Chapter 10: Frustrations.
The girls worked up normally and waited for Raul to return. He came fine, not that tired and in a mediocre fine mood. Ashlene smiled at him. He casually looked away at Julia, wishing her a 'Hey,'
Julia nodded and motioned him to get ready. Ellie ran to him, hugging his legs tightly. Raul gave a hilarious look and picked her, "Hey sweetness, how are you doing?" he asked the little girl,
"Fine. W-what about you?" she asked,
"I'm cool, want some coffee?" he asked.
Ellie shrugged no, "I want you!" she smiled
"Whaaooo, I'm all here. Oh, you want to play hide and seek?" Raul asked,
"Ellie says yes!" Ellie smiled. Raul put her down, "After a while, sure!"
The trio sat for dinner silently,
"Thanks for saving one sandwich, Jules." Raul complimented,
"Obviously…"
Ashlene stayed silent except that she occasionally passed water to the dual haired blader,
Raul pretended not to acknowledge her.
"What did you want from Zane?" Ashlene asked putting up a smile lightly.
"Hmm…" Raul shrugged like 'nothing'
Julia frowned at him in confusion but stayed quiet. They finished up and got back to regular chores of cleaning dishes and keeping the leftover food in the fridge back.
Ashlene got to her room for studying some part. She opened the common balcony connecting Julia's and hers room.
"So, how was the day?" Julia asked as she cleaned their bed.
"Fine," Raul answered ignoring her face, but seeming secretly contended
"So, why did you call Zane?" Julia asked firmly,
"Excuse me," Raul looked at her, confused and annoyed, "Stop asking me each and everything of my personal life like I'm ten year old boy!"
"Raul, what's happening? Why did you call her?" Julia shouted,
"Julia! I'm tired of all these questions! I'm not your slave and I am tired of taking your orders since we were kids! Please, will you stop this!" Raul fumed up, seeming horribly angry.
"R-Raul!"
"I went with Zane! We are dating! We even kissed and slept! Is that enough?" he shrieked hysterically.
"S-S-Seriously?" Julia looked scared and shocked,
"Seriously?" Raul barked, "What's wrong if I'm dating someone?" he asked,
"You can't be serious," Julia pointed him a finger, her eyes stretching off and out.
"I'm tired, Julia! Tired!" he groaned and slumped into the couch "I don't want to work in that circus anymore. I miss our old and real circus. I want to work there…and sadly it's not even possible," the real reason came, his voice broken and frustrated,
"I-" Julia wanted to say something,
"I struggle everyday being taunted and scolded simply. I find it really cruel to work there. I will do any job; literally, I will be a road-sweeper than being a trainer there." He shot, his chest sobbing,
Julia was listening him. She felt bad for always scolding and questioning and ordering her brother. That's not what she'd wanted. She was wrong- she realized. Just because Raul ignored her every time didn't mean he wasn't hurt even a little.
"I called Zane because she offered me that she'll try to talk to the manager of the restaurant in which she and Ashlene works and get a job for me there." Raul expressed, "I've called her for that, Julia! I've called her for that!" he expressed his anguish and frustration,
"What did she say then?" Julia asked tensed up,
"The Manager called me tomorrow. I will show up and have a talk!" Raul groaned,
"I'm sorry, Raul. I'd always hurt you," Julia said in light seethe,
"I'm tired, Julia! I'm tired! Fed up with that job from where I've been kicked out for a quite number of times! Stop questioning me! Both you and Ashlene! I can't stand you both sometimes!" he seethed,
"Ash….she just asked you-"
"Shut the fuck up, please! She's way too irritating sometimes! Can you please tell me till how long will she stay with us?" Raul shook his head hysterically,
"What has she done?" Julia said with a gasp, "What's wrong with you and her? I though t-that you l-liked her," Julia said involuntarily,
"Liked her?" Raul blinked sarcastically, "Are you kidding? First thing, I thought that she's sweet and a broken girl and we were friends. I didn't like her the way you're thinking. And ever since that night, I'm not the same, and we aren't friends. I don't like her or her presence." Raul said in one go without stopping, "Second, no matter what happens, she will always love her old boyfriend, so please, whether anything happens or not, I didn't or can never like her in the way you meant!" Raul screamed,
"Raul, its fine. Why are you losing your temper? I just expressed my thought. You don't have to do what I express. I asked about Zane because I was curious. I don't mind if you date or not date her or anything. I just asked. I'm sorry if that hurt you so much!" Julia seethed at the end after a peaceful commencing explanation,
"That's because I can't stand her questioning or yours anymore. I want interference-free life for god's sake! If she didn't asked me, you wouldn't have asked me either and we wouldn't have been in this goddamn conversation right now!" Raul glared,
"Fine, we won't question you. Shut and sleep peacefully. This is your house too. You have the right to live here peacefully and work, but wherever you want to," Julia sighed angrily,
"And please, I'll be leaving in morning somewhere around nine. I can't take care of her daughter anymore! I'm not his servant or father!" Raul snapped, however before he could say anymore, Julia slapped him,
"Ellie can't mean you that, Raul. NOT ELLIE." Julia said in a dangerous tone, her breaths fumed and heavy,
The siblings were clashing back once more but halted when they acknowledge the third person whose innocent blue eyes were strained with tears and shock.
