Your Love is Dangerous

Ch.6: I'm Not Staying Here Any Longer!

Once the food was ready, I placed all of it on a tray and placed it on the table.
Just as I was about to sit down to eat it, my father walked through the door.
"Hello my beautiful daughter, how are you?" He asked as he greeted me with a kiss on the cheek.
I looked at him in shock but held my ground.
"Papa, I didn't think you'd be joining me for dinner tonight. I thought you'd be out with your friends."
"I know, but tonight we must honor your mother on her birthday. I can see you've been working very hard preparing her favorite meals."
"..Will May-Long be joining us?" I asked with bitterness in my voice that I hoped my father wouldn't catch onto.
"No not tonight, she said she was going out a few other women in the village."
I just nodded but deep down I knew I was relieved that she wouldn't be here.
After a quick prayer, my father held out his tea cup.
"Happy Birthday to you my beloved Yukari, may you watch over us and protect us."
"Happy Birthday mama, I love you " I said clinking our cups together.
While we sat there and ate, we both reminisced about my mother. It felt just like old times, and I was actually feeling really close to my father once again.
But OfCourse the feeling didn't last long.
Just when I thought the night was going perfect. May-Long walked through the door, shopping bags in her hands.
"Darling, I'm home!...Oh did I miss dinner?" She asked.
"Yes my dear I'm so sorry. But my daughter and I were just finishing up" my father explained.
"Oh look at the pretty tea cups, why don't we use them more often?" May-Long asked as she picked up one in her hand.
"They belong to my mother, today is her birthday" I said trying to get the tea cup back.
May-Long smirked and took a sip out of the cup.
"Hmmm seems kind of pointless to be having a birthday party for someone who is no longer alive."
I glared at her and quickly took the teacup back once she put it back down onto the table.
"Darling I'm exhausted, are you coming to bed soon?" She asked my father.
"Yes I'll be there soon dear" my father said clearly trying to keep the peace.
"Great, oh and Asteria please make sure you clean up tonight. I want a spotless kitchen and dining room when I have my breakfast tomorrow."
"Then maybe you should pull your weight around here" I snapped.
"Asteria that's enough. May-Long go to the bedroom I'll be there soon."
Listening to my father, May-Long turned to go to the bedroom, but as she did she looked back at me with that same cold ugly smirk.
"Asteria, why must you always be so angry with your stepmother?"
"Why must you always stick up for her?!" I said as I balled up my fists in anger.
"I'm not trying to choose sides here my daughter, I'm trying to keep both of you happy. May-Long is just having a hard time adapting to our family. She doesn't want us to be sad about your mother anymore. She wants what's best for both you and myself. You'd know that if you took the time to know her" my father explained.
At this point I could not longer hold myself together. I quickly jumped to my feet and glared at him.
"Why would I want to get to know her?! She's cold and cruel and makes me do everything in this damn house while she spends all your money on things she doesn't even need! You would know that if you were around more! Mother should be here and the two of you should be rotting in hell!"
Out of nowhere I felt a sharp sting against my cheek.
It took me a moment to realize that my father had slapped me.
I held my now throbbing cheek and ran to my room and locked the door.
I quickly began to pack all of my belongings in two separate bags. There was no way in hell I was going to stay here any longer.
Once I was ready to go I jumped out of my bedroom window, ran to my mother's temple and prayed that Shan-Yu would meet me there.