Shadows of the Past (on break)

four.

Harper ponders intensely.

I don't need my mother's approval. She told herself furiously, over and over again.
I don't wanna live up to anyone's expectations.
I just wanna be free.

Harper grips her hair in frustration and leans down. "Father, where should I go? Up to you? Will that finally bring me peace?"

"Would you be disappointed if I took the wrong turn? Would it be okay to change myself completely just for freedom? I'm sick of it, I really am."

Tears were streaming down her eyes.

She decided, right here, right now. It'll be her against Laila, against Archie. It came to her at that moment, to take the wrong turn hoping it'll be for the better, and today was the last day she would ever see her true self again.

8:00 AM

The siblings gather around the dining table, setting the table and whatnot. Harper sits down in her respective seat, filling her glass with water.

"Princess, fill up mine as well." Archie shoves his glass in her face.

"No. Do it yourself." Harper shoves it back along with the jug.

"Oh, look who's grown some balls, huh?"

"Shut up, you muppet!"

Their bickering continued until Laila chipped in.

"Enough!" she said at full volume, tired of their constant quarreling. Laila placed a bowl of baked beans along with a few large plates of bacon, eggs, and toast.

Everyone took their fixed seats and began eating quietly.

The silence was broken by Laila clearing her throat and looking at her children. "I'm going on a business trip tomorrow. Out for 3 days. I'll be back on Tuesday."

"Really? Where are you going?" Hayden asks, placing a piece of fried egg in his mouth.

"Mrphmshphhmph?" Archie says with his mouth full. Harper side eyes him in pure disgust. "Finish your food first." She mentions.

Laila rolls her eyes and continues. "I'm going out of town, Nottingham."

"Oh, not too far. Stay safe, Mother." Hayden comments.

11:00 am

After completing breakfast, she took a quick shower. She got dressed in beige trousers and a brown woollen jumper. Harper lies down on the bed, turning on her phone just to get bombarded with a bunch of texts from Ryogi.

"HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"
"Why no reply :("
"Are you dead"
"Harppp"

Harper reads the messages thoroughly and proceeds to text back.

"I'm not dead, why are u spamming"

Ryogi immediately texts back.

"Because I can't get you off my mind."

Harper lets out an audible gasp. This was unexpected. Nonetheless, she did not want to reply to anything back. All she wanted to do now was lay down, and doze off.

As much as she tried, she couldn't get herself to take a nap. With every passing second, it just got more difficult. More and more she wondered, and more she sank into her mind. It felt like a bustling city with crowds all over the place, there was no place for peace. Sinking deeper and deeper, there was no way she could fall asleep now.

And there she was, staring at the ceiling above, assuming the outcome of the decision she made earlier.