♤ ᴜᴘꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮

The Beginning - Chapter I

It was the 4th of August when we had to move to Elburg, this small island country in Asia. My mum had said that I was going to go to a school called St. Erania Alcamy. Another boarding school.

She had said that a week before the incident.

Therefore I had been reserved in the institution for – what was it? – several months, I suppose.

Nevertheless, it had all really begun on the first day of this particular school. After slipping my uniform on (a beige-brown shirt, a blinding red tie and an option between a navy blue skirt or the school crest jeans, to which I opted for the latter) I had snatched my school bag and swung it over my shoulders, half listening to my father's radio and dragging my suitcase. I headed down stairs and plopped myself down the table.

"Lizzy, querida, Nana said she'll be dropping you off at school today. Could you please give this to her when she comes?" My sister asked, bags under her crimson eyes and all that, handing me a small white bag.

Her signature silk jacket which hung from her shoulders and a teal blue shirt defined her figure, and I have to give her credit for looking fabulous. She’s lucky, honestly, because her school only has a uniform code whenever they are in public areas as an academy. She really needs to sleep more often - refuses to because of that stupid workload though. Maybe she doesn't think I realise but it's so obvious. Especially with all the late night sessions.

"Yeah, sure. Where's mum?" I asked, grabbing a Granola bar from the freezer.

My sister froze and stared at me. Was that... pity on her face?

"GIVE IT BACK!"

Thank Arcadius for that distraction.

I stood up and jogged towards the living room and saw the twins - Nora and Nikki, my younger siblings - arguing for the 5th time in a row.

I groaned. "What is it this time?"

"NORA STOLE MY BAG!" Nikki hollered at the top of her lungs, sobbing dramatically.

That again? Great...

"Mari? Can you handle this? I think Nana's here," I pleaded as I heard the roaring of my grandmother's Buik LeSabre (or Buyobi, as my grandmother liked to call it).

" Aiyo, mokada mae? Hari hari. Take your book bag. We'll see you during Christmas, Lizzy. You be good, get good marks and make us proud. Oh, and call me when you can, because I doubt these two would even do that if their lives depended on it." Maria said, glancing at my sisters with disapproval. I chuckled and gave her a mock salute before taking my suitcase and satchel and headed out, passing my father.

“Good luck in there, kid. You’ll need it.” He muttered darkly, giving me a discerning glare. I nod and take my bags, regarding him cautiously as he busied himself with the snack bowl.

He’s thick necked and beer bellied, and I can tell from his red pimply face that he’s been drinking. My father’s squinty, unfitting blue eyes linger around the room as he scratches his plastered, painfully thin scalp of greasy brown hair. His acne infested and blotchy skin is a sore sight.

I flinch at his general appearance. He used to be handsome, in our old family pictures. A lean man considerably attractive with his charms and infectious laugh. But ever since we moved here... he’s become a flabby, unshaven, filthy, wasted man in his 40s. A gone soul.

My father looks daggers at me now, “What?” He barks, “Get goin’ already, that grandmother of yours ain’t gonna be waiting out there forever.”

I nod again wordlessly, knowing not to flash my tongue at him when he’s in such a mood. I fling the door open and bound unto the gravelly pavement to Nana. Then I greet her wearily and climb inside the car, giving her the white bag.

I wonder why Maria had looked so pitiful earlier? I thought as we sped to school.