Happily Ever After Comes At A Price

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

   Confusion. Bare confusion ran rampant through my mind as I rolled over.

   Yet I clung onto the picturesque scene dancing in front of my eyes - calming green valleys, a glistening river ... that blaring horn of a speeding car?

   Huh?

    I opened my eyes only to find naked white walls dreading to greet me.

   It took me a while to gather my bearings and recollect the hectic past few days. That would explain why my body hurt so much.

   We moved. To America. The place where dreams came true.

   I stifled a yawn and made my way downstairs. Of course, the rooms were already filled with delicious smells wafting from the kitchen.

   Ammi stood there, humming a Panshtuni song to herself, my beautiful mother swayed with grace, a grace I longed to inherit.
  
   I quietly crept towards my mother and hugged her from the back; even managed to plant a kiss on her cheek before she patted me away.

   It's a different country, a different day yet the same old routine...

   "Oh, Selina. Good morning. Welcome home. Well, at least this hen-coup until we manage to clean up.  Now, take this tea to your father and get ready." she instructed me.

   Was this just in my head or was everything always this rushed in this household?

   Seeing my evidently quizzical face, her smug smile continued.

   "For school, of course." She mused, suddenly seeming very pleased at herself.

   Oh, THAT.

 I internally slapped myself for forgetting something like that. I mean, we just got here. And we had a lot of unpacking left. Rooms to arrange. Neighbors to meet. Couldn't I just make up an excuse? They knew very well how much I disliked school. 

   No, cut that. Like many of my fellow teenagers, I abhorred school... Why do parents love it so much? Weren't they once teenagers too?

   The internal debate would have continued if a thunderous voice had not beckoned me to reality.

   "Selina, my dear... Come here and let me see what bruises the moving company left on you...", Abbu called out to me.

   A timid smile fought into my face. Duty calls. I always found it rather amusing how my sweet and caring father ended up with a murderous voice like that. Might be because of his years in the army. Not that I complained; to think of it, I kind of liked it...

   I handed him the tea and cuddled next to him.

   "So now that you're not dead, ready for the new school? Bet you're gonna make tons of friends and then forget us by afternoon..." He moved in closer to tickle me. I swiftly moved away, already knowing what his move was to be.

   Ughhh. Really? What is it with parents and school?

   "Thank you for ruining my mood." I graced him my best glare as I continued, " I'm gonna get ready now, since you guys hate having me around, and would probably throw a party when those kids murder me in that new prison disguised as a school... It's the first day we got here and y'all are ready to send me to hell. I deserve a break, people! But no, you guys have to play the Devil and send me away to be tortured. It's horrifying. Treacherous. I can't..." I still would've continued to ramble on...

   If Abbu had not cut me off, " Selina... breathe, honey." I did.

   "Now go get ready, I'll buy you ice cream."

    Don't blame me when my mind started to scream
    YAYYYYY....

   I mean, what else would you expect from a 17 year-old who had never left home without parental supervision? Maturity?

   I couldn't let him win though, so I maintained a nonchalant face as I walked away- I was happy already.

  "I love you, jaan." He chimed.

   A grin broke out and I turned to give him a rightfully earned curtsy.

   As much as I loathed school, I adored my family.

   I loved my life right now.

***

   And this is where the story of an over-sheltered idiot with her head in the clouds begins... She has no idea what fate has in store for her, does she?