Don't Expect A Fairytale.

11. MY DEMONS ARE BEGGING ME TO OPEN UP MY MOUTH

*EVA'S POV*

When I wake up, its already 10 in the morning.

I sit up straight in shock when I realize that school had started TWO HOURS ago.

No it can't be. I check my phone again.

Nope, still 10.

Oh! Maybe my phone's time has malfunctioned and I just need to reset it. Yeah that must be it, I think as I walk to the window.

...but it doesn't look like early morning. I groan in despair when I realize it is, in fact, 10 and I'm missing my third day of school after the break. Pretty sure Eric, Leena and Michael now think I'm avoiding Josh and Melissa. Perfect. That's what you get for hanging out at a park with a particular blue-haired boy till ten and then scrolling Tumblr looking at the same blue haired boy's account all night. Turns out he's into photography of all things. I wonder why he didn't mention it in his hobbies for the biography.

But why am I thinking about Michael when I'm standing by the window missing school? I should be doing something about it.

Though its not like I can attend half day or something. 'Didn't hear the alarm and overslept' is not a good excuse by far. Not to mention such things need a parent to come along and verify the reason, and there is no way in hell my father would do that. He isn't even home.

So I can sit and daydream the whole day.

But that'd be such a waste of a beautiful day.

But Michael's Tumblr has beautiful photographs too.

Woah brain. Calm down. Its got to be morning drowsiness getting to me. Yeah, my thoughts are all over the place.

I take a deep breath and walk up to my bathroom. That's when I notice the list of things to be done on my white board.

1. Change sheet

2. Change tube light

So that's what I'll do today.

***

"Pretty, freshly laundered and stainless!" I exclaimed happily as I tucked the last corner of the bed sheet in. I jumped on to my bed and inhaled the sweet floral smell of the detergent but then the front door slamming broke my happy reverie. That could only be one person.

I walk downstairs towards the front door and see my father stumbling in. Upon spotting me his expression goes from pissed-drunk clueless to absolutely pissed. Even though I try not to, I feel a little scared. He clearly didn't expect me to be here.

"What are you doing here? Too lazy to attend school?" He drawls drunkenly.

Who was he to ask me that when he hasn't been home for 4 days? But I don't say that.

"You useless thing! Can't even go to school like normal children. If your mother would have been alive, she would be ashamed of you. Stupid little ungrateful..." He mumbled on under his breath.

But at the mention of my mother, something snapped in me.

Stand up for yourself, Eva.

"Normal children? Normal children have normal parents who, rather than accusing their children of being lazy, ask them why they missed school!" I say.

"Don't you tell me about normal families!" He screams right back but I'm not going to let him get to me this time.

"Normal families, normal people in families try to cope with problems, not avoid them! One day you decide to land up home and you scream at me? I've been missing from school for ONE DAY. You have been missing from home since mom's funeral! If she was alive, its you she would be ashamed of, drinking your life away like the selfish, weak person you are!" I say breathlessly.

His breath leaves his throat in one big rush, almost like he was letting go of all the hateful things he wanted to say earlier. He looks stunned. Never have I retaliated like this before. And it won't be the last time, I decide.

Before he can say anything or worse, hit me, I walk right out. I stride past him, out the front door and off of the porch and into the bright afternoon sunlight.

I expected tears and sadness like usual, but all I feel is empowered. I don't know if he'll make an effort to change after this and I don't know if he will change ever either, but I can feel a change in ME. No more taking bullshit from people who didn't deserve my efforts.