I walked up to my table and grabbed a notebook from my drawer. After that, I flipped to a clean page and started doodling. Doodling had always helped me to improve my mood. I was a good artist and could draw a picture of the Eiffel Tower in less than an hour. Nope, I'm not kidding. 

At my old school, my Art teacher just loved my artworks. She called them 'creative' and 'interesting'. I loved Art lessons, but we only had them once a week for an hour. 

"It's time for dinner, Layla!" I heard a voice coming from outside my room. I stood up from my chair and opened the door. 

"Did I disturb you, Layla?" she asked cheerily. "I'm sorry, but it should be time for your dinner now. I prepared some curry fish head, together with your favourite cabbage and mushrooms!" 

"I'll head downstairs now after I keep my things," I told her. "By the way, how do I address you?" 

"Hmm...you can address me as Angelica. Don't call me auntie or anything, it makes me feel old. Just call me Angelica," she said, smiling. "Come down for dinner when you want to!" 

As Angelica left my room, heading to the dining area, I walked back to my desk and cleared my items. Pencil in the stationery holder, and notebook in the drawer. After that, I stood back up and headed to the dining area. 

When I walked down the stairs, I started thinking about why my father didn't call me down for dinner, and he even told Angelica that I would come down for dinner myself. He never did that when my mother was around. He would walk up to my room, gently knock the door, and ask for permission to enter. After that, he would tell me that dinner is ready and I should head to the dining area when I feel hungry. But now, my father didn't do that anymore. Was it because of his new girlfriend?

"Layla! Come down, my dear, the food is getting cold," Angelica called. I quickened my footsteps and sat down at an empty chair at the dining table, far away from Angelica and my father, who were sitting together. I picked up my spoon and started eating my food. 

"When do you start school?" my father asked. That was the first time he spoke to me in hours.

"Tomorrow," I replied, stuffing a scoop of rice into my mouth.

"Do you need me to send you to school?" Angelica asked me warmly.

"I can take the school bus myself. I...I don't wish to trouble you," I stammered. "I always take the school bus to school since young."

Angelica nodded her head, and started eating her curry fish head. I didn't eat much during dinner, although I do think Angelica's food was delicious. I didn't have any appetite at all. After dinner, I could hear Angelica telling my father that I was eating too little and that I was too skinny. My father just simply told her that he couldn't force me to eat that much, as I refused to. 

After hearing Angelica and my father's conversation, I headed back up to my room. I sat in bed, watching some videos on my iPad. I was so, so bored. When my mother was around, she would tell jokes to me, and we would complete Sudoku puzzles together. Sometimes, we would even draw together. I was starting to miss those days when my mother was around...