End.
Maybe."Joohyun! Did you sweep the floor like I asked you?"
There he was again. The man that Irene dreaded with all her soul. How can such a human exist? She always wondered.
"Yes, sir." She did not dare call him by his name. Or what she should call him by.
No. Irene wanted nothing to do with him. Why should she bother calling him father or dad? When he never acted like one anyway.
The fresh bruises that marked her once flawless pale skin, was the proof of how vile he really is.
Without her mother, she had no one else to rely on. Leaving her with no other choice but to take in his anger which usually lead in to physical harm, damaging Irene's fragile body.
"Then what the hell is this?" He pointed at a non-existing dirt. "You are so useless! I'm not feeding you to be incompetent. I did not raise you to be so foolish." He punched the wall strongly but Joohyun remained still, used to his abrupt and irrational anger. She simply stood there with lips tightly shut.
You did not raise me at all. And hell with you feeding me. I work my off to feed myself. Joohyun wanted to scream. She wanted to argue that he has done nothing for her. Irene basically raised herself, working part time to pay for her school fees.
In order to save herself some explanation from teachers or students that pretend to care about her, Irene chose to stay silent.
"I will sweep it again." Irene mumbled, lowering her head. She's tired.
"Good, because I am not here to put up with this bull."
Irene placed her palm on her now burning cheek. Due to her pale skin, the print that was left behind was remarkably visible. Yet the girl could only hiss in pain as the stinging sensation grew stronger.
But then again, she had experienced worse.
She did nothing else but grab the broom and sweep the floor that she knew perfectly well, was already spotless. Maybe the man she lives with is just insane. Out of his mind.
A lone tear flowed out of Irene's eyes yet all she did was quickly wiped it away. Everyday she asks the heavens why she was living the life that she was. What has she done to deserve such a cruel reality? What did she do to be so love deprived that she did not believe in the so called word anymore?
Why was she stuck in such a world with a possibility of no escape?
What if she had no escape? The thought frightened her. Her lips trembled as her eyes began to pool. Yet she remained on guard, refusing to look vulnerable; weak.
She quickly ran to her room to get changed for work. Although she loathes her job, she disliked staying in the hell she calls home, even more.
She dashed for the door, feeling safer as her foot made a step out of the front porch.
And though he would never hear nor even give the slightest of care, still. Irene whispered an almost inaudible "Goodbye."
***
"Irene, anything new?" Irene's coworker, Seulgi, greeted. Though the former knew there was a deeper meaning to that question.
Seulgi was one of the people Irene knew, genuinely cared for her. She treated Joohyun so greatly that it made the girl doubt if such kindness were done without intentions.
"Nothing, really. Same old." She said casually, not wanting to speak more about the topic, yet the sensation of pain she feels on her right cheek, says otherwise. But she chose not to say anymore. After all, there was nothing much to explain about, anyway.
"You know, it's okay to open up. I'm here to listen. Please, know that. I do care for you." Seulgi says, carefully. She knew about Irene's situation and she too, wonders how such cruelty can be evident in this world.
Seulgi was from a family that was not particularly blessed. Her mom was unemployed and her father barely came home. He claimed that it was all because of work but their whole family knew better. They knew what he was doing. They never spoke about it, nevertheless. For her mother's sake. No one dared to speak out loud in their household.
Still, Seulgi takes pity in Joohyun. Unlike the latter, Seulgi was thankful that despite all of the unspoken lies she had to deal with, she wasn't abused. She wasn't beaten by the arms of her own flesh and blood. She was not physically harmed by the people she relies on, her family. She was also proud of Joohyun for being brave. She thought that the girl was the bravest person she has ever come across. Even with the problems she had to face at home, Irene never showed any signs of fragility. She refused to.
"I know. I'm thankful, Seulgi. But I would rather not speak of it now." She softly explained, hoping to brush off some tension that their atmosphere was now surrounded by.
"Alright. But you have to come with me. Let's get some ice for that cheek of yours. I'm not as oblivious as one would think, you know." Seulgi chuckled dryly. Yes, she dozes off, often but when it comes to serious matters, she was definitely all ears.
Joohyun could only nod as she followed the other to the kitchen. Times like this are what gives her hope to keep going. It makes her think that maybe there really are good things in this world. Maybe, soon enough she will find her light. No, it can't be a 'maybe', she needed an explicit answer.
Soon. Definitely.
***
The bells chimed, indicating that someone had just walked in.
Oh, her. Joohyun thought. She recognized the person that just walked in. How can she not? The girl was a regular and she always ordered the same thing.
Something was different about her, though. In Joohyun's eyes at least. Some thing about the girl made her noticeable. As cliché as that may sound.
It was probably the fact that the girl was always smiling. She was always cheerful. She was always happy.
To Joohyun, it was as if the girl had no troubles in her life. Like the skies were always blue, the trees were always green and that the world was perfect.