Ashlene's head sunk as she heard those words and she crashed with the back wall of balcony and slipped on the floor, her legs loosing balance- her condition being traumatized.
"E-Ellie," Raul dead-panned. Ellie was standing at the door of their room facing hall. Ellie breathed in heavily as tears streamed down her face. She had come to play with him but hearing those words only stricken her. She moved back and looked scared at Raul. She sniffled heart-breakingly,
"Ellie! Come here!" Raul shouted as the siblings ran to her but she ran away. "Ellie, listen to me!" Raul cried but she ran to her room and not finding her mom, she ran to the balcony whose door was open.
Ellie shrieked in trauma as she saw her mother lying unconscious on the floor. The siblings arrived at the spot and panicky was written suddenly on their face.
…
"She's fine. Just probably was over stressed and had eaten her food after a long break,"
"Thanks Doc, can we meet her?" Ellie asked,
"Sure, is she your mom?"
"Yeah," Julia nodded.
The trio entered the room and saw her staring at the window.
"Ash, are you okay?" Julia asked worriedly,
"Mom!" Ellie squealed and crushed her mom with a hug,
"I'm alright, Ell. I'm okay." Ashlene kissed her daughter on cheek,
"Ash, I'm sorry," Julia said and Raul looked down in shame,
"It's okay, Jules. It's not your fault anyway,"
Raul looked apologetically at her, "Ash, trust me, I was frustrated and I really didn't mean what I said to Ellie, I swear," he said quite in dismay and hopelessness,
"Really," Ashlene said with a slight laugh in sarcasm,
"Julia got us wrong, I was just explaining her. I thought you'd be a problem for me leaving that job and I was angry." Raul said softly,
"And you made clear about us, and also added how my presence and me is disgusting to you," Ashlene snapped,
"Ash, I'm sorry. I don't like you to question me often and that I seriously thought Julia would force me not to leave that job, so I wanted to hide that I'm leaving it. When you tried to inquire, I suspected that you'll find out through Zane and reveal it to Julia," Raul explained,
"Fine, I got you," Ashlene smiled cruelly, "And also listen that I'm leaving your house from now," she declared.
Julia dead-panned. She shirked mentally as the Ashlene's statement echoed in her mind,
"Ashlene! You can't," Julia said in panicky voice, Ellie was shaking in unbelieving state. Julia is stricken and she gulps down very hardly,
"I'm sorry, Julia…" Ashlene smiled sadly, "I will go back to my friend's place. I wasn't a burden or unwanted with my presence there," she slightly chuckled,
"Ash…" Raul looked worriedly,
"Mom, please!" Ellie shrieked with tears forming in her eyes,
"Don't worry. Sakai will take care of you. You don't know her. I used to live with her before you were born, Ellie," Ashlene smiled sadly at her daughter, trying to motivate her daughter who was all in tears at the idea of leaving this place.
Julia remembers that when she brought Ashlene at her home, Ashlene said that she was living at her friend's place whose brother she'd saved from an accident. Sakai seemed willing to welcome back Ashlene and Ashlene will not hesitate to go back there. And it was just a matter of time; she will easily get a very handsome job later.
