Dying Embers || BeckFreen [Completed]

Chapter 1: New Beginning

"I'm sorry. Your father couldn't go to your graduation. If he saw you a while ago while carrying these medals, he would surely cry."

I smiled at my mom and nodded. They were always proud of me ever since I was a kid. Even though I wasn't the rank one, they were still happy for me. That's why I was getting nervous as time passed by.

What if one day I would be no longer intelligent? It would be a total shame. Throughout my middle and high school years, I was an achiever. What if this time I couldn't make it this way?

"Mom, where's the food I must deliver to him? He must be starving because you're talking too much," I jeered.

"Right," she said as she snapped her fingers.

I shook my head and laughed at her while watching her prepare the food I must bring to my father.

My father is a smithy. He always stays at work and doesn't have time to go home since he has a lot of customers. The reason why people also know me. They will ask me if I am the daughter of the great smithy. They don't remember his name, so they only call him "Smithy."

"Done. Tell your father that if he wants to have another child, he must go home." Mom laughed, causing me to grimace.

"I'm going. You're talking nonsense again." I chuckled as I walked out the door.

It took me more than 15 minutes before I almost arrived at my father's shop. It's not that far, but I was busy taking pictures of the scenery. I love sunsets, sunrise, and the sky. I love everything about it, so the people around me called me a selenophile.

The moment I arrived at the shop, I saw someone talking to my father. It was a man. He must be a customer. I decided to walk fast toward them, but I was startled by the sound of the gun. My eyes widened, seeing my father fall to the ground.

I dropped the box containing my father's dinner as my heart beat rapidly. I couldn't move, and my feet were frozen to the ground. I looked at my father lying on the ground fighting for his life.

The man ran to his car while looking around to see if someone saw him killing my father. He drove off fast, trying to escape. I called the ambulance before running in my father's direction. I held him in my arms firmly as I began to cry.

"Dad?" I sobbed as I tried to wake him up. "I'm here. I brought your favorite dish. Please, wake up. Please, hold on."

It took almost an hour before the ambulance came. My father was already dead. They were late. They let my father die.

┈┈┈┈․° ☣ °․┈┈┈┈

"Condolence."

I only nodded to all the people who gave sympathy. Some were offering money, but we refused. No money could heal the pain inside me.

My father was shot in front of me. It was right before my eyes. And the worst part was they couldn't find the culprit. I told them many times the plate number that I saw, but they said to me that there wasn't any vehicle that was registered to that number. I saw it with two eyes, yet they didn't believe me.

"Freen, you should take a rest. I will take care of the visitors," Mom said, but I refused.

I wouldn't leave my father here. I wouldn't be relieved without knowing the truth. Something was wrong here. Someone was covering the fact, and I needed to find it out.

"Freen, how are you? My condolences. I'm sorry I didn't visit your father before he died," my auntie said as she lowered her head.

Of my father's siblings, my aunt is the richest among them all, while my father is the least fortunate. Although they were successful, they didn't look down on my father. Instead, they were helping him. That's how they loved each other. Perhaps I was lucky enough to be part of this family.

"It's fine, Aunt. Father had been talking about you these past few days. He told me that after graduation, you would visit us, and it excites him. It's a shame he didn't see for the last time." I smiled sadly and looked at my father's coffin.

"Your father and I talked about your college. He asked me if I could help you enter one of the most prestigious schools here. I told him I could give you a scholarship, but I also need your opinion." She smiled at me. "You must leave your mother here since it's a boarding school. You have to live in a dorm."

"Accept it, Freen. Don't worry about it. Just think that it was your father's wish. And I know that your aunt will take care of you." Mom smiled at me, causing me to heave a sigh.

I didn't know if I should accept it. I didn't want to leave Mom, especially since she was the only one I had, but if I didn't grab this opportunity, it would be a waste. I didn't have to pay for anything. Everything was free.

"Don't worry, Freen. My husband's niece is also there. Do you still remember her?"

"Who? I'm sorry. I'm forgetful when it comes to names." I chuckled and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Rebecca. You even complimented her before, but now you couldn't remember her?"

"The loquacious but fastidious one? Who thinks she's the only person in the world?" Mom immediately covered my mouth after hearing those words. "I'm telling the truth. She's talkative and acts like a princess."

My aunt chuckled and nodded. "Yes. That one. So, are you going? Besides, she's a good person. Maybe you two didn't get well before. That's why you see her that way."

They both laugh, causing me to smile a bit. I stood up and went to my father's coffin. He looked peaceful. He's resting well. I caressed the glass and smiled sadly.

"Rest well, Dad. Aunt is here. She's going to pay for my fees. Once I graduate college, I will find that person who killed you. I won't let him live peacefully. I promise."