SLAM! The teacher brought a text book down next Mi Young’s face. Her head shot up immediately, the echoing of laughter filling the classroom.

“MI YOUNG! SLEEPING IN CLASS AGAIN?! DETENTION!” The teacher yelled as he slammed a detention slip onto her desk. She lowered her head in shame as she slid the slip closer to her face, examining the punishment that was all too familiar to her. “Clean up duty Kang Mi Young.” She buried her face back into the arms, falling into another deep slumber.

RING RING! The bell for the end of class rung, Mi Young shot up, startled by the sudden loudness. *OH! TIME TO GET HOME!* As Mi Young spotted the detention slip, the smile on her face immediately dropped off. She put her hand to her face and shook her head. *Aunty is going to be so angry*

~~~

After a long hour of cleaning up after the other students, she stuffed all her belongings into her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder as she walked out of the school grounds. Mi Young walked as slowly as she could to get home; well at least other people believed it was her home. Mi Young never believed that dreaded place was her house. She was abused by her aunty, because of the accident that she had ‘caused’.

Her aunty believed that she was the reason to the death of her sister and brother-in-law. When Mi Young’s parents had passed away, she was left alone in the world, with no one to lean on, no one to take her in. Then, along came her aunty, her mum’s sister. She took her in. At first Mi Young believed that her aunty was extremely kind and caring, but as time progressed, she realised the real identity of her aunty.

Living In the same house with an alcoholic was dreadful, coming ‘home’ to the horrible stench of alcohol. Her aunty would become aggressive, often abusing Mi Young over a false accusation. She would be ordered around and told to clean up after a beating. Bruises and cuts scattered all over Mi Young’s fragile body. Her face was a mess; the purplish-blue tinge making her look sickly.

She was an outcast in her life; both at home and at school. No one wanted to talk to her, as they would soon enough become a target of bullying, as Mi Young’s best friends had experienced. Her best friends, or former best friends, Hyun Joo and Ji Min, had become targets of bullying for being friends with, ‘The Loner’. They had soon moved on, to become the most powerful and admired queenkas of the school.

Mi Young sighed as she continued to pace slowly back home. She took a deep breath before opening the front door, though this happened every day, she was still frightened by her aunty. The smell of alcohol hit her like a crowd of charging bulls. Mi Young HATED the smell of alcohol, because this meant torture.

Mi Young tiptoed into the house, closing the door tightly behind her as she continued through the hallway.

“HEY YOU!” Her aunty screeched. Mi Young reluctantly turned around, to see the disgusting sight of her aunty. Her clothes were messy and her hair was comparable to a birds nest. With every step her aunty took towards her, Mi Young took a bigger step back. Her aunty continued to gain on Mi Young until Mi Young’s back bumped into the wall.

“What do you think you’re doing? Do you have no respect for me?” She poked Mi Young’s head harshly.

“O-O-Of course I respect you aunty.” Mi Young stuttered as she nodded frantically. Her aunty scoffed as she continued to poke her head.

“Do you have a brain? Or did you leave it behind when you killed my sister?” The word ‘killed’ lingered in Mi Young’s head as she looked away. “LOOK AT ME! YOU DISRESPECTFUL !” Mi Young’s aunty raged as she sent a hand fast against Mi Young’s cheek.

Mi Young’s head whipped to the side, her hair covering half of her face. She lifted a hand up and put it onto her throbbing cheek. *How long does this have to continue? Why can’t I live a normal life?*

“YOU STILL DON’T SAY ANYTHING? HOW DISRESPECTFUL CAN YOU GET?!” Her aunty screeched once again, before grabbing Mi Young’s hair and flinging her to the ground. Mi Young screamed in pain as her aunty continued to kick her. Mi Young pleaded for mercy as tears rolled down her cheeks, she repeatedly yelled sorry as her aunty continued to kick her. Her aunty continued, showing so kindness at all. Her eyes were flaming and her kicks were like knifes stabbing into Mi Young.

Mi Young’s aunty finally stopped and grabbed Mi Young’s hair, making her look up at her. “Don’t you dare be disrespectful to me, you little .” She snarled as she narrowed her eyes at the hopeless girl in front of her. “Why didn’t you just die with your parents?” She let go of Mi Young’s head, throwing it back down like a doll. After kicking Mi Young once more, she walked off, grabbing her bottle of alcohol before heading to her room.