city lights - jaemin

19

TW-
emotionally abusive parents

MICHA swung open the front door and took of her shoes as the door slammed behind her. She cried quietly on the bus as the other girls celebrated for getting second place. She wanted to be happy and celebrate with them. she was proud of them, but the coaches words had cut her deep.

Micha was about to walk up the stairs when she heard her name being yelled out from the lounge room. She turned around and walked there, not caring about how she looked at the moment. She saw her parents looking at her with an annoyed expression.

"well?"
Her father said expectantly. Micha could only sigh and awkwardly shift from foot to foot as she spoke. "I didn't participate."

"What?"

"I didn't pass the practice round so I sat out."

"You're fucking joking, right?"
Micha shook her head, biting her lip as she felt her tears build up again.

"You're a disgrace Micha."
Her father said in a loud sigh, he started pacing in the lounge room, walking back and forth between the two couches that faced each other.
"Not only this but you can't even follow simple instructions we give you."

"Are you just dumb all the time?"
Her mother interrupted, raising an eyebrow at her as if she was questioning Micha.

"We constantly have to tell you to follow the rules we've been telling you since you were young. we're tired, you know?!"
Her mother exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

"Then why don't you stop it?"
Micha said in a barely audible whisper. "What did you say?!" her mother shouted, stepping closer to micha. "I said then why don't you stop it!!"

"I can't have a child of such disappointment." Was all her mother said, in a calm voice as if it was okay to say it.

Tears were on the edge, Micha was trying so hard to not cry but her eyes already hurting from before, she couldn't help it.

"hah. pathetic girl."
Her father said with a laugh as he watched his daughter start crying.

"Ruining your makeup even more I see. You really just never listen to the simple rule of always look pleasant and put together."

Micha grew sick of the constant nitpicking and harsh words, that she turned around and walked up the stairs. She couldn't catch a break from anyone. Why did it feel like no one was on her side anymore. She needed people by her side more than ever but now she only had her friends, and she couldn't help but feel scared to tell them she didn't participate. They were so excited for her, all expecting her to participate and win.

Expectation getting the best of her and her people pleasing mindset. She slammed her door behind her and quickly grabbed a few things, throwing them into her purse. She didn't need much anyway, she would probably have to return home tomorrow, or if not, later that night. But for now, she planned on running off on them.

Run away from the expectations and instead be free for a moment in her life. She opened her door and walked down the stairs, standing in front of the front door as she put her shoes her. Her parents ignored her completely, instead they turned the television up louder to drown her every action out.

She opened the door and slammed it behind her, feeling the cold air of the night immediately fill her up. She had stormed out of the house and now was on the side walk with no where to actually go.

Maybe I could walk around the block for a bit.
this side of the neighbourhood had none of her friends, so she would say. And the only people she knew, and had been kind to her, were the parents of someone she wasn't fond of.

So for the next hour, walking in the cold freezing air as the night goes on and on, getting dark. The urge to walk back and go to his house was big, and she couldn't resist it much longer.