Paper Cuts | Luke Hemmings ✔

prologue

word count; 845
edited ✔

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“I live in a world of fantasy, so keep your reality away from me.”

Corrine sighed loudly as her and her mother, Andrea, walked through the mall. At eight, Corrine had better things to do than watch her mother shop, yet that was what she was doing, trailing behind her mother tiredly as they went in and out of multiple stores. "I'm bored." she muttered, after an hour of silence. Her mother, turned to face her daughter, peering down at the younger girl. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders, and reached well past her elbows shielding her arms which were crossed over her chest.

"I know. And I'm sorry that daddy wasn't home to stay with you." her mother replied with a sigh. "But don't you like spending time with me?" Andrea questioned the eight year old. Corrine sighed and looked up at her mother.

"It's not that. I'm just bored. Walking around and staring at stuff isn't my idea of fun." Corrine explained.

"Oh." her mother breathed. "Well is there a store you'd like to go into?" She asked. Corrine looked at her surroundings, seeing if there was a store actually worth going into. Her eyes wandered until landing on a bookstore.

"That's one." Corrine pointed to the store across the mall.

"A bookstore?"

"Knowledge is power mama." Corrine said. "At least, according to Mrs. Livingston." Mrs. Livingston was her grade one teacher, who enjoyed reading immensely. There were hundreds of books lining the back walls of her classroom.

"Alright then, let's go." Corrine smiled, following her mother into the bookstore that she'd pointed out.

Stepping inside, Corrine knew she already loved this store. It smelled like apple cider, her favourite drink in the winter, and cinnamon. Her mother wandered over to one section of the store, and Corrine down another, gently running her hands over the old spines of the books. Dust particles collected on the tips of her fingers. The books were old. Really old. She turned down another isle of books, and was just browsing when a interesting book caught her eye. Corrine took the the paperback book of the shelf and examined the cover work on the front. It was black, and had a red rose on it.

Andrea eventually wandered over to where her daughter was. "Find anything?" she asked. Corrine spun around, and held up the black book in her hand.

"Who's William Shakesp-" Corrine stumbled with the last part. "Shakespe-"

"Shakespeare?" her daughter nodded. "He was a famous English poet, writer... etc. Why do you ask?"

"Found a book." Corrine said proudly. Andrea had to force back the laugh that wanted to escape, and eyed her daughter carefully.

"Are you sure sweetheart? You wouldn't rather another book?" Andrea had nothing against Shakespeare, she grew up reading his works herself, and quite enjoyed what he wrote. But she wasn't confident that she wanted her eight year old daughter reading Romeo & Juliet. It was a much to mature read for Corrine. Yet, even at a young age, Corrine had been found to be mature beyond her years. When Corrine stood still, not even bothering to keep looking, Andrea sighed.

"Alright." she replied. Though deep in her mind, she doubted Corrine would find such interest in a book like this. She had very little faith Corrine would enjoy it all. Corrine smiled up at her mother.

The first thing Andrea noticed on the ride home was that Corrine said practically nothing except for the occasional "what's this word?" and "what does this mean." To Andrea's intense surprise, Corrine seemed to be enjoy the book. Andrea grinned to herself, finding it quite odd that an eight year old would take interest in such a book as Romeo & Juliet.

When they returned home, Corrine went straight into the living room, ignoring her mother completely. She flopped down on the couch, tucking her legs up under on another, and simply flipped to the next page.

Upon arriving home, David noticed that the house was quiet. Too quite. Normally the T.V. would be on or even the radio, but he was met with complete and total silence. He peered into the kitchen, and found Andrea making dinner. "Where's our daughter?" he asked, cautiously.

"Reading."

"When is she not?" he asked.

"That's very true, but we went into a bookstore today, and she found a new book. Hasn't put it down since we've arrived home."

"Oh? What book?"

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"Try me." David moved closer to his wife, wrapping and arm around her waist.

"Romeo & Juliet." she said, looking up at him.

"Funny."

"I'm being serious," she said. "Go look for yourself." David walked into the living room. Sure enough, Corrine was seated on the couch, her nose buried deep in Romeo & Juliet.

"Well I'll be damned." he breathed. "What's she doing reading that?"

"She said it looked interesting. She hasn't put the damn book down at all." David laughed.

"She's full of surprised," he replied, kissing her cheek.

"She is, isn't she?"