Alex in Tra-La-Land

2 - Once Upon a Time...

2 - Once Upon a Time...

Have you ever felt that certain ambivalence when you rejoiced the utter satisfaction of making the logical decision at that time, but then ended up realizing that you've just committed the worst mistake in your entire life?

Yes?

Well then, sucks for you 'cause I haven't...

The sole thing I'm regretting about is the fact that I hadn't known better than not bring money with me before taking off.

Slowing my pace, I debate whether to sneak back and grab a thousand or two from my wallet... or let myself die in starvation. I choose the latter. It's not worth the risk of getting caught and find myself in yet another humiliating situation for being the girl who ran away from home and, not two minutes after, was found sulking back. HECK NO am I gambling that!

I'm too perfect to loose a pinch of my dignity so pathetically.

And besides! I'm not the one who'll be crawling back to them; they'd be the ones on their knees, begging me to return home. Never the other way around. To tell you the truth, this isn't my first escapade for leaving home amid my mother's objurgations. It had happened several times in a consistently repetitive manner.

Me, countering her tongue-lashing -> Saying one last word depicting my distaste before running off -> I head to Annie's house -> My parents would send a search party -> They find me -> They beg me to come home -> I return home together with enormous gifts they had offered in return.

Same old, same old.

But this time 'round, I went against father and not the norm when going against mother. So am I supposed to worry?

No. No I don't.

They love me too much to even prevent a single scratch scrape my silky skin. They'll come find me in less than a couple of minutes for sure.

Still running, I turn left and enter a broad road ramifying to various architectual styled-gates of large houses with large gaps in between as wide lawns. My feet automatically pause as they found their way in front of a mansion of unique Victorian architecture.

Opening the gates, I trudge to the front door of Annie's house, and knock twice. And a couple of seconds later, I fully anticipated Fredrick's (Annie's butler) wrinkled old face to pop from the door, but instead, the door eerily squeaks open, revealing a petite and fragile-looking girl peaking through the small opening. Her red-brown hair's dishveled and the once vivid brown eyes that I've come to know are now as dull as the gloomy gray sky.

"Anastasia!" I beam, citing Annie's first name. In my annoyance, she counters my bubbly greeting with the darkest glare I've ever seen her evince.

What's her problem all of a sudden?! If she wants to be miserable then be miserable herself. Don't ruin my morning by displaying sudden scorn gestures for God knows why!!

I cover up my contempt towards her previous action by smiling even wider and proceeding to explain to her my current circumstance. To my irritation, she remains passive to every word I say as if she suddenly finds her nails the most interesting things she'd ever seen in the world.

"... so I'm just staying here until they come and get me." I end, seething as I try to maneuver myself through the door she keeps leaning on as though having no plan on letting me in.

After half a minute of futile attempts to sashay through, I grit my teeth and hissed at her.

That's right, I hissed at her! You got a problem with that?! If you have then suck it up, beeyoch! This is my story.