Chapter 2: Running Away is (not) Childish

"Hey!"

I heard screaming and clattering from the outside as I roll onto my back and yawned. My step-mother must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today too, that's why she's breaking things up. This is normal for me though, if what is normal for everybody else is waking up to your parents happily preparing breakfast for you, well mine is different. I wake up to my step-mother complaining as my father gets himself ready for work. My step-sister, Yumi, was still sleeping sound inside of her room. Isn't my life interesting?

"Wake up!" I groaned as I heard the witch's voice inside of my room. "What the hell are you still doing there sleeping, huh? Didn't I tell you to wake up early to make breakfast for us three?!"

I don't remember her telling me that.

"Is that how you repay me, Jeff!? Are you forgetting that I was the one who raised you and paid for your tuition fee!? Get the fuck up!"

Slowly, I sit up on my bed and avoided to look at her. When can my mornings ever be so peaceful? Where there is nobody throwing plates on the floor and cursing until they lose their voice, sigh..

"I really shouldn't have taken you in!" She shouted as she kicked me, I grunted. I may seem tough and weird out in the public, but I'm still a bit normal. Even though I get this every single day, it's alright, as long as I know that I still have a family and a house to go home to. I know I should have moved out long ago but I still don't have enough money for an apartment, the time that I do, I swore to myself that I will leave this house immediately.

"What are you still doing there!? Get up and make breakfast!" My evil step-mother yelled as she smacks my head before leaving my room- oh no, the storage room. Yes, apparently as I was not part of this family, they started treating me like an animal. What I can't understand was, my father is not even doing anything about it. Is it really okay for him to see his daughter getting treated this way?

I pulled my hair into a pony tail as I went into the kitchen to start making breakfast for the royal highnesses. Secretly wiping off the tears on my face, I finished preparing the table for them. I sighed, wow.. I don't remember when was the last time I ate on a table.

"Get away from there!" Yumi shouted with a hand on her hip. "Didn't mom tell you not to ever sit with us?"

I lowered my head, "Ye-yes."

"Why are there four plates on the table then?"

My eyes widened, I hadn't realized it myself. This is a common mistake, I really want to eat on the same table as them that I always forget that I'm not allowed to.

"Oh Jeff," Yumi breathes as she gets a bowl which has hot soup in it and smirks at me. "You're really not a member of this family, and you know that right?"

"Y-yes.. I-I know that."

"Why don't you just leave this house and sleep on the streets, huh? I really think that's what suits you. Ah," Yumi puts a finger underneath her chin and I can literally see a light bulb right above her head. "—if I tell dad that you have poured this hot soup on me, what do you think he'll do?"

My eyes widened, "What? Yumi, what are you thinking?"

She smirks, diverting her gaze from me to the bowl she was holding in her right hand. Yumi tilted her head with an evil smile plastered on her face. Just as she had poured the soup all over her, my eyes had started to water as Yumi starts to scream. As expected, the parents came running in worry for their precious child while I just stand here, frozen as her mother and my father both caressed her face.

"What happened?!" Yumi's mother exclaimed as my step-sister cries.

"Jeff..." she whispered as I started to shake my head from side to side. "—I don't know why but she poured the hot soup all over me. I wasn't doing anything-"

"What the hell has gotten into you!?" Father shouts as I jumped and my tears had started to fall down from my eyes. His voice was so terrifying, he sounds like a hungry lion and is about to have a feast of his prey.

"I-I-I didn't do-"

"Stop lying!" Yumi whined, "You even told me that I don't belong here! I'm not a part of this family and I should leave! What did I ever do to you? I've tried my best being your sister!"

"Yumi-" I reached out to hold her hand and beg her to tell them the truth, but father grabbed mine tightly that I could barely feel my wrist.

"I don't remember raising a daughter like you," dad glared down at me. If glares could kill, I would have been dead by now. Tears did not stop from flowing down my face as my heart was beating faster, I can barely catch my breath.

"But I didn't do it!" I cried, struggling to get free from my father's grasp but he only tightened it. "Dad please.. let go.. y-you're hurting me.."

"I want you to apologize to Yumi," my eyes widened up in surprise as I looked over to Yumi and her mother. They were smirking as they were looking back to me, it seems that everything is going smoothly for them and they have made my father completely forget that I was his real daughter.

"I-I don't want to.."

Dad's eyes widened up as he replied in gritted teeth, "What did I just hear you say?"

"Let go of me.." I begged but he pulled me closer to him as I looked back into his eyes. "I will never do that.."

"JEFF!" Father screamed which totally scared the three of us in here, but I did not break the contact with him. We were still looking into each other's eyes as I could feel nothing but anger today. "Apologize to your mother and sister!"

I laughed. "Mother and sister?" I jerked my arm away as my dad backs away, his glare still on me then I continued, "They're nothing like that, dad."

