The Reality of Now

One

The heat from the early summer sun was monstrous.

I shielded my eyes as the rays bore down on my face and beads of sweat came to my brow. Today wasn't a good day for wearing black.

I was standing outside the courthouse with my older sister Sachi. Our parents were getting a divorce and wanted us to be there for every meeting.

"I seriously do not have time for this," Sachi groaned. "I have to show a house at three."

I just ignored her complaining and kept my eyes glued to my phone. I was scrolling through my favourite fashion blog, PhireLove.

After what felt like forever, the courthouse doors opened, and among the jury, our parents walked out.

With a quick glare at my dad, my mom walked away with Sachi.

"Hey dad," I said weakly.

He smiled sadly at me. "Saya, sweetheart, could you drive home?" He held the keys in the air and I grabbed them.

"No problem."

Through this whole thing, Dad always made sure I was doing okay. He was always there for me, even when he needed me to be there for him.

My mom, however, is spending more time with my sister. She was actually the cause of the divorce (my mom, not my sister) because she began cheating on my dad.

Dad never did anything wrong. He was the nicest guy I've ever known. But my mom wanted perfection, and he just wasn't enough. Neither was I, I guess.

Sachi was, though. She was a realtor with a mother-approved Japanese fiancé.

My mother is so strict about relationships. All kinds. She doesn't associate with my best friends because they're not Asian. She actually drilled my boyfriend's parents until she had proof Akio was Japanese. 

So it was basically just my dad and I now.

I pulled into the driveway and Dad got out first, muttered that he was going to bed, and headed inside.

With a sigh, I headed up to my room and face-timed my best friend Faith.

As the phone rang, I took my long black hair out of its professional bun and started brushing it through.

"Saya!" Faith exclaimed. I looked over at my phone's screen to see her smiling face. "What's up? How'd the meeting go? Was the judge hot?"

"I just got home, terribly, and unless you like seventy year old women with wheezing problems, no." I sat down on my bed and held the phone in front of my face.

"That really bites." Faith scrunched up her dark face in sympathy.

"Tell me about it. I seriously need to get out of the house."

"I can call Carly, and we can go to the mall," Faith prompted.

Now came the real question; did I actually have the energy to leave my house?

Finally I nodded. "Better than here."

"Sweet! I'll pick you up in fifteen!" She hung up before I could say goodbye.

I flopped down on bed with an exhale of breath. "Two more months," I muttered, referring to university. The sooner I got out of here, the better. I couldn't stop thinking about the future. I wanted to study journalism to be a reporter one day. After years of working at the drug store plus the money from the private account my parents set up, I finally had enough money for school.

I glanced at my nightstand where a picture of Dad, Mom, Sachi and I stood. It was at a petting zoo about twelve years ago, and my sister and I were each holding a bunny and laughing. Our parents actually looked happy. When I closed my eyes, I could almost remember the real moment. Dad had his arm around Mom's shoulder, Mom leaned in close to him. Sachi had elbowed me in the side, which made me giggle. Mom was wearing her perfume that smelled like roses and everything was okay. Nothing mattered because nothing was able to stress out six year old me. In that moment, life was perfect.