Fairytale Gone Bad √

Chapter 1

        I knew something was wrong the moment I saw that letter from the bank.

        But knowing didn't make things easier. Finding out about my father's last mistake from a letter, and not from him, was what hurt me the most. That, and the fact that I found out that we were officially broke. Bankrupt. Which meant that we couldn't even afford the house rent this month. We barely had enough to eat.

        Quite dramatic, quite hearbreaking, quite disappointing. And yet I was trying my best to look calm and controled as I listened to my father's explanation, after he got home from his job at the local pub. I stood by the kitchen counter with my arms folded across my chest. My breathing was steady and deep. I didn't look away and I didn't cry. I just stood there while listening to my father, telling me how sorry he was, how he thought that this would be 'it' for us. That he really thought he was right this time.

        Unfortunately for us, he wasn't.

       "I'm sorry, dear." my dad said, sitting at the kitchen table with a pleading look in his eyes. "I really thought I had it right this time."

        "Ok, dad." I sighed, unfolding my arms. "I'll go pick up Ella. We'll be back soon."

        I didn't wait for his reply; instead I walked into my room to get my car keys and jacket, and then slammed the door behind me when I left. I stomped across the street and got into my car, closing the door with a little more strenght that it was necessary. I held my head in my hands, arms leaned on the wheel, and tried to calm myself before seeing my baby sister.

        Ella was 6 years old, and was basically the opposite of me, not only physically speaking. She had curly blonde hair and light blue eyes and the cutest laugh on Earth. Unlike me, who had dark long hair and green-blue eyes. And I didn't remember the last time I had actually laughed.

        As I drove to Ella's school, I tried to rid my head of any depressing thoughts. I just shove them all into a drawer in my mind and saved them for later. I parked in front of the school's building and waited. Not five minutes later, and I spotted Ella's pink coat as she ran past all the other students towards me. I got out of the car and a moment later I was swiping her off her feet and hugging her like my life depended on it.

        "Hi, cupcake!" I said, smiling, putting her down. "You're getting taller everyday, huh? By tomorrow you'll be taller than me!"

        She laughed, and I swear to God it was the most wonderful thing in the world. I helped her hoping into the car, and then I drove us home. She kept telling me all the details about her day at school, but as I was driving past the local groceries store, she met my eyes in the review mirror.

        "Hey, sis, can we stop to get some Oreos?" she asked. My heart tightened at her words.

        "You know what?" I met her blue eyes. "How about we get home and I'll bake you any kind of cookies you want? You can even take some with you tomorrow. What do you think?"

        "You'll bake peanut butter cookies? Really?" her eyes widened with wonder and I nodded, smiling as she cheered, giggling and clapping.

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        I opened my eyes and blinked a few times, glancing at my alarm clock by my nightstand. No, it was wrong, it couldn't possibly be five past eight in the morning. I closed my eyes for a second, and then I froze.

        "Shoot." I squealed, struggling to untangle my legs of the sheets and ending up on the floor in the process. I swore under my breath and ran for Ella's bedroom, wondering how in the world I had let myself oversleep. Now Ella was late for catching the school bus, I was late for driving her to the bus stop and I'd be in so much trouble if I didn't get to my job in time.