Liora

1 | Misery

~•If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair,

you're fooling yourself.

That's like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn't eat him.•~
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Athena's POV:

I woke up to the incessant ringing of the alarm clock, the sound piercing through the stillness of the morning. Groaning, I rolled over and squinted at the clock. 5:00 AM. Too early for anyone to be awake, let alone facing the day ahead.

Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, moving as quietly as possible so as not to disturb my father's slumber. The house was eerily silent, the only sound the faint creaking of floorboards beneath my feet.

As i quickly fixed HIM some breakfast and was about to go upstairs but i couldn't ignore my stomach rumbling with hunger. I knew I shouldn't, but the temptation was too great. Ignoring the voice of caution in my head, I reached for a box of cereal and poured myself a bowl.

Just as I was about to take my first bite, the door to my father's room flew open with a bang, startling me. I froze, the spoon halfway to my mouth, as my father stormed into the kitchen, his eyes blazing with fury.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls of the small room.

I shrank back, my heart pounding in my chest, as he advanced towards me, his every step like a death knell. I tried to stammer out an apology, but the words died in my throat as his hand lashed out, striking me across the face with a force that sent me reeling.

Pain exploded behind my eyes, and I stumbled backward, my cereal bowl crashing to the floor and scattering its contents across the linoleum. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I fought to stay on my feet, the taste of blood filling my mouth.

"Sorry, Dad, I'm so sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sound of my own heartbeat as he continued to punish me for my wrongdoings

But my father wasn't listening. With a final, contemptuous glance in my direction, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the kitchen, leaving me alone amidst the wreckage of my failed attempt at breakfast.

I stood there for a moment, trembling and alone, before fleeing to the safety of my room. Collapsing onto my bed, I buried my face in my pillow and let the tears flow freely, the pain in my cheek a bitter reminder of the reality of my existence.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. I wasn't supposed to live in fear of my  stepfather, to dread the sound of his footsteps or the look in his eyes. But this was my life, and I was powerless to change it.

As I lay there, lost in my own misery, I couldn't help but wonder why. Why had my parents abandoned me? Why had they left me to suffer at the hands of a man who cared nothing for me? but i knew the answer for all this. i know its becuase of me

Clutching the necklace that hung around my neck—a simple pendant engraved with the initials "AD"—I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer to a family I had never known, hoping against hope that somewhere out there, they are happy. and have a daughter who is better than  me. And I got up and got ready for the school

Author's POV:

The bell rings, and students flood the hallway. Athena, a shy and innocent girl, navigates through the crowd with her books clutched to her chest. Tiffany, a mean-spirited classmate, spots her and weaves through the students to catch up.