I did say I was sleepy but I wasn't feeling drowsy in the least. I kept tumbling and rolling in the bed in attempts of falling asleep but to no avail. I kept thinking as to what might've happened the day my parents got into the accident. I decided to make a checklist to put my thoughts in order. I first had to visit the hospital they were taken to and ask for their belongings if they hadn't been destroyed yet. Then visit our old country house on the outskirts of Paris. I also had to fill out the details for my college admission which I had already delayed and then schedule a counseling session with them. If possible, visit my mom and dad's colleagues for potential clues or their workplaces and get their belongings from there. I also wanted to visit the police station to inquire about their case and see if it was classified as a civil case or a criminal case. I had to do all of this carefully without alarming their potential assailants so that I could find out the truth without getting myself or anyone else killed. I couldn't sleep even after listing everything down so I decided to check out that trap door in the study.

Aime was probably fast asleep in the guest room so I quietly crept into the study. I did everything I had done before and locked it from the inside this time in case Aime had decided to wake up. I tried looking at the potions first, there were names of the herbs/drugs written on them (and some other foreign symbols) like- naproxen(500mg/L), methadone (50mg), metoprolol (600mg/day), Arum lily flower and leaves, Cherry laurel leaves, Hemlocks, juice of Calotropis plant, Cascabela thevetia seeds, Delphinium ajacis plant, Digitalis purpurea plant and so on. Some were a mixture of a few of these while some others were more than a decade old. The part that freaked me out more was that I recognized most of these plants and drugs. Yes, I was a medical aspirant however all of this was out of the syllabus and I didn't just know the common names of these plants and drugs but also their scientific names, symptoms, minimum quantity for overdose, early symptoms, and end results of in jesting them. I remembered all those times Mom had taken me to botanical gardens, showed me books regarding the drugs and just cautioned me about random places where these were found or sold. She had drilled all this information into my mind over the years so subtly that I hadn't even realized that it wasn't just for general knowledge or med school. She was trying to protect me. I had even drank many of these and recovered. Maybe that's why I was always so sick. She always said that these would make me stronger and better. When I did google some of these, I realized that these were given to either recovering addicts or severely ill patients or were really hazardous for your health. She was always concerned about my health but never took me to any doctors outside, it was always my aunt treating me or my uncle. I couldn't believe my own mother would've thought that poisoning me was a good idea. The more I tried to dig the sh*t they had put me in the more insane it all was getting. I decided to go through the trap door next. It was a very dark and dimly lit corridor, it seemed to me that the power supply for this whole room was separated from the main house. I slowly started walking with the help of the flashlight and after about 3 minutes I reached the end of the long passage. There was a door. I pushed it open and it had led me outside of our property. This area was behind our house. The door was carefully hidden in the compound wall due to the veils creeping on it. However, I couldn't open the door again once I was out. I decided to walk home, I had brought with me all the keys, in case I needed them somewhere. When I reached the façade of the house; I saw some shadowy figure in front of the house. I clenched on the concealed gun I had and slowly approached the figure. When I flashed the light, it revealed to be Alain.

Alain: Hey, what are you doing outside this late at night?

Avril: I could ask you the same question.

Alain: Well, it's my daily routine to take a late-night walk outside. Haven't seen you anytime though.

Avril: Well, I wasn't able to fall asleep tonight.

Alain: Yeah, considering all that's happened. It's only natural. But I didn't see you leave the house and I have been roaming in front of our houses for quite some time now.

[I choked, why was he out here every day to just take a walk or spy on us, why is he interrogating me all of a sudden? Does he know?!]

Avril: Neither did I see you outside before leaving the house. Must've missed each other or I lost track of time; after all, I have almost roamed the whole neighborhood by now. Well, then I should seriously get some sleep, good night Alain.

I scurried away inside. I almost had a panic attack right there. I thought I would go see Aime. That might help me calm down a bit more. He was deep in his sleep but it seemed like he was having nightmares. He was sweating so I decided to wipe it off for him before I left. But when I tried to do so he suddenly gripped my hands and slammed me on the other side of the bed. He was on top of me while tightly gripping both of my hands. I couldn't shake him off. He didn't even seem fully conscious.

Avril: I can't let go of you without hurting you Aime, so please just leave my hands. You're hurting me

Aime: murmurs

Avril: I really can't understand what you are saying please wake up.

He only gripped my hands tighter and that made me very uncomfortable. My last resort was to head bump him hard enough so that he would let go but I knew I wouldn't do that even if he strangled me to death.

Avril: Aime, Aime, listen it's me Avril.

Te amo!

Aime: Avril? what are you doing here?

Avril: Please let go of my hands first. It hurts.

Aime: I'm sorry, I am sorry. I didn't mean to. Are you okay?

Oh no! Your wrists are bruised. Wait let me get some cream.

Avril: Calm down Aime. I am fine, I just get bruised easily. You know I defended myself against a ferocious wolf, right?

Here have some water and calm down first.

Aime: Thanks

Avril: You know, I couldn't fall asleep so I came to check up on you. But I saw you were having nightmares too. Are you really fine? Never tell me lies Aime; as it is I can't trust anyone these days.

Aime: It's nothing Av, you should go get some sleep. I just get some nightmares from time to time.

[He said while leaning over the balcony of the room. I went near him and gave him a back-hug.]

Avril: I know it's not just that. Back in Spain when you jumped after me in that lake too you weren't just drowning because you couldn't swim. It seemed like you could actually but you were suddenly frightened of something.

Aime: stop it stop it! I really don't want to talk about any of this. Just leave me alone!

Avril: OK... I'll leave.

[Just when I was about to leave he held my hand.]

Aime: I am sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just- I just can't right now.

Avril: It's okay, I wasn't forcing you. But no matter how long it takes you should open up to someone even if that someone isn't me. You need to let such things out. These emotions and memories won't just go away because you ignore them or hide them.

Well, then you want to cuddle? That's the only way I can comfort you now.

Aime nodded and slumped on my shoulder while his ears turned red. He was just so adorable. I would never let him go now. I just couldn't. We lay in his bed but he moved so far away from me and slyly put some pillows and the duvet in between us.

Avril: How are we supposed to cuddle if you're that far away and with all these pillows in between, Aime?

Aime: Let's just sleep like this for now...

Avril: nope no way. Are you acting shy now after being so proactive all this while especially the last time in that hotel?

Aime: That- That was only when you annoyed me to the max and kept pushing me away. Now I know you are mine, so I, I don't- I don't-

Avril: You don't what? You seduced me first and now you don't even want to cuddle with me?

He didn't say a word after I said that, just hid his face under a pillow. I casually moved to his side and snuggled beside him. I somehow had the most peaceful sleep in a long while after that.