the cruel reality with a side of stale food

...I woke up in a haze, the morning light brushing my skin, the only warmth I ever felt in this world. I began to walk through from my empty room to find a note on the counter. this was normally MariaSin. Even though my older sister she took a higher place other than that in school, home, and the community. Oh, how I hated her, not at her excellence but her treatment of me. I grabbed the note and opened it. It read: "morning sleepy head, food in fridge. Mom bedridden. Don’t mess up today." I knew she meant the exams, but how could I mess up? I looked to the clock and realized the time and knew I was already messing up. How could she not wake me? Was this on purpose? There is no time for silly questions. I ran to get dressed into uniform and grab my stuff. None was to be found. 'What the hell!? I laid it all out yesterday... MariaSin!' I grabbed her extra uniform and ran off to school. I got there to see HaniSo and SiYan blocking the doors. I didn't have time for those two nimwitted followers of my sister. I had to get in some way... that's when I saw it, the window to my class on the second floor open. I needed to climb. I ducked and began to crawl through the bushes to get to the building, so I wasn't noticed by those two nimwits. As I placed my hand on the building looking on toward the window, I wondered how I'd get up. The only way was the fire exit stairs, but the window attached was closed. Maybe someone would let me in? I began to jump the steps up towards the window and soon found myself out of breath and knocking to QuYan, my only friend in this world. She giggled, slightly scrunching her nose like a bunny. She opened the window while the teacher focused on the board. as I made it into class and fell into my chair, the door opened. "Mr. Que one of our prefects informed us that LuiChin is missing from your class on the day of exams." a teacher said, walking in, gazing sharply across the class, a shadow behind her... MariaSin. He evil glare and snicker said she hadn't yet spotted me and thought she'd won. "Well, let's see, shall we?" Mr Que started, but my sister bustled forward and shouted my name, "LuiChin? Chin? LuiChin? " she repeated. She then turned to the two teachers and smiled, "Doesn't seem like she's here." " Incorrect," I said, standing up awkwardly and smiling nervously. The teachers looked beyond my sister, and even though she did not turn around, I could see her smile wipe off her face and fill with anger. She and the other teacher left quickly, and the door closed behind them. 'How could she try and sabotage me like that? I can't believe that she would try to steal my stuff and block the entrance.' I suppose it was normal by then. Mr. Que began to hand out the exams, explaining we only had an hour to complete it and after we could leave. I began to write, and each question made me only want to think more of MariaSin. I tried to focus hard but could only think of her attempt to sabotage me. "Times up! papers on my desk. results will be in friday, " Mr Que said. 'What!? no! I only have one question left. Maybe I could finish writing it quickly.' I began scribbling down my last answer as a hand covered my paper. I looked up to Mr Que, who snatched the paper and placed it on his desk. As I left the class, HaniSo and SiYan pulled me into the bathroom. Their grins maliciously peircing into me. "You thought you could escape?" HaniSo began to say "not on our watch, " SiYan finished. Their symmetry oddly sickening. "I wasn't trying to escape. I simply didn't need the front door." Those words caused instant regret as HaniSo began to raise her fist to me. I braced only to hear QuYan's vioce break my brace. HaniSo and SiYan looked towards her and rolled their eyes back, laughing. " Are you here.." " To save the princess?" they laughed. QuYan smiled, "Well, I could call the teacher. but I think you two can decide that for yourself, hmmm?" HaniSo and SiYan looked to one another and smiled to QuYan. They dropped me and walked out, brushing hard up against QuYan. I felt ashamed, my cheeks burning as I looked to the ground. She walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. "You won't always be there. You know that?" My breath filled the silence. Her grip strengthened as she replied, "I know, but I can try. LuiChin, you are the only person I see that deserves more than she has. " Her words sunk in... that was it. I didn't deserve better. It would've come, I know it would. "It's not true. And anyways, the nimwits will only attack when they know you won't be there... like they always do." Her hand raised slightly but then firmly planted on my shoulder. "Come, I'll walk you home." QuYan replied, ignoring my self pitying tactics....

As she walked me home, she smiled and laughed, listening to my jokes and words with a whole heart. Sometimes, I wondered if she was just pretending, but then she'd have an intellectual reply to something that I thought never needed one. Her smile would light up my mood, and her laugh made me feel like maybe... just maybe I was worth a damn... till I had to walk the corridor myself. Enter the door myself. Find MariaSin myself. There, she stood a towering figure ready to fire any ammunition she had. Her arms crossed, and her brow furrowed so deep it could dig a grave. "LuiChin ...LuiChin ...LuiChin ... I thought you'd have learned by now that you can not avoid me. You can avoid HaniSo... You can avoid SiYan. But me? I'm something you'll never escape." She began to come towards me. I ran to the side, as she came to close the door. I looked to my room and headed in the direction. As I came into the room and slammed the door, leaning on it and sliding to the floor. " You'll have to come out at some point." MariaSin whispered through the keyhole. I got up and flopped down onto my small bed. I screamed into my pillow. 'How could today get any worse?' I thought to myself.

...Later that afternoon, the door opened slightly, and a plate slid in. I knew MariaSin would never... I recognized the hand. It was my mother's. I saw the food and waited for the door to close. As it closed, I moved over to the plate to find the food was already a few days old. The thought of eating it was making me sick, but I hadn't eaten yet. I couldn't even remember the last time I had. I gulped down the food, ignoring its fermented taste and its stale texture. I left the plate where it was and sat back onto my bed. I watched as the door slowly revealed a hand as it opened. I knew my mother did not want to be seen, I wished so badly to hug her. The plate lifted gently and went through the slightly opened door. The door then closed, and all went silent. It was almost drowning... the silence. I felt alone, and all I wanted was better. I looked over to my closet, the door slightly open and ready for me to crawl in. As I did every day as a young child. It was my only comfort... including today....

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