Chapter 7 : From Dawn Till Dusk

Faith held her packed dress in her arms as if it was a treasure chest. She took the backseat and let her sisters think of an explaination to tell Dea why they chose this particular dress. Was it cheap? Not really, Did it look good on her? Definitely. 

Faith kept her happiness on the side as soon as they reached home. Faith had to show Dea the dress and make sure she liked it. Either way they had already brought it, so there was nothing she could do other than scold Faith. 

"Mom is not gonna like that dress." Winter said to Caren. Caren huffed out a breath and stepped on the breaks harshly. 

"I know Winter, no need to remind me. But that dress looked good on her and we have to think about that first. She is going to the Gala with the Alpha, she has to look good that's the whole point!" 

"Don't raise your voice at me, I am not her!" Winter did not take a name nor did she point at anyone, yet it was clear as day that she meant it to be Faith. Faith looked down. 

"Let's just see what happens." 

Sighing again the twin sisters sped up and went into the house. Faith trailed behind with the huge bag of dress in her hand. It was a little heavy as they had also brought some accessories to go along with the dress. However, Faith did not feel the pressure of the weight. She had a huge smile on her face that only went down once she reached the threshold of her house. 

Upon entering, Faith was dragged over to the living room where Dea was munching on a bowl of dry fruits. Faith wanted to tell her that too many dry fruit will eventually lead to an upset stomach but kept her mouth shut as she knew Dea won't listen to her and in return for her humble advice Faith would receive a scolding or worse. 

"Show me what you brought." Dea said. Faith clumsily opened the bag that had the dress in it and brought out the dress. She stood in front of Dea holding the dress against her body, her face full of insecurity and doubt. Faith knew it was a stunning dressz but if Dea didn't like it then anything could happen. Worst case scenario, Faith won't be able to wear it. 

Dea hummed a few times and looked in every direction. Her jaw worked on chewing on the dry fruits. Her silence made Faith grip the dress even more. 

"Mom, what do you think?" Caren asked. Winter stood next to herz gazing at Faith with a strange emotion in her eyes. Faith squirmed under their collective gaze. All different from one another. 

Dea's judging gaze was mking Faith doubt everything and at the same time Caren was giving her looks of envy, which didn't particularly feel the best but gave her the confidence that she looked good. On the other had Winter was looking at her with a strange emotions that Faith could not understand. Longing? Regret? Sadness? 

"It will do. Did you get the other thing? She can't go there with just a dress hung over her body. What about the jewelry and bags? Shoes? She has to look a little taller." 

Caren took it upon herself  to show the other things to Dea. Faith happily took her dress and skipped up to her room. The dress was back into the bag and inside the closet. 

Faith was quick to change into her comfortable onise and flop on the bed to finish her work and the course for the week. She liked learning. For Faith, studying was an inevitable part of everyone's life. It should never stop even after graduation. 

So Faith had started to do a weekly online course for creative designing. She soon found out that her skills were horrible but there was no loss in completing it even with a bad grade so she continued. 

Today she planned on finishing the last assignment and submit it to conclude the course. She was busy for the next two weeks as she was going to the Gala. 

However, Faith became highly distracted once the thought of the Gala came back to her. The Gala was held annually with all the Alpha's and Luna's. Going there with a shewolf of no rank was taking it a bit too far. 

And apart from that it might also be taken offensively towards the Alpha Prime. Although he himself was not present to attend the Gala, it would be brought to his notice that a certain Alpha had broken the conduct. 

To others who did not take much interest in these matters would think that it's a trivial thing and not take too much heed on it but someone as informed as Faith was scared to the bones. 

She had heard all about the Alpha Prime. It was said that he had killed his own mate only a few months after they met. If a werewolf can go as far as to kill his own soulmate, then it had to be obvious that there was no limit to his ability to cause destruction. 

The course took her all evening and as a result she had to eat the leftovers after everyone was done with dinner. Faith anyways preferred to eat alone in her room. It was saddening to be sitting between so many people but still be lonely. Faith had learnt pretty fast that it was better to be physically and mentally alone than be alone in a crowd of people.

As she spooned her cold curry and mashed potatoes, her laptop played videos of ice skating one after the other like a series of happy events. The ones she loved and was most excited about was the figure skating. With sparkly clothes, the skaters glided and danced over the arena of Ice with beautiful music playing in the background. 

Watching them dance in fascination, Faith imagined if she would be able to do it. Her dream was to become a skater, not of a specific kind. But if someone was to ask her, then this would be her answer. Figure skater. 

The time of dinner was for her imagination to soar into the skies and run free. She giggled and hummed along with the music playing on a low volume. Once Faith was done eating, she quietly took the empty plate to the wash basin and cleaned it. As she was about to go back she saw the bunch of dirty plates in the wash basin and sighed. 

They ate and left the dishes for her. Again. 

Faith pulled the rubber band holding her hair and bunched her hair again to make it into a high bun at the top of her head. She always thought it looked funny on her, especially since her hair was dyed pink. She remembered tying her hair into two little buns and Ivan kept laughing at her and calling her a bunny with two pink ears. 

Regardless to say, Faith never did it again. 

Rolling up her sleeves, she started to clean the dishes one by one. The cold water stung her skin at first but soon she got used to the cold and cleaned efficiently. Faith tried to keep the noice as little as possible as the whole family was sleeping and if Dea woke up then she was finished.

Faith started to hum a random tune and shake her butt to it as she wiped the dishes and placed them one by one on the racks. Suddenly the lights went off, scaring her soul away! 