"Oh my gosh," Yumi's mother gasps as she places one hand on her chest. "Af-after all the things that I've done for you, you still don't think of me as your mother?" She suddenly grabbed my hands, holding them tightly and squeezing them gently.

"What do I have to do, Jeff? Tell me.. I really want you to think of me as your real mother," she finished and I was so disgusted so I swatted her hands away, which eventually angered my father.

"No dear," his wife stopped him. "It's okay... part of it was my fault.. we might have hurt the child when we decided to marry. It is really not that easy for anyone to ever replace her mother-"

"Yes!" I shouted and they all looked at me. Tears were still streaming down my face but I wiped them off away as I added, "For the first time.. you've said something that I can finally agree with! You will never replace my mother! You don't even deserve to be called that.."

"JANESSA!" My father screamed.

"What?" I glared up at him. "I was saying the truth! Your wife has never treated me well! She treated me like an animal, dad, and you know that! Yet you didn't do anything about it, you only watched from the sidelines! Ever since mom died, you have completely forgotten about me after meeting that woman!"

Dad was silenced. As Yumi and her mother were standing behind him, his wife rests a hand on his shoulder with her head low. I know that this should not be what a daughter is saying to her father but I've had enough of living like this.

"That's not tr—"

"It is so," I cut him off as I wiped my tears away. "You are forgetting that I am your real daughter, dad. The treatment that I should be getting, you are giving it to Ayumi, who does not even have your blood flowing through her veins! You know what... I honestly think that it was better if I had died with mother. At least, I would be with her and not be living like this."

"Janessa—"

I slapped his hand away, "No, dad..." he gasped as he looks at me with wide eyes. This is the first time that I screamed at him but I just really want to say it all, and let them know how I feel about everything. "I'm leaving.."

Dad looked at me with his mouth hanging open, "Janessa... what are you saying?"

I laughed as I throw my hands up in the air. "I'm leaving this house. That's what your family wants me to do, dad. They wanted to get rid of me, but they don't need to, because I will leave this place without anyone telling me to."

"No.. no, you don't have to.. this is your home," dad replied as he was holding my arm and stopping me from going into my room to pack my things up.

I sarcastically laughed. "Home?" Averting my gaze to my step-mother and sister, I saw them smiling and as soon as my father turned to look at the both of them, they pretended to be really sad. Like, they don't want me to leave when the truth is, it's what they ever wanted. Then I smiled to my father as that only brings him into tears, "This has never been my home. It will never be my home."

***

I let out a really deep breath, placing a hand on this huge luggage of mine. As I looked down on it, I could only groan. Why in the world did I say those things? What has really gotten into me? Jesus.. now where am I supposed to go?

I found myself walking around the park, where my mother and I used to go so I can play with other children. That thought put a small smile on my face, mother must be watching me from up above and that makes me feel safe. Dragging my luggage, I sat on the swing and tried to get as high as I can. My eyes had found the white and round moon from the dark sky and I smiled, my mother used to say that if she were to leave me, she wanted me to look at the moon every night and everything will be all right again.

"Wow," I sighed as I stopped the swing and a tear has escaped from my eye. I wiped it off with the back of my hand as I bite my lip. Looking up back at the moon, I bursted out in tears as I couldn't hold them back any more longer.

"Mommy..." I whispered. "I-I left the house.. I left dad.. I-I know that, that would not make you really happy but.. I have had enough, mom. My step-mother was not like you at all.. I-I really thought she w-was lovely but I was completely wrong haha.. also her daughter, Ayumi, I really thought we'd become be-bestfriends but.. it turns out she doesn't really l-like me.."

My tears were unstoppable. I couldn't make them stop even if I try holding them back, maybe this was really how much bad I was feeling all this time. "Mom... I-I feel like the whole world is against me.. a-and I've got nobody on my side to help me win this battle. It is not really a bad thing though haha, I have learned a lot of things.. and I'm not giving up!" I screamed as the moon starts to shine even more bright and that has placed a huge smile on my face. It's mom.

Standing up from the swing I started shouting, "Bring it on! Come at me, I'm not afraid of you! With my mother's guiding light, I will not let you bring me down! If I fall, I will stand back up and show you who you are against!"

But as I shouted that, dogs from this neighborhood has started barking out loud. I must have woken them up, I have to go. Before I could run, it has started raining. I groaned, putting my backpack over my head as I try to find some shelter.

As I got under the waiting shed that I found, I placed my backpack on the seat to run a hand through my damp hair. "Really, why did it have to rain at this time?"

"I know.." I jumped when someone spoke from behind me, spinning around there was a man in a black jacket seated as he removes the hood from his head. He sighs, "I hate it when it rains.." I heard him whispered.

I stared at him. He's got dark brown hair, a tall nose and it was honestly too dark for me to really get a good look of his face. All I can say is that he's got dark hair and tall nose. He was wearing a black jacket, jeans and black shoes, also he wears a cap. Wait- is he, by chance, a fugitive? Is he dressed like this because he was hiding from someone? Is he a criminal? What the hell should I do???

