"Mmm," I muttered, attempting to shield my eyes from the glaring sun. 

        Rolling over onto my side, I slowly opened my eyelids, for a moment just staring at the opposite wall. After a few seconds, I finally let go of the tiredness, and pushed myself into a sitting position, rubbing my eyes. Standing up, I stretched my arms, welcoming the new day. All of a sudden, everything came rushing back to my thoughts, making me reel. 

        Mason. 

        The invitation. 

        Shopping. 

        The argument. 

        Aunt Morrison hitting me.

        The coldness from the floor seeping into my bones.  

        Staggering, I held onto the wall to brace myself. Shutting my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath, and shook off yesterday's memories. It was a new day; yesterday is already past tense. There is no use thinking about what happened yesterday. Just as I was depriving myself of this thought, another captured my attention:

        Today was the party. 

        At this thought, an unknown feeling stirred deep within me. It was a feeling that presents itself unwelcome at your front door; the emotion that makes you feel as if you are missing out on something important, but there is absolutely nothing you can do to change the course. It's just the way it is. It was exactly like I couldn't change the fact that I would be coerced to remain in this house, working each and every minute, while Aunt Morrison and Courtney enjoyed their time. 

        I would be trapped, like a bird confined within a cage, with only the encroaching darkness to accompany me. The notion sent a shiver through my body. Suddenly, my stomach grumbled in an uncomfortable manner, and it felt as if my gut was hollow; nothing to support me. Feeling dizzy, I sank to the ground again; the ground that had become so familiar just within these past few hours. 

        I was feeling nauseous and ill, my mind not cooperating. Although, my mind did not betray me, after all. Food. I hadn't eaten anything except for an apricot, which was a small proportion of required nutrition. Gathering all my remaining energy, and using the wall as support, I straightened myself into a standing position. Just as I stepped on the path towards the refrigerator, I felt my foot slide across a slippery surface, and before I knew it, I was falling. The back of my head hit the rigid floor with a force so strong, it sent my muscles vibrating. In the process, my ankle had been twisted in a painful angle, even the slightest movements throbbing with the effort.    

        I just lay there, still as a statue, with my eyes shut tightly, as if still waiting for an even bigger impact. This impact, however, came in a form I was well accustomed to. A shrill laughter rang through the house, causing me to cringe. Lifting my head just a little off the ground, I was met with eyes that were the most hated in my personality book. Chocolate brown irises, also known as Courtney Chillman's eyes.

        "Oh my gosh! I knew you wouldn't even see it!" she yelled, laughing; almost cackling the way evil witches do in fairy tales. "You walked right into it! Literally."

        Somehow, no tears betrayed me; it was as if my tear ducts had trapped the tears. Not moments after Courtney's ranting started, Aunt Morrison trudged into the room in her silk robe, looking furious. 

        "Courtney! Today is the party! Have you forgotten? I need my beauty sleep, love. You also have to go to school," Aunt Morrison said, taking deep breaths with each word, perhaps trying to restrain from her merciless anger.

        "Sorry, mommy. This pest spilled water, and was yelling at me because I didn't help her," Courtney lied, each word coming to her as easily as 'ABC'.

        "Don't worry, sweety. I'll keep her in control," Aunt Morrison replied, all the while eyeing me with hatred so deep, it made me shrivel away. My fingers clawed at the ground as if I could dig up a hole just big enough for me to hide. 

        Without another word, Aunt Morrison lifted her chin, and marched out of the scene, Courtney smirked as she followed close behind her. As soon as they were out of earshot, I grunted and felt something clog in my throat. The tears flowed freely as I finally let go. Using my hands, I pushed up into a sitting position, yet again. Grabbing the wall, I slid towards the closest counter, and grasping the counter, I held on for support. Although, as I tried to stand, my ankle's twisted state shot unbearable pain through my leg. I let out a strained cry, and collapsed to the ground. Setting my mouth into a grim line, I tried to think properly, but was restrained from doing so, as the tears glistened in my eyes. Then, clutching my foot, I just sobbed. I sobbed like a drowning rat; I sobbed as if every inch of me was hurting, caught up in a nightmare that was too violent, too horrific. 

        Finally, clenching my jaw, I pushed myself up. The pain was instant, but this time, I didn't give into it. Just a few seconds. Keep it together April. True to my thoughts, a few seconds was all it lasted for as I quickly managed to lift my injured foot off of the ground, hobbling on one leg. Pursing my lips, using this one leg, I skipped towards my room to change and freshen up; the task was made three times harder with my ankle contorted. 

        Now, the real question is: How will I get to school in this condition?

ooooo

After 5 painful minutes, I was finally able to reach the fresh air that awaited me outside.

        My ankle wasn't in any shape to support me, which meant I had to make do with whatever I could find. I had wrapped my ankle in strips of fabric from an old t-shirt, from which bare threads hung. 

        "Ow, ouch," I muttered, grimacing. Trying to hold my balance, I hopped on one leg to the electricity pole placed right beside the sidewalk. Clearly these few hops had me breathing in labored breaths. Grasping the pole, I inhaled a few deep breaths, trying to even my rasping breaths. 

        Now, the reality of this situation rushed to me all at once. My ankle is injured. I cannot walk. The question I asked myself before: How will I reach school?

        Using my free hand, I pressed the pads of my fingers onto my temple, trying to massage the incoming headache away. I was tempted to close my eyes, as if this all would just disappear when I open them; the nightmare gone. All of a sudden, a sound so loud, rang through the streets. Thunder. Not two minutes after this, the soft patter of rain descended from above, which escalated into a harsh storm in the blink of an eye. Now, the water had drenched my hair and clothes, leaving my teeth chattering and the cold seeping into my bones. 

        Isn't this great? Rain and a broken ankle. This morning couldn't get any worse. 

        I just stood there, still as stone, as if waiting for some miracle to envelope me. Suddenly, the exhaustion caught up with me in that one moment. I was feeling so dazed that I didn't notice a glistening car pull over to the curb, and the warmth of cradling arms sheltering me from the rain; protecting me from the brutal reality. 

        The last memory I recalled before the hazy darkness seized me, was concern etched deep into beautiful, emerald irises. The eyes that I have come to know so well.      

----------------------------------------------------------------------   

Author's Note:

Chapter 6! Courtney and Aunt Morrison are acting like witches, aren't they? Now that I think about it, why does April call her Aunt Morrison? If I was her, I would have a very rude nickname for her... perhaps, evil sorceress? Oooh, and who's the mystery person? Well, the next chapter shall reveal the truth!

But for now, au revoir!

- Anika