𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔗𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔰 ✓

Part I: No Such Thing as a Happy Ending

Brushing my hair back, I sighed when I heard the familiar noises from down the hall. The screeching could easily be heard from anywhere in the house, even the neighbors have complained to me. Not that I could stop it, I thought. They were always at it and getting in the middle usually ended up with Dad yelling at me and making it worse.

Ignoring the commotion, I continued to put my pale hair in a ponytail and examined myself in the mirror. No matter what I did, I still had that pale complexion that made me look sick, depressed, suicidal...you name it and I've been called it.

"Mina," I heard a small voice call. I smiled as my little half-brother poked his blonde head into the bathroom.

9 years ago, my dad and my step-mom had gotten married because of an accidental baby. My step-mom had demanded that my dad marry her to compensate for it. She was a very nice lady, but she wasn't my mom. Especially with all the fighting, she could be angry and stubborn. They both would not back down and apologize, usually ending up with one of them storming away. I was surprised they hadn't gotten a divorce yet. They had slept in separate rooms for 6 years now and I'm sure they planned to end it when their son was 18.

"Hey bud," I greeted, putting my hairbrush back in its drawer.

"Mommy and Daddy are fighting again," he continued to whisper.

"I know," I said, mustering as much sympathy as I could in my quiet voice. As
much as tried to make sure he didn't think about their constant fighting, he was very smart and mature. He knew that they had problems, but I made sure that he was never ever a part of them.

Noticing him grasp something tightly, I saw a corner of a colorful object that he held in his small hand.

"What's that Lark?" I asked. Suddenly, his big blue eyes glistened with interest and he gave me a huge smile.

Pulling it out so I could look at it, I read the title and winced.

"Wow bud. The Big Book of Fairy Tales," I exclaimed, plastering a smile on my face.

"It's my favorite book," he giggled. I smiled at his innocence before hearing a crash.

"Where's my baby?" I heard a female voice say angrily.

"Go hide" I told him. He gave me a weary look before huffing and nodding. His mom would definitely not help him forget about their fighting in any way, and it was my job to protect him from any terrible thoughts that could cloud his mind. I also had to protect him from his angry mother, who would most likely snap at him and make him cry. I was startled out of my thoughts when Lark placed the book in my hands before running to his hiding place.

"So that you'll always have your happily ever after," he smiled before running to find his mom. I looked at the book before setting it down on the counter.

*Flashback to 10 years ago*

"And they lived happily ever after," a younger version of my dad ended. I hopped off his lap and took my book.

"Thank you Daddy," my small voice squeaked.

"One day I promise you'll find your happily ever after," he smiled, ruffling my strawberry blonde hair. "And then you'll find your prince and I'll have to mess him up a little and know that he won't hurt my little girl."

I giggled as the bell suddenly rang. I hugged my book as he got off his chair to answer the door.

I flipped through the book and landed on my favorite fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. She was so pretty, I thought. Not to mention how brave and courageous she was. Ariel even got to live and breathe underwater!

I looked up from my book when I heard a loud gasp. Daddy was shaking. Tears were falling down his face and his hand covered his mouth, trying to muffle his cries. There was an elderly man at the doorway who held a sympathetic expression. I saw my daddy grab his coat and keys before hurrying out, leaving me in confusion.

*Back to the Present*

"Mina," I heard a voice rasp. He stumbled over his words and his movements were clumsy as he looked at me. The door was wide open and he stepped in, hesitating before throwing up in the toilet.

All I did was watch as he wiped his mouth and left the room. He turned to face me and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when he realized he didn't know what to say. Instead he grabbed a familiar looking bottle that was placed on a small table in the hall before chugging it down. I was surprised that he hadn't passed out yet.

"Dad," I responded monotonously before slamming the door, not wanting to see another glance of the drunkard anymore.

I turned back towards the book lying on the counter and gently stroked the cover. I hadn't open the book in 10 years and didn't have the heart to take it away from Lark when he found it in my hope chest. Now he was filled with dreams and hopes of a happily ever after, just like I had once been.

"But we all know there's no such thing," I whispered to nobody. "Never was and never will be."

Leaving the book on the counter, I quickly exited the bathroom and headed downstairs, making sure no one stopped me before I slipped out of the temporarily silent house.

A/N: Updates on Saturday :) Thanks for reading!