Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

1

-• white •-

Present Day

December cold has to be my favourite time of all. I love the snow, the way it dwells on the roadsides and on the roof of the houses, like soft blankets confining the remains of autumn, it's mesmerizing. White is my favourite color. Something about it compels me to think about nice, positive things. I believe color impacts our mindset the most. That's the reason I love to paint. I can make the sky green, the grass blue, the sea yellow, and it would still be as beautiful. I'm in the control of the world that I create on a canvas, it's intriguing. My mother says we humans strive on control, and whether we believe it or not, we sought it in the littlest things. I think painting is my escape to gain control, for the world I live is in quite bleak and not so white.

"Morning, Tara!" A cheerful voice calls out to me.

I grin and wave. "Morning, Dave. Can I steal a rose?"

He shakes his head in a warning.

"Oh, c'mon," I pout to melt him. It usually works. "It's for Mumma,"

He sighs in defeat and allows me to steal a star from his colorful sky. I choose the white one. My favourite. "Thank you, Dave. Have a great day!"

He waves me off.

I chuckle and resume my way back home.

"For your age, you should be sleeping until the sun rises fully, my love," I hear Aunt July say as I unlock the front door of my house. I look past the fence that seperates us and give her a beaming smile.

"I get full sleep, Aunt July," I announce. "You should be worrying about those dark circles under your eyes. Are you not using the cream your son brought for you on his last trip back home?"

She blushes. "I do! But it's so expensive. I use very little."

I can't help but simper. "Stop being so cheap, Aunt July. Doesn't suit you."

"Hush you, money should be spent wisely. You'll understand that when you start earning." She advises.

"Does being rich really makes life easy?" I ask her curiously.

"I don't know. I've never been rich." She shrugs.

"Mumma says it does. I wish I was born rich." I sigh wistfully.

"Marry a rich man then. That's the easiest way to get rich. You're still sixteen, you've so much time." Aunt July winks at me. "I wish I had done that in my age." She looks down at the ground feigning pity for herself.

I laugh. "The next time I come over for tea and cookies, I'm gonna tell this to Uncle Jack."

She gasps. "You tattletale!"

I stick my tongue out at her before rushing inside the house, the empty four walls echoing with my giggles. I barely stop before the realisation of my reality sinks in. My smile drops and the white in my life fades, taking a dark grey shade in my head, blinding me with its darkness.

I look around the house, finding myself reflected in the past memories we created here. We were so happy, so content, always short on money, but we got through the days.