It baffled Irene to no end.
The unknown girl's smile that showed no worries, her voice that was bright as the sunrise, the positive aura that the girl always carried.
It.. scared Irene. It scared her how just seeing the petite girl, makes her forget about her sadistic father at home. It scared Irene how someone she barely knows can change her mindset.
How one person makes her feel vulnerable all over again. All the walls she struggled to put up, might just crash down if she ever got the chance to do much as talk to the unknown girl.
It scared her. She did not like it.
She did not want to get hurt. She can never be too sure.
She does not want to let out something she had been locking out of the chest, unreachable to everyone else. She isn't ready to open it up.
Irene is not prepared to trust.
The memory of her father coming home furious, came to her. How his muscular fist swung it's way across Joohyun's face, causing bruises that internally, will never heal. His rough and heavy hand marking its way through Irene's back, disabling her from moving with ease. His sputtered words that's poisonous as a venom, stinging Irene's heart. Forcing it to throb violently.
She can't forget it all. She will never let herself. She's disgusted with the man that was supposed to be his saviour, the man she should've been looking up to. Yet the only thing she sees every time her eyes lays upon him is a demon. A diabolical sinner.
Father. It was such a foreign word to Irene. A word so new that she doesn't remember herself ever using it. Then again, she doesn't have one. She never did. The man she lives with, was just a cold blooded stranger and nothing else.
She cannot let one girl she barely knows to remove all the hatred she feels towards him.
She can't.
****
"Hi, I'm Wendy!" An enthusiastic voice interrupted Irene's peace. The moment she looked up at the preppy stranger, she regretted it. Her first instinct was to get up and run away. It doesn't matter if she had to walk home. The bus isn't the best ride there was, anyway.
However, the gleaming hopeful look in the girl who introduced herself as Wendy, made Irene doubt her ideas.
It wouldn't hurt to try. Just this once. She mentally recited.
"I-Irene."
"Don't you work at that restaurant across the street?" Irene noted the heightening of the girl's pitch as she heard Irene's response.
"Yeah, I do."
"I knew it! I thought I have seen you around." Wendy comically snapped her fingers, overjoyed about being right. Irene thought it was quite absurd how such a simple thing made someone so elated. Wasn't it too low of a thing?
"So, what are you doing here at this time?" Irene cracked a small smile at the girl's question. Indeed what was she doing on a bus stop? The girl was silly. Although Irene would never let herself say it, she liked the girl's presence.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe skydiving." Though it came out as monotone, she was surprised that Wendy still laughed at her failed attempt of humour.
It has been an eternity when Irene remembered someone laughing at something she had said. More importantly, it truly had been centuries since she recalled ever making a joke of any kind.
She missed it.
"W-what about you? What are you doing here?" Irene forced herself into saying those words for the sake of small talk. It sure beats the feeling of loneliness and deafening silence.
"I'm waiting for my brother. He'll pick me up. He had to pick up his girlfriend first so he's running late. It's okay though, I don't mind." To her, It was amazing how Wendy could say such private things so freely. How she can just say those words openly. It was mind blowing.
Brother, girlfriend. Another series of foreign words. She wonders what it feels like to have those in her life. Would it be anything different?
"O-Oh. What about y-you? Do you have a b-boyfriend?" God knows she didn't want to ask. But hell, had other plans.
Wendy lowered her head though the other could see the visible redness of the girl's cheek. Even her ears were of the colour.
"Um. No, I don't. I don't swing that way." She could feel the timidness in the girl's voice yet she didn't know why. Why was Wendy suddenly so shy?
Wait, swing what? She didn't comprehend exactly what Wendy meant.
"Swing? What?"
"I'm gay.. I like girls, Irene."
Unforeseen. Irene was beyond startled by the sudden confession. She didn't know what to feel. But then again, how is she supposed to feel?
A few minutes with Wendy and it was like she was thrown into a warpzone. Everything was unexpected; strange.
"Are you grossed out? Would you like me to leave?" She heard Wendy ask. Disappointment plastered on her tone.
"I don't know.." Was all Irene could make out.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so sudden. I shouldn't have said anything." Wendy was now fidgeting on her seat, uneasy. She fumbled with her fingers, mumbling incoherent words that sounded much like profanity.
Before Irene could say more, an obnoxious honk interrupted her from doing so. She could see a male waving his arms around foolishly.
"That's my brother. I gotta go Irene. I'm sorry about earlier, I'll see you around." Wendy waved before running off to her brother's car.
Over the hour that they have talked, Irene already found out facts about the latter. Wendy was an open book. She was free. Maybe that's why she seemed so happy, because she was truthful and didn't hide who she knows she is.
Wendy had freedom.
Also, she likes girls. Joohyun, unknowingly turned red over the thought.
Wendy was unbelievable.
***
Irene sighed deeply before turning the knob and setting foot inside her so called home.
Being home isn't always sweet.