Holding her hand to her heart, Faith turned around and stuck her body to the counter. Everything before her eyes was nothing but black and shapeless. At this time the moon was hidden under the layers of clouds and nothing could be seen at all. 

Faith heard a rustling sound on her right and shrieked in fear. The hair on her body stood and a shiver went up her spine all the way to the base of her neck. 

She pressed her hands to her ears and fell on her knees, curling herself in a ball. 

"Faith?" A strange voice called her name. Faith squeezed her eyes tighter and pressed her palms over her ears with more force. She didn't want to listen to the sound!

'I am not listening! I'm not listening! Go away! You are being ignored!' 

She chanted in her head hoping that whoever was present in the room would take the hint and go away while she was still hiding. 

But her prayers fell on deaf ears. Soon the presence of the unknown person was even more obvious as she heard footsteps coming her way. They were coming her way. 

Feeling th air shift around her, she knew that the person was very close. The moon appeared in the dark sky, casting a shadow of light in the kitchen. Faith could see a pair of legs before her eyes, someone was standing right in front of her! 

Without thinking, Faith screamed and pushed the legs with all the force she had in her body. The person fell with a shriek of their own but along with it fell all the dishes that faith had cleaned.

The person screamed, obviously with pain as the dishes fell on them as well.  The shattering of the dishes were unbareable to her ears and she stumbled back a few steps. 

Faith's legs slipped on a rag and she landed on her back, a broken piece of ceramic pierced the surface of her palm, making her cry out in pain. 

All the lights cam back followed by a thundering of footsteps. Soon all of her family was gathered in the kitchen. 

For the first time, Faith had the chance to look at the person who had almost scared her to an early grave. The light had flashed into faith's eyes so it took her some time to adjust to the brightness. 

"Winter! Are you okay?" Dea's concerned voice made faith's vision clear. Her eyes widen at the sight before her. Dea held Winter's arm and picked her up from the ground. The side of her arm was lightly cut by a broken dish and was bleeding. 

Winter frowned and looked at the wound on her arm. The only flaw on her perfect skin. 

"Mom." Winter uttered in a small voice. Dea's overly concerned gaze over the little cut made faith's heart thump loudly in her chest. What did she have to do so Dea would look at her with the same tenderness? Care for her? Or even notice her? 

Faith was still fall among the broken dishes, all her siblings and her parents were there but no one even noticed her. 

Faith unconsciously fisted her fingers over the shard that was still stuck on her palm. Her teeth bit into her tongue, not letting the scream leave her mouth.  

The cut was already healing but they still circled around her as if she was going to bleed out to death. 

"How did this happen?" Caren asked her twin sister in concern. Faith felt a sticky warmth on her skin as her blood oozed out and spiller on the floor. 

"I came down to drink water, but the lights went out suddenly and then I heard a scream. I thought it was faith so I went to see and then she pulled my leg and I fell over." Winter spoke in a strange voice that Faith had heard in the dark. Then faith remembered that winter had a bad throat after she ate Ice cream in the evening. 

At Winter confession, all pair of eyes flee towards Faith. Her pale face, paled even more. 

"Mom, I -" Faith started to say but befor she could give an explaination, Dea had already made her move. She came forward and took hold of Faith's collar and pulled her up. Faith's injured palm hit the floor and the ceramic piece fell out, making her cry out loud in pain. 

Her tembling lips struggle to form words, she hid her bloody hand behind her back, out of everyone's view. 

"Mom -" 

The sound of a loud slap echoed in the kitchen as Dea's hand connected with Faith's cheek with full force. 

Faith's face turned to the side. Tears gathered in her eyes and fell on he cheeks, the sting did not burn more than the hateful gaze of her mother. 

"I don't want to listen. Your words don't mean anything!" Dea gritted her teeth and threw Faith's body at Winter's feet. Faith's tongue tasted metallic, she but it too hard to stop herself from screaming. Her palm was bleeding nonstop, no one asked her if she was fine. 

"Apologize to Winter. Now!" Dea ordered. Faith sniffed, her tears were not acknowledged. Her body shook with sobs. 

She did not do anything on purpose. But her family did not even think before treating her this way. How was it faith's fault? Faith recognised that it was a mistake that she made, but was being scared and acting to save herself a crime? 

Faith kneeled before Winter's feet, her self respect and the little amouth of pride shattered to bits. 

"I - I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you." Faith stammered out the Apology. She looked up at Winter's face. Winter was still frowning and when she saw faith looking up at her, she looked away with a hum and took a few steps back. The cut on her arm had healed already, not even leaving a scar behind. 

Faith looked down again at her own palm which was still gushing out blood. 

"You think just because you are being taken to the Gala and given importance for oncez you can do anything? Remember your place, don't try to go out of line!" Caren scoffed and left. 

Her brother's and father stood on the he side watching the whole scene in silence. 

"Clean up the place before you go back!" Dea ordered and left. Everyone followed out behind her, leaving Faith alone in the bloody kitchen.

Faith sat in the middle of broken plates and shivered. No matter how much she tried to control her tears, they kept flowing nonstop. Her palm burnt but not as much as her heart was scorching in her chest. Cold sweat covered her forehead and dripped down her cheeks. The swollen skin of her cheek was numb of any pain. 

Faith lifted up her good hand and touched the side of her face where Dea had hit her. Her fingers caught something wet and brought her hand back to see the crimson colour covering the tips of her fingers. 

Faith brought both her hands together and cried in silence. All she wanted was someone to take care of her. Was it too much to ask? Was love so expensive in this world that her own family could not give it to her?