instagram | chaelisa

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"It's okay, you've got this."

Lisa took a deep breath and clenched her jaw. Pushing open the door, she stepped into the house.

Empty.

The lights and fans were off, the doors were all shut. It felt as if the house was vacant.

Lisa's stomach churned. Maybe it was that ice cream, she tried to convince herself that everything will go well, but she just had this uneasy feeling running up and down her body.

"Mummy..?"

No response.

It's okay, it's okay.

She headed to her parents' room.

Knock knock.

No response.

"Mummy?"

No response.

Don't tell me she...

"MUMMY! MUMMY!" she screamed hysterically as she threw herself against the locked door. Please, no. Please, let her be alright.

Tears began to well up as she tried her hardest to force herself into the room. How she wished that she could ram a hole into the wall.

Biting her lip, she mustered all the strength left inside her, and pushed open the door with a loud bang.

"Mummy!" Lisa tried to catch her breath as she checked around in the room. No one.

"Mummy..." Lisa muttered as she opened the door to the toilet. No one.

"No... This can't be real..."

Falling onto her knees, she buried her face into her hands and wept. She cried for her mother desperately, occasionally pausing to force the hiccup down.

"No..." she blinked away the tears and quieten down, her voice all raspy from all that crying.

"What are you doing?"

Lisa stopped. Wait...

"MUMMY!" she tried to pick herself up but collapsed onto her wobbly legs. Her mother rushed to pull her up and helped her to the bed.

"Why are you here? Why are you crying?" her mother hugged her close to her chest. Despite reeking of sweat, Lisa held onto her mother tight.

"Mummy!" her voice cracked as she spoke, sniffing.

"What happened?"

"I'm... sorry, I... shouldn't have... shouted at... you. I thought... you were... gone for...ever..." Lisa struggled to speak as the hiccups started to hit.

"I was jogging, silly! I wouldn't leave you that easily," her mother patted her back slowly but reassuringly, just like how she always did when little Lisa cried in the past, "I went to jog to calm myself down, then thought about what you said. You're... right. I have been restricting you from whatever you wanted... I really should... change, literally."

Lisa giggled as she pulled away from her mother. Watching her thin figure walk towards the closet, Lisa wiped away her tears.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's fine, lili, I was at fault too."

"Thank you for everything."

Her mother paused. It wasn't the first time her daughter had thanked her, but this time it just felt a little more...

Wholesome, as the young ones would say. She smiled to herself, eyes filled with a sense of motherly love.

Her mother picked out a plain shirt and turned to face her.

"Now, would you kindly excuse yourself from the Royal Highness, I would like to change without any peeping Toms."

"Okay, your Majesty!"

It was a good laugh, and it felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from Lisa's chest.

—

"Chaeyoung?"

"Yes? What's with the sudden call?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for today... even though there wasn't much that went on."

"Nah, a lot happened. We saw the fountain, ate ice cream and made wishes!"

"Yeah haha! Thanks for it! And as for my mother, I've talked to her! She forgives me, thankfully, so a big fat thank you to you again!"

"No worries! Oh and-"

"And what?"

"Why are you so excited haha!"

"I don't know, I just feel extra happy! But go on!"

"Since our date today didn't go as well as planned, and we haven't watched our movie yet... I was thinking maybe we can settle on another date?"

"SURE!"

"Woah woah calm down! We can text some time later?"

"Okay! Oh, my mum is calling for me to go for dinner, talk to you later!"

"Sure broski, bye!"

"Bye!"

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[1/3/20]

double update! happy march!