The Villain

O N E

Raindrops fell from the sky as Ember walked, soaking her coat. The road in front of her was drenched, all plants drooping from being over watered. The sidewalk was slick, and the dirt turned to mud.  All cracks were filled with water, and the roadside was like a mini river, overflowing with water. To go along with the rain, there was a strong wind, blowing drops of cold water into peoples' faces. Umbrella or not, you would be soaked in this kind of rain.

The weather reflected Embers sour mood. She was thoroughly upset with her Dad and refused a ride from him. He had yelled at her for failing a test, but she didn't understand why he was mad. She still had a B in the class. He was also mad she had come home late the night before, but Ember knew it wasn't her fault. Although, she couldn't tell her Dad that. He couldn't know why she had come home late, why she was in a lot of pain. She didn't want to make him madder. Apparently, he was stressed from his 'job'.

What a job he had. Ember knew full well that what her Dad did, was not a job. What her Dad did was try and 'fight' this dude who was his 'nemesis' because he had 'powers'. Ember scoffed at the thought. Her dad was just trying to commit a murder. At least, that how she saw it. He was trying to basically kill some other dude. Ember was never sure why. Either way, her Dad still went out every day, trying to 'avenge' someone. Although Ember never really cared what her Dad did, this was the one thing she cared about. She cared because it affected her life.

Just because her Dad was 'evil' that made her evil too. Everyone at school hated her just because of her stupid Dad and his stupid hobbies. She got bullied every day because of her father. Just because of her Dad, she was hated by everyone, and known by everyone. Her Dad indirectly made her life a living hell. The best part was, he had never gone up to Ember once and tried to explain himself. He just pretended that she didn't know.

For these reasons, Ember Moir strongly disliked her father.

Ember, still, would never use the word hate. That is a word she refrains from using, ever. This is because, unlike her father, Ember is a kind-hearted person, and believes that there is hope for everyone. The irony of it all makes Ember laugh bitterly as she walks alone on the deserted sidewalk in the pouring rain. She probably would have sounded insane, but if anyone looked into her mind, they would understand.

If only it were that easy. Then maybe she would be able to get into others minds and get them to look past her family. To look past her blood.

But as Ember walks up to her dreary school building, she knows it's never going to be that easy.

It'll never be that easy for her to make friends.

***

First period had only just started, and Ember was already wishing herself out of it. Two guys had already made fun of her name, she'd been threatened with a referral by her teacher, and someone had made a snarky comment about her Dad. Ember wanted to blow up inside, knowing her father had caused her this. But she never said a word, she never gave her peers the pleasure of seeing her angry or upset. She knew from experience that only encourages them. If Ember doesn't give them a reaction, they tone down a little. Not much, but it was something.

As class was going on, and her teacher had started lecturing about the French Revolution, Ember had a note tossed onto her desk. She ignored the small piece of paper and tried to pay attention to the lecture. Two minutes pass and another note flies onto her desk. Again, Ember ignores it. She doesn't want to make a scene because she knows that if she does anything other than taking notes, her teacher will call her out.

Ember tries to ignore the paper piling onto her desk, a new note every few minutes. When three notes at once fall onto her desk, she turns around to the guy behind her, Nate.

"Could you knock it off? I'm trying to pay attention to class." She whispers to the boy. When she turns around only a second later, her teacher is in front of her desk. He looks at her desk, the desk filled with paper. He clears his throat and looks down at Ember.

"What is so interesting that you have to share during my lecture? Why don't you tell the whole class?" He looked at Ember with a smug smile.

"There was nothing interesting. I was just asking Nate if he could stop throwing notes onto my desk. I'm sorry for interrupting you, sir." Ember tried her best to sound polite. Her teacher looked at her skeptically and went back to the front of the room. He kept a close eye on her while he spoke, making sure she didn't 'interrupt' him again. Although the teacher's eyes were on her, more pieces of paper flew to her desk. Ember had to refrain from blowing up on her classmates. Thankfully, Ember succeeds and she makes it through the class period.

Second period goes about as smoothly as first. Same thing with third, and fourth. When lunch rolled around, Ember quickly grabbed her lunch and went to her normal spot. She sat behind the building, slowly sliding down the wall. She was incredibly relieved to be alone with her own thoughts. No pestering classmates, no annoying teachers, no teasing, just quiet.

This is just how Ember liked it. Quiet.

Since her Dad was never really around because he was out being a 'villain', she had grown used to the quiet. She was, and still is, always home alone, just herself as company. But because of the constant loneliness, Ember had grown the habit of talking to herself. It was a habit she needed to break, but it gave Ember something to do. She had also grown the habit of writing when she felt lonely. She didn't want to talk to herself at school, so she wrote down her thoughts. She created characters and created their families. She made life stories and she wrote about them. Although one thing never changed in her stories.

The main character was sad and/or abused. And it always had a happy ending.

Always.

Ember had always thought that writing a happy ending was making her happy. As she got older, she realized she was just wishing herself a happy ending.

It was quite sad really.But that's what happens when you're lonely. When you have no one to talk to. When you're friendless. Familyless. Hopeless.

As Ember finished up her lunch, and the end of lunch was nearing, she deducted she needed a change in her life. She just didn't know what change, or what kind of change.

Or maybe, she just wanted her father to change, so that her life could change.

It's probably the latter.