back to you

Chapter one

"Wake up Mak. It's time for school." I hear Dad whisper. I must've fall back asleep when I turned my annoying alarm off at 6:45. I went to bed pretty late last night considering the amount of homework I actually had to do. "What time is it?" I ask my father, looking at the black bags under his eyes. He's just as tired as I am.

My dad raised Ben, my brother, and I on his own. He still does. He's working overtime, taking double shifts to make sure Ben and I have a roof to live under and food to eat. I am so grateful for everything he does for us, for me. That's exactly why I'm closer to him than my mother.

My mother always needed attention, she still does, but she didn't get any. Her own mother was a selfish woman who only had eyes for men. Other men than her husband at that time, but I guess that's not of my business now, is it? Anyway, that got my mom doing things, illegal things, to get everybody's attention. Lots of money, drugs and cars after, she got arrested and sent into jail for 5 years. It's been back and forth since then, always getting herself back into her old habits the second she's out. With all honesty, I loved my mother. When I was younger, I didn't understand anything that was going on, because the woman who brought me to life was so kind, so organized and so smart. She used that against us and fooled everyone. We lived in a small village where everyone seems to know everyone, without having necessarily met. We were the center of attention for a few weeks, nothing dramatic, but nothing enjoyable either, let me tell you. That's why I loved her. I still talk to her to this day, just not as much as we used to and of course there's no trust at all between us. I don't like her, but I don't hate her as well. We're like... strangers.

"It's already 7:25, hurry and get ready I'll make you a quick breakfast and I'll drive you to school." Dad tells me, almost forgetting what I asked him a few seconds ago, too caught up in my thoughts. He leaves my room and I start getting ready for the day that's waiting for me. I look through my clothes in front of me and decide to go with a simple pair of jeans and a coral shirt, that's hanging just above my hips. I let my wavy hair fall down my back and brush my fingers through it. I'm not too much of a make up girl, so I only apply some mascara and I am good to go. I check my phone to see that it's already 7:50, confirming that I will be late to class.

I don't hate school, but I don't like it either. I'm not a morning person and last time I checked, school started at 8am, five days a week. If that's not early, then I don't know what is. I like learning though, I love it actually, and that's only because I'm curious. I always want to know everything, and I guess that's why I'm a good student. My grades are higher than never before, and I need to keep it up for college. It's just that sometimes the motivation to study, or do anything related to school really, is hard to find.

I walk down the path of stairs and make myself a cup of coffee before siting down at the kitchen table with my dad. I eat the bowl of cereal that lays in front of me while my dad reads the newspaper. I remember ten years ago, when he was reading the newspaper and three pages were about my mom. What she did and what it got her into. Ten years ago, my life was taken away from me, only to realize that it was, in fact, my mom who was taken. At first, I didn't believe them. I mean, my mom couldn't just leave me here, right? Moms don't do that. No, mothers are supposed to be there for your first period, your first crush and your first big fight with your best friend. They are supposed to be there for all of this, but mine wasn't. My dad was the one to help me understand the menstrual cycle of a woman and listen to me cry for hours and hours when my best friend and I got into a fight. He helped me a lot becoming the person that I am today, and I am grateful for that. I could've taken a different turn, but thank God, I didn't.

"I wonder what's going on in that little head of yours sometimes." I look up to see my father smiling at me, "You know it's impolite to stare right?" I asked, only to have him laugh beside me, "And kind of creepy since you're my father."