Flashback//Myriam&Karim
myriambeckett:
She stopped the tears as best she could at his request, but some rolled silently down her cheeks even as she kept the sobs in. He stood on his own and Myriam jumped up quickly beside him. When he reached for her she was there under his arm to lean on. His bed felt further away this time than even a few moments ago. She helped him lower slowly to the mattress before she held the ice that had been dangling in her free hand out to him.
“Tell them what?” She knew his words were meant to comfort her but she could feel the lie in all of them. So she retreated back to her usual stories. “Aaron loves me,” She said whispering not certain if Karim was even conscious enough anymore to have this conversation. Aaron threats were clear in her mind, don’t tell, don’t tell or it will be much worse. Myriam knew he meant it, she’d tested these waters before. “He and I we have been talking about moving in together in a few months.” She didn’t know why she said that now wasn’t the time. Maybe it was a subconscious scream for help. If Karim was going to save her it had to be soon.
"What he does when they’re not around,” Karim replied. He was blind to it, just like his parents. He looked the other way or he didn’t pay enough attention. Her life was her life. Karim focused on his own problems. Girls, parties, soccer, and using his powers. He lived in his own world with his buddies...until he heard all the fights that Myriam didn’t think he heard or when he discovered the bruises on her arms. He started noticing her wear more jackets and sweaters and scarves.
“Aaron doesn’t love you,” he said. He closed his eyes and adjusted the ice pack on his ribs. Karim felt himself drifting off but suddenly jumped back to reality when she said she was going to move in. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up. “No, no, you can’t do that. You can’t move in with him.” If she moved out, he definitely couldn’t protect her from far away. “You’ve got a full ride to Columbia. You can’t skip out on that because of some guy. Columbia is your dream school. It’s all you’ve ever talked about since you were twelve. Why would you want to move in with him?”