"What took you so long? You were probably out with some guy, huh. How much did he pay you?" This was exactly why he never considered the devil as someone she shares the same genes with.
Irene's fist balled as her teeth clenched. He was getting suffocating. And heavens know that it is taking all of her not to hit the man standing a few feet from her. She her inner cheek in order to prevent herself from saying words that she might regret later on.
You can do this, Irene. Just ignore that bastard.
"No wonder you turned into such a disappointment, you got it all from your mother." The smug look in his face was what snapped the last bit of patience in Irene.
Her sight darkened as her mind went hazy. She didn't think of anything else but beat the out of her father. Sure, he can insult her all he wants, tear her self esteem to pieces but he didn't have a single right to mention her mother. Not one.
As Irene's rationally came back, all she sees is an unconscious body on the cold floor. A pool of blood was forming below his left arm.
No, He wasn't dead.
Irene wasn't a murderer.
Seeing the huge amount of blood, panic struck Irene. She ran to her room and packed as much clothes as she could fit inside her duffle bag. Immediately running for the door. This time, she didn't look back. She promised herself never to come back.
She knows she will have to gamble her whole life from now on but she thought that it would still be better than being stuck with the evil, under one roof.
She was exhausted. She was tired of waking up in a body covered with bruises. The aching feeling that she can never get used to whenever he spoke ill of her like she was the most disgusting dirt he has laid his eyes upon. She was tired.
She wanted freedom. She wanted to feel at ease.
She wanted Wendy.
Through Wendy, she can see how being free and truthful to yourself can be so life changing. Just looking at the girl made Irene see the beauty of the world.
Wendy looked absolutely happy and free and that was exactly what she strives for.
The one thing that she craves. And maybe by running away, she can finally find the haven she has been looking everywhere for.
Hopefully.
She was also hoping to get to know more of Wendy.
Because the girl made her feel as ease. She made her feel comfortable. Though their conversation may not have been much, Irene was certain that Wendy brought out the best of her. The Irene that she thought was gone already.
Wendy made Irene feel at home.
***
Irene mindlessly walked around without an exact destination. Though, she doesn't have a place to stay in, she felt more secured. No one is out to harm her anymore.
The night was chillier than usual and Irene mentally cursed at herself for forgetting her favourite hoodie. Well, I'll have to say goodbye to that forever.
"Irene?" Oh god don't tell me..
"W-Wendy? What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that! I live in the condo right around the block. I was off for some ice cream when I saw you. What's with the bag? You look a little.. Excessive." Wendy laughed as if what she just said was really funny.
"Oh, um. I kinda ran away." Irene was surprised. She opened up to someone. Bae Joohyun that refused to let anyone know about her life was finally letting someone in to her closed doors, she could not believe it herself.
"What? Why?" Irene wanted to straighten Wendy's furrowed eyebrows but of course that would be slightly out of character so she kept her hands glued to her sides, clutching her bag strap as a distraction.
"Problems." Old habits die hard, indeed. She still wasn't that fond of explaining. One day.
"Do you.. Think you'll come back?" Wendy asked carefully. Not wanting to sound insensitive.
Irene could only shake her head, no. Truthfully, she doesn't know what to say either. She wasn't even sure she had words to say to begin with.
"Um. Do you have a place to stay in?"
Once again, Irene did nothing but shake her head.
"Would you like to stay over then? It's dangerous out here! I heard there are some creepy people walking around at night." Irene wanted to laugh at how innocent Wendy was. How cute the girl was.
"Ah, no that's okay. Wendy you shouldn't just invite people."
"I insist. And I like you, Irene. I know you'll take care of me so I shouldn't worry. And you can cook, right? Let's go. I haven't had a homemade meal in forever. "
Irene couldn't process how random Wendy was. All she knows is that she was currently being dragged to Wendy's home.
"For staying, you'll have too cook for me. Make it delicious too! Really, I've been wanting a home cooked meal in so long." Wendy pouted as she continued to drag the older girl with her.
Irene recalled about her first impression of Wendy. How she disliked the girl for being positive. How Wendy made her forget about hate. How Wendy's bright smile showed no worries. How frightened Irene was by how welcoming Wendy's aura was.
But the more she thought of it, the more foolish it sounded.
Wendy was welcoming. Wendy was bright. Wendy was happy. Wendy was innocent. Wendy was everything Irene wasn't.
And that was exactly why Irene wanted Wendy by her side.
Why Irene needed Wendy by her side.
Wendy could be Irene's ticket to finally knowing about the foreign word she's been hearing all her life. The so called "love".
End.
****
Note: Well, that was long. Glad that was over.
For Nat, who said she was my inspiration :)
"Started off grand, and ended in ruins." Basically the summary of my writing skill.
Anyway, I'd appreciate all comments, thoughts, criticism, anything. Subscribes and up votes are much appreciated also :3
Bai. Let me know what you think. ^^
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