Julia shook her head and clutched Ashlene's wrist, "Are you gone mad! You're leaving me! You're leaving me? Ash, how can you do this to me?" Julia yelped, "I don't have any sibling other than Raul! I always considered and treated you as my own sister! Where did I lack!" Julia shouted in pain and agony, her eyes struggling not to wet up,
"Ash…" Raul mumbled clearly worriedly, "I'm, I'm really sorry, I mean it…"
"Julia, you didn't lack anywhere. You were truly more than a sister to me…but there are certain people who don't like my presence and I hate it to cause them further uncomfortable, so…I've to leave." Ashlene said in a low, feeble tone looking away,
She stared in the space, her eyes seemed to be thinking something deep and meaningful, " I really loved you…" Ashlene pouted wretchedly broken and cried, "I don't want to leave you either!'' she said in light hiccups,
Julia hugged her and embraced in a tight hug, "Then why are you leaving? I love you too. I've always cared for you, I shared everything with you, or else this Raul won't even listen me!" she cried,
"I-I care for you, Julia!" Raul protested, "I tolerated that job only for you!"
"Please, don't leave me," Julia implored,
"Ash, I can't live without Ellie…I didn't mean what I said," Raul said innocently with hopeful eyes, "I was angry with you, not Ellie. I wouldn't have loved her or cared her if I were that bad…" he sighed,
"What's left between us, Raul," Ashlene asked,
"Just a simple drunken kiss changed everything? Yes, I still love-"Ashlene paused as she realized she was about to utter his name, she still had no intentions about revealing it to Ellie, "I love him, still; after all what I've seen and been betrayed," Ashlene said softly. By this time, Julia has ushered Ellie out of the room for the elderly conversation,
"Because I can't control my feelings that were once so unbreakable; it wasn't a vulnerable or one-sided crush or infatuation." Ashlene said with twisted lips this time. Julia listening her silent fuming,
"He is Ellie's dad, Raul! HE IS! No matter what he has done to me, he WILL accept his daughter if he knows that he has one!" Ashlene's face streamed with angry tears,
Her words were strong and she trusted him…still.
Why…
"Ash, you can't do this to us. We took care of Ellie, not him. We loved Ellie, saw her since you were pregnant and you are simply snatching her from us, just because my stupid insane mind has blabbered that in tiredness! You're being unfair, really unfair!" Raul snapped,
"I will stay with you only at one condition…" Ashlene said finally,
"What?"
"I don't want to be unfair, no I don't. You're probably right. I will stay only if you promise to tell us everything that's bothering you. You don't have to tell anything personal. Don't hide your pains, don't keep them a secret. Please don't," Ashlene looked at Raul, her blue eyes seeming to be faded,
"I agree," Raul nodded and gave her a nostalgic smile, "I will not hide my pains as long as they aren't really personal. But do bear me and don't counter-burden me, please," Raul chuckled lightly,
"Sure," Ashlene and Julia smiled at him,
"I don't want you to stress up, Raul. If you didn't like that job, you could have asked me. I would have helped you, really," Ashlene explained,
"Fine…"
There was a knock, "Can I come in Aunt Julia?"
"Haha, yes, Ellie, sure," Raul smiled.
Ellie strode in, "Are we leaving then?" she looked scared,
"Nope, sweetheart," Raul lifted her and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, "We will always be together, no matter what happens; that is unless your mom doesn't take you away from us!"
Ellie looked at Ashlene and gave a 'thankyou' smile to her.
The elderly trio and Ellie returned home after stopping for ice-cream on the way.
.
.
.
Kai packed his bag immediately as soon his classes were over. He hated whatever was going around and people wouldn't give him a rest. Especially when it came to girls, whose stupid imploring looks of talking to them would piss the heck out of him. He controlled and refrained his fury. The only persons who would be calm and fine to deal would be his lecturers who would speak to him in a formal and wise tone and less as possible, thus making him comfortable.
Voltaire was out of jail; Boris still didn't receive any bail. Kai chuckled as he thought about it. The real badass needed the lifelong punishment and execution from the real world. He respected his grandfather, he did, but there was no point and reason even of meeting him after he officially left his home. He would never be allowed back, never.
It was quite hot this evening at four, as he rode his car back to dojo. There was a serious problem of parking near Tyson's dojo, so he usually parked it a kilometer before Tyson's house where there was a fine parking arena. In this way, his car remained unused by them except him. Tyson had his old fine bike parked in the dojo in a corner and he rarely used it.
He plugged in the keys in his pockets and walked out the air-conditioned parking arena with a satisfied smile lightly plastered on his face. He looked around- at the stores and shops lined up with less people today. Should be the hot weather.
Amongst the people who he was casually spotting, he noticed someone. His eyes blinked. He wasn't sure if she was…
"Julia…" he murmured to himself before walking to the bey-store,
He looked at her as she was buying a new ripcord complaining how the previous one she had purchased just a few months back got spoilt quickly. The shopkeeper seemed a little scared by her snarling but was almost convincing her.
