I sigh as I enter my room.  The day was so tiring that I don't even notice Mel running around the home and hitting me along the way.  A huff leaves my mouth as I trudge unwillingly towards the staircase. My mind immediately drifts to the event that occurred today and I immediately get chills all over my body.  The feeling of being free had opened some part of my heart.  The thought of speaking out made me feel independent. 

A smile finds it's way on my feature but it doesn't last for long.  Taking a lazy look at the steps,  I sigh again, ascending and opening my door with a click. 

But something catches my eye.  I take a step back from my door and shift my eyes towards the bedroom besides me.  The door is open ajar and darkness dominates the space.  I squint my eyes at the open door and release my grip on the door handle.  Max's room is never open at this time.  He usually comes home earlier than I do during school days. 

I don't really care about his business but something tells me to go take a peek in.  Should I inform ma?  Surely she must've known.  He might have had some stay backs or detentions.  That should be it.  There is no other possible way he could be late.  He doesn't even hang out with his friends these few days.  I know that for sure as I had peaceful slumbers the whole week. 

I bite my lip again and take a huge breath. I was always curious.  Still am.  I don't know why but I just can't tell myself to let go off something when it's so mysterious.  In this case his room.  It's been years since I stepped inside that room and the thought of just seeing it open makes my skin crawl.  It awakens something inside of me that claws itself onto my heart,  making my feet do the work. 

I take small strides towards the room,  making my heart lodge itself in my throat.  Immediately hearing my mother's footsteps,  I quickly enter the room and was about to shut it fast before realizing and slowly closing it. 

I look up at the ceiling and notice how plain the wall is. It's just white. A frown lines my lips and I head towards the king size bed, softly sitting on the cushion and bouncing slightly.  I trace my finger across the shiny blue blanket.  My finger bumps on the little silver stars embedded onto it.  The scent of citrus hits my nostrils and I engulf myself in it. 

It always manages to make me feel in comfort.  I didn't realize how much I missed it until now.  I slowly lean on the wall,  scanning around the room and realizing how limited his items are.  He never used to keep things this organized.  Back when we still were a middle class family,  we never hesitated to buy ad much items as we could to decorate our rooms.  We used to go shopping every week and even with the limited amount of money, we were happy. 

But of course, all good times come to an end. I never predicted that there would be a time where we would be over flooding with money and where he would never bother to care about decorating his room anymore.  He loved crafts.  He loved anything related to decorations and how many times I used to call him "girly" for it,  he would not bother.

He loved the idea of art. His hand painted wonders.  Every stroke was a masterpiece,  each with a story of their own.  But after he got admitted to the engineering college he goes to, he immediately stopped everything.  He just couldn't get interest in studying science.  He became a new person.  Didn't speak much.  The only person he ever spoke to was Eva. 

Eva.

I grit my teeth.  That's the only person that ever mattered to him.  He stopped talking to me completely after her.  It was Eva this,  Eva that.  I guess that's why I have such a strong dislike towards Eva.  I don't really want to admit it,  but I am jealous. It sounds funny coming out of my mouth,  even a bit cheesy for some reason,  but I can't run away from the truth. 

I sometimes ask myself if she has replaced me completely. And that just induces a toxic feeling inside of me.  I shift my gaze towards the desk that is scratched at the corners.  My eyes immediately catch hold of the very familiar diary on top of it.  I knit my brows,  slowly standing up from his bed.  As I move closer and closer towards the diary that Mel had held in her hand some days ago,  the more distinct is the diary. 

I trace my finger across the cloth that encases the book's cover.  Patches of beautiful flowers are stitched onto it,  some big some small.  The cloth is painted with a beautiful hue of pink and violet, the colours merging and blotting the material.  Small white pearls beautify the corners of the notebook.  This is not Max's book.  Nor Mel's. 

I open the notebook, slowly taking in the huge cursive writings on the front page.

BELONGS TO EVA MARY.
[You are dead meat if you steal this.]

I roll my eyes as i immediately see her name. Obviously it will be her. I look out the window just in front of me, taking in our huge trees that line our backyard. Some birds perch on the trees, twittering and chirping to their neighbours. The sky is still bright even when its nearly 5:00 pm. I look back at the notebook,  daring myself to read further.

My conscience taunts me,  urging me not to open it further.

After all, it's not your book. 

I zone out as I struggle to beat my conscience.  I want to know what is so great about her.  I want to know her more.  My fingers itch as I prolong my decision. But what about all those times Max interfered in my business?  Isn't that also wrong? 

I immediately look at the clock,  noticing just how much time I have taken to come to a decision. It's now or never.  Taking a deep breath, I open the book.

DATE: 15/8/20xx
MOOD: Happy and... kinda annoyed

Just finished school. Gosh. It was such a busy day. There were like so many new kids this grade. I somehow managed to find my friends before the period started. Amza just wouldn't stop talking about her boring math teacher. But I nodded to everything she said. lol. I don't think I was even listening. We are almost at the end of our middle school. This is just super exciting. I can't wait to step into highschool next year.

When the English teacher came, class was a disaster. Students started throwing paper balls when she wasn't looking. lol. I was he one that initated the whole thing. I mean, why not?

I met a lot of other good people btw but also met some annoying ones. For example: Samantha.

She was just this person that complains. A LOT. She sat next to me and bored me the whole day. But that's not the main thing here.

Liza texted me that she found some unnamed notebook on the floor. She sent some pictures and even went on saying that the person's handwriting was horrible...

IT WAS ME!!!

I got so mad. I told her it's pretty. She didn't listen. I told her that I wrote it and she just laughed. Next minute I know, she sent it to EVERYONE. IN A FACEBOOK GROUP.

I HATE HER. LIKE UGHHHHHH.

EVERYONE TEASED ME

I AM SO MAD

TTYL DIARY

I snorted.

I knew it is kind of mean of me to look at someone else's book and have the courage to snort at it but I couldn't help it. Even if it is evident that she wrote it while she was only twelve or thirteen, I don't hold back a cringe.

What does Max like in her so much?

I shake my head as I placed the book back on the table. Just as I plan on taking another look at the diary, I hear some footsteps. My heart begins to slowly beat and then increases its pace as time passes. My eyes refuse to look at the door. I shut my eyes tightly as though doing so would help me vanish whoever is at the door.

"Got it ma." I hear someone say and I immediately recognize the owner.

Max.

My hands begin to unconsciously tremble and I run around the room trying to find a place to hide. I catch hold of a closet but noticing how untidy it has been kept, I back off. I peep under the bed and notice some unopened boxes. I nearly facepalm as I hear the footsteps becoming louder.

And just as I decide to just jump on the bed and pull on the covers, I hear the door click.

And hell breaks loose.