Lottie's Ship Wish

CHAPTER 12

"Bye..." Lottie awkwardly bid her goodbye to Ael who covered his hair again with his hood. However, before he jumped from the balcony, he just stared at Lottie who's just smiling awkwardly.

"You crying face looks ugly."

"Freaking--!"

Before Lottie could finish her reaction, Ael jumped down and left.

"Seriously, that brat!" She held her forehead and sat down on her bed. A few seconds of silence passed then her whole face turned red as a tomato as she fell on her bed, covering her embarrassed expression.

"I FREAKING CRIED! I ACTUALLY CRIED LIKE A BABY!" She rolled repeatedly on her bed as her shame covered her entire mind together with her memories that afternoon crying on Ael's shoulders.

"I am an adult, but I cried!? I did it in front of a child too! What is wrong with meeeee!?"

After a few more turns, Lottie stopped and covered her head with a pillow.

"I hope she didn't get freaked out by me...I quite like her..." Lottie whispered, thinking of her new-found friend, Ael.

"But too bad..." She pushed her body out of the bed and stood to face the balcony and the night sky clear as day to her bedroom.

"This might be the last time we will see each other." Lottie smiled sadly.

"I cannot stay here anymore," she continued as events of this afternoon with her father resurfaced in her mind and her heart once again got squished in pain from outright rejection.

"If I stay here...dad will just..." Lottie couldn't finish her words, but she knew staying there would make him remember every detail of his nightmare every single day she's with him. Her father would just be miserable, and she would get to watch it first-hand together with the fact she was one of the reasons.

"He won't...love me anyway. Who could he love me, right?" She bit her lips and her eyes closed in misery. Her ears started to hear words from her past world.

Words from her various adopted parents.

"I really don't think...you are right for us."

"Is it me but she is giving us the creeps?"

"I am sorry...you are cute and all but..."

"Oh, shut it already! You're too needy for Pete's sake!"

"Honey, I feel like we adopted a maid, not a child."

"I think we need to bring her back. We are having another child anyway."

Lottie heard all of these like they were in front of her. The words were crystal clear, and it didn't fail to stab her directly in the heart, again...and again...and again.

A small smirk painted her lips. "I am still pathetic, regardless of what world I am in."

She did everything.

All the things she could think of.

All the things her body could do.

But none of it made them love her.

"I am such an idiot. I should have expected this..." Her golden eyes watered again yet she tried to wipe the tears flowing to her cheeks.

"But why...why am I so hated?" And once again, she bawled her eyes out. However, this time, there was no Ael hugging her.

"I have no time for this." Lottie wiped her eyes and brought her determined look back.

"I need to leave now." She roamed her eyesight around the room and found valuable possessions and decorations made of gold and gems.