"Are you okay?" The dark haired guy stands up as he slowly walks towards me.

"Do-don't come close!" I screamed and he freezes.

"I just wanted to know if you're okay," he answered with a shrug. "You look really worried about something."

Yeah, I'm really worried about the fact that you could be really dangerous! Dear Lord... I may have said horrible things to my father like I should have died along with my mother but I take it back! I still want to live!

"Are you really okay?"

"No no! Freeze!" I shouted and released a sigh as he did what he was told. "I-I'm okay, so do-don't come any closer... alright?"

He puts on the hood and shoved his hands into the pocket of his jacket which caused my heart to beat even more fast. He takes a step forward as I backed away, his eyes were on me while an evil smirk was lining up on his lips.

"I-I told you to freeze! Di-didn't I?" I managed to say, pointing a finger at him as he gets closer and closer. "I-I told you to stay right there! I don't have money... okay? I ran away from my home! You-you won't get anything from me! Please... stay away.."

The man smirks, "Sure I do." He replies as he looks at me from head to toe, I quickly covered my chest.

"Wh-where are you looking?!"

He giggles, but that just makes things worse for me. I'm completely terrified, I might wet my sweatpants. As he gets closer and suddenly grabbed my shoulders, I have completely lost it.

"Ahhh no no no no!!! Please, don't! I still have a lot of things to do with my life! I-I want to apologize to my father and my step-mom and sister! I want to tell them that I'm really sorry! I want to eat on a table again! I-I want to—"

I froze when the man above me has started laughing out loud. Eh, what?

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

What is going on???

"OH MY GOD HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

What the hell???

"I-I was not expecting that!" He laughed. "But I really want you to do all of that right away, don't wait for tomorrow to come!"

"Uh-" I whispered as I get up from the ground. "Y-you're not a wanted criminal? You're not.. hiding away from anyone? You-you're not going to do anything bad to me?"

"No! Of course not! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He replied, bending over with a hand on his stomach. "Di-did you really think I was going to do that to you? Oh my gosh.." he adds in, wiping off a tear from his right eye.

"We-well... you're in all black! You-you look like you're running away from someone! Like, you've done something so horrible to them that they are chasing after you.."

"Well I was not.." he giggles, "I'm not a bad person. Trust me. Do I look like a bad guy to you?"

I nodded.

"Ouch." He glared down to me as he sighs. "Okay look," he removed the hood as well as the cap as his hair got all messed up. "Does this face still looks like a bad person?" He questioned with a hand underneath his chin, forming his lips into a thin line and smiles.

No it looks beautiful- was really what I wanted to say but I won't tell him that, duh he's played a prank on me!

So as revenge, "Actually.. yes."

"Wow I'm really hurt," he groans. "Are you serious? I'm not a bad guy! I didn't have an umbrella with me that's why I ended up here, as for my clothes—" he clears his throat, "—don't you recognize me?"

"Hm?" I widened my eyes, squinting them after. "I don't. Why, are you a celebrity? Are you famous?"

"Are you really kidding me?!" He shouts, throwing his hands up in the air as he sighs in defeat. "Look really carefully! Look one more time and study it! Go on!"

I grabbed his chin as his eyes widened. Pulling his face close to me, I turned it to the left then to the right. Why is this guy making a fuss about this anyway? Is he really famous?

"You know that, that really hurts right?"

I let go of his chin, pushing it back away as he pouts then does mouth exercises. I crossed my arms over my chest, still staring at his face, gee I must be really outdated! I really don't know this guy, if he was talking to Yumi, she has already recognized him since she really likes handsome guys.

"Are you an actor?" I asked. "A model, perhaps? Do you cover for magazines? I don't really know you..."

"That's because I really wasn't a famous person," he replied.

"What."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my goodness, you're so trusting! You really believed me!? I have never met someone like you ever bef- ouch! What did you do that for!?" He exclaimed when I smacked him on the head.

"Are you really like that!?" I shouted. "Do you always play dirty tricks on people? You're so annoying- no, childish."

"I'm not!"

"Are too," I replied. "First, you scare them and then you will lie about yourself. I can't believe you..."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You said you ran away from home," I was silenced.

"I-I said that?" He nodded.

"Isn't that childish?" I glared at him as he looks away with a smirk lining up on his lips, "Calling somebody childish when you are too," I heard him whisper.

"Shut up," I replied.

The both of us sat down, and next to each other, as we waited for the rain to stop. My day has started from my evil step-mother complaining about everything and you guys don't know how glad and relieved I am that it is going to end without hearing her voice. Also this guy with me, I'm kind of happy he's here too. At least I won't be alone for tonight. That's enough for me - even though I don't really know him. It is good to have some company.