The demon under my bed

Chapter 1

I walked down a busy street on a lively night, swarms of people chattering as they went. My whole body was fatigue from working two shifts a day and there I was dragging myself back to home. A group friends enjoying themselves heading towards the theme park bumped into me, making me stumble on my feet for a while before I gained my balance. They threw a bunch of 'sorrys' at me but I had no energy to even shot a glance.

Just like that, I reached my small apartment I shared with my sister and parents. After taking off my boots and hanging my coat over the coat rack beside the overused couch, I made my way to my room.

"Nera, hey! Can you pass me my charger?" Lilla, my sister younger than me of six years, pointed towards the old fashioned kitchen table while she laid on the couch scrolling through her phone. 

I picked up her charger and threw it at her at which she flinched a bit. "Where's mom?" Plopping myself on a hard chair near the kitchen table, I asked Lilla.

"She went on an errand."

"Dad still hasn't come back from work?"

"Hmm. It seems he's on overtime."

I checked the time through the cracked screen of my phone. I was planning on fixing my screen when I got this month's paycheck but mom suddenly collapsed and was admitted for a week straight. Well, it seemed she overworked herself and I had to pay her bills.

Sighing, I got up and and went to my room. I was so exhausted. As soon as I closed the door shut, I just stood there staring at the unappealing reflection of mine. Brown hair, dark eyes, average height, normal weight, round face, and topped it of with eye bags, there was nothing special about my appearance.

I was just a broke girl living in this cramped old house, who had no ambition in anything, living just because I was alive. I had nothing to look forward to, no one precious or I hold dear to except for my family.

Honestly, I was so average. So painfully average. I was average in studies, average in looks, average in my workplace and average in my very own family which really stung.

Unlike me, Lilla was a genius with fluffy strawberry blonde waves she inherited from my mom and striking blue eyes from my dad. She was quite a bright and bubbly teen that lightened up everywhere she went. Lilla stood out from any crowd with her tall and skinny frame.

And then there was me. My grumpy attitude and blank face didn't really give out a friendly impression. Sure, I had 'friends' in my school and even in my workplace but they weren't close enough to be hanging out with. They were merely acquaintances. Within these twenty years I lived, I didn't have a single sincere friend I could have a heart to heart chat to.

I tried my best to not compare myself with Lilla but she already had a bright future ahead of her. I wouldn't want to admit but I was envious of her and I hated myself for being like that. It was honesty the worst feeling.

"OH MY GOD NERA! NERA LOOK! LOOK!" Lilla stormed her way into my room and wrapped an arm around me, brimming with pure excitement. "I GOT SELECTED FOR THE SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM!!" She squealed and a smile spread across my lips.

"WOAH! Congrats!!" I patted her back, proud.

"Damn, I really didn't expect this." She once again looked at the results full of joy.

"Of course you'd be in the team, Lilla Spencer in any kinda sport is undefeated." She gave me a wide smile and wiped the happy tears from a corner of her eyes.

"Now I'm all pumped up for the tournament," Taking a deep breath of determination, Lilla left my room with tiny hops, humming on her way back.

She left the door slightly open, which ruined my momentary good mood.