Obstinate

Chapter 1

OBSTINATE
aab•stuh•nuht
adjective

    1    stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.

Chapter 1
2008

Eight year old Mulan is sound asleep, when her dad barges in her room. "Mulan wake up we have to go" her dad says walking around packing random stuff into a duffle bag. "Mulan!" He yells as he picks up her favorite Bratz doll.

Mulan jumps out of her sleep scared. Once she realizes it's her dad she starts to calm down. "Daddy-" she mumbles rubbing her eyes. "We got to go babygirl I'm taking you to visit your Aunty Bonnie" he says finally looking at his sleepy daughter. "I dont know Aunty Bonnie- ugh im so sleepy-"

"Mulan lets go!" He snaps picking her up from her bed. He carries her to the bathroom and runs her bath water. "Brush you teeth" he hands her a toothbrush and toothpaste. She grabs it quickly not wanting him to yell anymore.

He looks at her with worry written in his eyes before walking out the bathroom. He paces back an forth trying to think if this was the best option. He found out her mother came back to Hawaii to take Mulan to LA to live there.

So what other choice do i have? I cant live without my babygirl, He thought

LJ doesn't want to be departed with his only child, Mulan. He can't have that happen so he's taking her off the island. His plan is after her Lexi, her mom leaves the island he'll bring her back.

He packs up Mulans valuable necessities she can't live without.

2009

Mulan is playing with her three year old cousin. She's been living with her Aunty for a year and hasn't heard from her dad since he dropped her off.

"Look I can't keep her anymore" Mulan over hears her Auntys phone conversation. "You should've let her mom take her! Youre not fit to take care of h-" Bonnie coughs looking around an Mulan quickly looks away. "If you loved her you wouldnt be doing this" Bonnie whispers to oceans dad who was on the other line.

"Fine. I'm taking her to mom. I have enough on my plate as it is" Connie says then hangs up aggressively.

2010

Mulan is now 10 years old living with her grandma from her dads side in North Carolina.

"Ma'am When am I going to see my daddy again?" Mulan asks her grandma who was watching Serena Williams play Tennis. Her grandma pretends to be focused on the tennis match so she wouldn't have to answer her granddaughter's question. While Mulan is sitting there waiting for a response.

"Baby go make me a tall glass of ice tea" Mulans grandma hands her the empty glass. "Thank you"

Mulan went into the kitchen thinking maybe she was the problem. She jus wanted to go back home.

2012

Mulan is 12 years old and is playing with her 6 year old sister. After a while Mulans grandma got in contact with her mom. Ever since then she's been living with her mom, little sister, and her stepdad.

"Mulan are you hungry?" Her mom asks. "Uh no ma'am" she says. Her mom nods about to walk out the room her and her sister shared. "Uh you know you don't have to call me ma'am" her mom says turning back around.

"My Aunty and Grandma says it shows respect" Mulan said. "Well you don't have to call me that" her mom said and Mulan nods. "Okay.."

"Did my dad call today?" Mulan asks. Her dad has been calling her everyday after and before school. "Not yet.. you want to call him?" Her mom asks. Mulan eyes lites up. Her mom laughs and dials her dads number before handing it to Mulan.

"Hello?" Her dad answers. "Daddy!"
Mulan smiles. "Wassup baby girl" he says with a chuckle. "Nothing you usually call first so I called you" she said getting up walking around the small room. "Oh yea I'm busy. I had to go to the car shop for my truck the tires popped" he explained. "Oh" Mulan said not really interested in his truck issues. "How's DC" she asks starting to miss her dog.

"He misses you. He always walks into your room and sleeps on your bed" her dad chuckled. Mulan starts to tear up. "I miss him. I wanna come back and visit" she whispers the last part not wanting to hurt her moms feelings. "Mulan you'll be back one day okay? I'll talk to your mom." LJ sighs.

"How's school?" He asks. "I don't really get what the teacher says" Mulan confesses. "What you mean?" He asks. "It's different here" Mulan says not really knowing why she doesn't understand the material. "You're jus adjusting. You like LA?" He asks. "It's okay. I have two cousins out here." Mulan says going on talking about her twin cousins.

"Babygirl I got to go" her dad says after their hour conversation. "O-Okay" She bites her trembling bottom lip. "I'll call you tomorrow okay?"

This was the worst part about talking to her dad. She hated hanging up.

"Babygirl? You still there?" He asks waiting for a response. "Yea" she mumbles as her eyes tear up. "Don't cry baby girl. It's gonna be okay" LJ tries to soothe her. "I love you" her dad says.

The tears came down like waterfalls. "I love you too" she says. On the other line LJ's heart broke. He hated hearing or seeing his daughter cry. He can't even hold her. "Mulan you gotta be strong. Ima see you soon" her dad says dragging his hand down his face.

Mulan's mom, Lexi, walks in the room seeing her daughter crying. She walks over and hugs her as they sit on the bed. She takes the phone talking to her dad.

"She'll call you tomorrow" Lexi says. "Alright" Her dad sighs. "I don't know why you don't jus move here" Lexi said rubbing Mulan back as she attempts to stop crying.

"Lexi you know why. I got shit I need to handle here" he sighs. "What? You don't have anything going for you there. What's more important than your daughter?" Lexi asked irritated. "Don't do that. Look man I'm not even trying to argue" LJ replied not wanting to talk to Lexi.

"Here baby hang up an come eat" Lexi hands the phone back to ocean and walks out the room.

Mulan wipes her face. "Sorry" she sniffs. "Mulan look you can't keep crying everytime we gotta hang up" her dad stressed. "I miss you" she says feeling the urge to cry again. "I know I miss you too but you gotta do better" he says.

Mulan nods totally forgetting he cant see her, "Ima call you tomorrow before school go eat" her dad promises. "Goodnight Bumpz. I love you"

"Goodnight. I love you too" she smiles weakly. They hang up and she starts to cry again. She silently cried herself asleep that night.