W.I.N.G.S.

Daughter Dearest

"Mother, can I go outside?" I asked my mother from across the long wooden table.

"Why would you need to go outside." My mother asked emotionless.

"Because... I just want to be with my friends." I looked up dropping my spoon noisily on the plate.

"Young lady, please respect me and your surrounds, and you don't have any friends. I made sure of that." My mother said angrily not looking at me but at her food.

"Mother, Please." My voice dropped back down to a plea.

"Caitlin! She's not your science project! She's a human that needs sunlight and fresh air. Let her be a teen for once in her life." Aunty A. Stepped in helping me persuade my mother, to no avail.

"No! You know how bad it is out there, I will not have my child out there. She is to stay inside at all costs. Giana you are to go to your room. Now!" My mother finally looked up with a look of murder in her eyes.

"Mother Please!" I cried.

"Giana go now before I make you clean all the windows and floors in this house." She threatened before going back to eating.

I stood watching her with disbelief. How can a woman be so mean. She's not even my real mother. My real mother died in a fire, and she decided to take me in as a baby, but I would rather be a street rat then locked in this prison like home.

I stomped up the stairs in a fit of rage. All I want to do is go out. See the boy from across the street a little closer rather than just up from my second floor window.

The boy from across the street was something to look at. He's all types of beautiful. My mother says he's only full of trouble. You see he's the only son of a man who offended my mother, and for some reason no one offends my mother. I hear the servants talk, and they speak of people disappearing after being put under my mothers bad side.

I sat at the seat by my window and stared at the boy from across the street selling fruits to anyone that would walk by. He would grab an apple and gift it to the kids with no parents of the streets with a smile. He was so kind.

I signed out into the room frustrated with the whole situation. I just want to get out once. I let my eyes wander, and soon end back on watching the beautiful boy from cross the street. Then, from the corner of my eye I saw my mother, and aunt A walking to the car and in the fastest wink of my life was sent to me by Aunt A before she drove away with my mother.

Then slowly I realized.

Aunt A got her out of the house.

I can sneak out.

With this thought in mind I jumped up, ran down the stairs and went up to my front door. I placed my hand on the door knobe and took a deep breath. If I leave the house I would be risking so many things. Is it worth it? Yes.

I turned the doorknob and stepped outside. I looked around me and took a breath of fresh air in. I took a step down, and then another, and then five more before I was on the sidewalk. The sidewalk, where normal people walk on everyday. Where kids draw and play on. Where I've never stepped on.

"Hello miss, may I offer you an apple for 25 cents?" A voice from from my side startled me.

I slowly turned and came face to face with the boy across the street. He stood there looking at me, and I was now looking up to him, rather than down on him. I was right. He was even more beautiful from up close.

I just stood there and stared. He was absolutely beautiful. His smile spread from ear to ear, with his lips a bright healthy red. His eyes shined like the stares I would stare up to at night, and his hair fell into his eyes in a messy manner making me want to reach my hand up and swipe it to the side, behind his beautiful ear. The same hair I would watch him comb back, covered in sweat.

"Apple?" He asked again, and I instantly fell from my mind, and back into the real world.

"Huh?" I asked instantly hating how foolish I sounded.

"Apple... Do you... not know what an... apple is?" He turned his head to the side in a cute way, and I could feel myself falling.

"Oh.. um yes, but I've.... I've never had one." I shyly admitted.

"What! No, serious!" he asked, surprised that I've never had an apple before.

"Yeah, my mother never bought any." I nervously replied.

"Well you have to have some. Come try some." He said while taking a lose hold of my wrist and tugging me towards his small fruit stand.

Then I saw it. From the corner of my eye, my mother. From the corner of my eye I could see my mom storming over to me with a look of pure anger.

"You foul little girl." My mother screamed from where she stood.

I flinched with every word, and next thing I knew I was being grabbed by the wrist, and dragged back into the dungeon I call home. She continued to pull at my arm until we were inside, and instantly I pulled away from her hold. She turned sharply, and next thing I knew her hand was connecting with my face.

"You foul little wench! I told you not to go out, and definitely not with a boy. You're a little whore aren't you. A little dirty whore showing your body to any man who throws stuff at you." She spat while grabbing my arm again and dragging me up the stairs.

I felt her nails dig into me. I could feel her ripping into my skin. I felt myself cry, but held it in with all my strength. She looked scary. She looked like another person. Her eyes were different, cold and lifeless. I was scared for my life.

We reached my door, and next thing I knew, she kicked it in, and I flinched away. She flung me inside like a rag doll and then slammed the door behind me, and I could faintly hear the lock turn. I was locked in like a child.

+++

A month, my mother has trapped me inside of my room for a whole month. Three times a day I would get food handed to me through the door by servants, but that's it. I had no form of entertainment, or so my mother thought.

From outside of my window there was a large willow tree. A tree one can easily climb down, and up. Every day I would either climb down or the boy from across the street would climb up.

This all started the third day of being locked in, and it finally settled that I wouldn't be coming out soon. I was going crazy being alone and bored for so long, so I decided to do something about it. I looked out my window, and started to climb down the tree. Was it incredibly stupid? Yes. Did I care? No.

I had made it three fourths of the way until my foot slipped and I had fallen on my butt. Instantly alarming people on the sidewalk, and one boy for that matter, and from then on, he took charge and asked me a million times if I was ok.

From then on we continued to meet up, and form this, a sort of friendship formed. I would take a piece of his fruits, and he would animatedly talk about them. My favorite was the apple. I love red apples. They are so juicy and sweet, and they made hoseok smile wider then ever when he saw me enjoying it.

+++

"She's been leaving her room meeting with the boy from across the street."

"Hmm... Blue wears well on your skin. You should wear it often." Caitlin answered.

"But, the child! What are we gonna do with the child!" Aunt A yelled at Caitlin frustrated at how she was treating her own child.

"Well, we must punish the girl. I don't like being crossed. I don't like being jealous. So I will completely lock her away." Caitlin the turned her head slightly signaling the man standing by the door, "Stanley if you will please get the last room in the attic ready."

"Caitlin NO! She's just a child. Let her live." Aunt A yelled in fury.

"Don't you raise your voice at me sweet heart. I can replace you so easily."