time, Liliane never sat down in the cold tiles. She always did so because lying in the couch for too long would simply make her feel hot and also made the increasing wounds on her knees feel uncomfortable with the distasteful texture of its cover. At the very least, the cold tiles eases the physical pain but, there is no need for it today.

The clock on the high ceiling reads [12:30 PM] her usual nap time but, what kind of unsupervised child would actually want to sleep during after noon? Liliane checked the fridge and took some left overs from breakfast that she would always re-heat in the microwave. She heated her food and sat down to eat quietly.

After that, the girl went inside the room that she shares with her parents. She always felt cold and lonely in this room and she would never ever forget the tons of times that she passed out on this very bed after being punished from her many attempts to sneak out and play with her cousins. She hated this room and would only enter this when it is time to sleep but, this time... She didn't mind it as she felt that she would perhaps have a great dream.

"Garen... I wonder... If he'll hang out with me tomorrow too..." Young Liliane softly murmurs and maybe because she was full from the meal earlier, she easily fell asleep. Her face still showed joy as she smiles in her sleep simply from the mere thought of the boy.

But, that is all in the past. These sweet memories were only thorns that repeatedly tortured Liliane's heart.

The way she used to look forward to meet the boy have now turned the extreme opposite. She never wanted to ever meet the boy, never again.

She loathed his beautiful eyes that she used to admire, she loathed his lips that she once mirrored whenever it smiles, she loathed his voice that she used to attentively recorded in her heart, she loathed everything.

Once her hope and joy, now became her despair and missery.