Julia kept the rip-cord in the light polythene and looked up at Kai.
Kai blinked in confusion as she was like she had seen a ghost when she saw him. She gasped and her eyes stretched out.
She looked more shocked with seconds.
"What?" Kai asked,
"Nothing," she shrugged in slight frustration as she walked past him with closed eyes and solemn curt expression,
"You always buy your blade parts from this store. Right?" he asked
"Why that concerns you?" she turned and asked straight,
"Since you're yelling at that man, I've noticed," Kai said coolly,
"Yes, I do," she shrugged and walked again. Kai despised the fact how she was ignoring him, but he wasn't actually thinking about it. It was that 'shock' on her face. What was that? Why was she scared…There was something wrong. He got that. He mentally noted that the siblings still stayed in Japan.
He walked back to home shrugging at her attitude. He wasn't actually interested or determined in finding out her obscure behavior. Battling with Ray would be preferred.
.
.
.
The finals were approaching. Everyone seemed tensed up. They were studying like 24 hours and 7 days all. Margot often complained that she barely got any sleep. Coffee became an undeniable necessity. Every student in his room had lodged many coffee bottles. It was like coffee first, water second. Their rooms were no longer agog in any tantrums or commotions. It was silent with the murmurs of recitations and reading. The corridors were silent like everyone has gone to vacation. The lights however remained open for most of the hours. Often inspections were made at night, to check what the students were doing. The staff was surprised of how this batch was studying so hard and with real worry. This was the first batch they have witnessed with this intensity of studying through all the years. The completion might have soared and the appearance of papers was becoming undeniably tougher.
Hilary tried her best to keep her stress in check. She really didn't want to mess with all what she had learnt by getting stressed off at last moments. She absolutely hated when anything such happened. She was never the one to get depressed at the end during exams. She eventually blamed the aura around her of the stupid students who didn't study the entire year and were getting nervous at the end and thus affecting her too. Delia blinked at her comment when she vented her frustration one day after excessive reading for long hours,
"Relax, Hil. Relax. You are gonna score well. Really," Margot assured.
"Relax? RELAX?" Hilary shouted, "How the hell I can relax when there is so much to read and revise. Look at these books! Look how fatter and thicker they are becoming as each day is nearing towards exams!" Hilary was shaking in fury.
"You seriously need to sleep or meet Ryan." Delia said in a dull voice, "You are agitated and frustrated of only studying."
"What?" Hilary's eyes stretched unreliably.
"Hils, we are staying in these rooms for about fifteen days since the last day our classes were attended. I know you are a little jaded with this monotonous routine." Margot tried her to convince,
Hilary sighed uncomfortably and pouted in buried angst. She thumped into the soft sofa, sinking deeper.
"C'mon, shall we take a break?" Delia suggested, "We have still a week more. I just have ENT to sort out and I'm heck not revising anything else which I've already read once." She announced to herself,
"What do we do?" Hilary mumbled, looking out of the same window and at the old tree, "Look even this tree is same! It's so boring to see it each day the same! It's so frustrating! Change this tree," she wined naively.
"You are on the verge of losing your sanity. We will definitely need to take you somewhere out." Delia said with wide eyes.
"Do something," Hilary almost cried,
The two girls looked at each other. They continued looking at each other and blinking eyes until Delia chuckled with the ever brightest smirk on her face. Margot nodded with wiggling her eyebrows, all secretly.
"Hilary, we will plan something later. Just sleep for a while," Margot suggested. Hilary looked at them tiredly after removing her head which was buried in her hands.
"Yeah," she sighed and lied down.
A/N: Hey people! How are you doing! I hope everyone is good with life and health. My health has been worst like I'm gonna die. And it still is, but because I was only and only sleeping all through two days, I recovered a teensy and thought to distract myself a little. Anyways sorry for the huge delay. Just the college life got in the way and the preclinical Operatives this year is hell. I find it hard to cope but the medicine is going good, not a hectic. I hope this chapter was okay, if not too good? The next chapter is awesome. It's about Hilary and you're gonna enjoy hopefully. So review if you're reading this!
P.S: I've been hiding my emotions for quite long and I'm still doing, nonetheless Fresher's coming up this month and fest too for a week in which I'm going! So I'm quite excited about it, and it has covered my fragility for some time. I'm too good at pretending and being cold!