"Daddy... Daddy, where are you?" I hold the little trophy tightly in my left hand as I rush to our well-furnished living area. I look around excitedly to meet Daddy and share my happy news.
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"How could you be so rude, Anna?" Bella's voice echoes in the room. She climbs down the stairs slowly in her brand new gown Dad bought for her. I roll my eyes and remove my backpack, placing it on the settee.
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"Can you speak normally for once?" She's always being dramatic like Elly when she speaks.
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"Really? After spoiling all of my hard work... You're humiliating me, Anna? How could you be so evil?" She starts shedding her usual crocodile tears.
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"Says the one who just copied my whole hard work and presented it in front of the class... Bella, you were the evil one... Why can't you just use your own brain for the essay competition instead of using a cheap trick?"
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"You b***h!" She cries out and yanks my hand, making me yelp.
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"Ah!!! Bella, you're crazy!" I roughly remove her arms and push her away.
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"What's happening here?!" Elly rushes from the left hallway followed by Dad, who already looks pissed.
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"Mom... Dad... Anna... She slapped me." Bella points to me and starts to weep. Okay, here we go again.
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"Oh my... Poor Bella..." Elly rushes to her and embraces her lightly.
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"Anna! What kind of behavior is this? Isn't she your sister? Why are you always giving me trouble?" Dad asks angrily and grabs my forearms.
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"Dad, please leave me... I haven't done anything wrong." I wiggle my arms to get rid of his grip but in vain.
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"Dad... It's okay... I—"
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"No, sweetie... She deserves to be punished... You've always been a good little sister for her, forgive and get along with Anna, but it just makes her more bratty... Anna needs to be taught a better lesson," Elly says to Dad while running her hands over Bella's brown hair.
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"You're just like your devil mother! A b***h... You're nothing but a burden for me. Ah! Why can't you just leave this family and move somewhere else? I wish I only had Bella as a daughter." For a moment, I'm stuck in my spot after hearing his sharp, piercing words.
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The trophy I was holding slips out of my hands. Tears start to streak down my cheeks unknowingly. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Elly and Bella grinning at each other for the humiliation I've received.
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"Crying? Really? Don't you f**king act in front of me, Anna. I know you're following your mom's path, and I would be so grateful if you just joined her and left us alone." With that, he roughly pushes me, making me fall to the ground.
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"Dad... You can't say that to her... After all, we're a family... I need all of you together. Please forgive her this time," Bella moves forward and holds Dad's hands gently.
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No, Anna... Don't... Don't be a broken girl in front of them... Be strong... You can.
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I roughly wipe away my tears and get up with wobbly legs.
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"Look how kind and mature your sister is. She's two minutes younger than you, still she acts like the elder one. Sweetie, only for you... only for you I'll let it go... Anna, dare to lay a finger on my angel and I would chop your hands!"
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"You know what? I hate you all, and I hate this whole Miller family!" I yell and run to my room.
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"How dare you! Come back, you little brat." Dad shouts from behind. I run as fast as I can, enter my room, and bolt the door.
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"You better lock yourself up inside for the whole day, or I'll bury you alive," he threatens and leaves.
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"Why?... Why, Mom, why didn't you take me with you... I need you, Mom... I... Need you, Mom..." I whisper while sobbing uncontrollably and drop to the floor.
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"No! Mom... Don't leave me!" I yell out and take heavy breaths.
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"Anna? What happened?! Why are you crying?" Jackson asks softly and holds my forearm.
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"Jackson... Mom... I... I—"
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"It's okay, love... It's just a nightmare... Just forget about it," he says smoothly and hugs me gently, which I accept quickly. I sob uncontrollably and weep until I relax.
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For the whole time, he just pats my head like a big brother and whispers soothing words.
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Once I get composed and have a grip over my emotions, I break the hug and wipe my tears, which almost destroyed my mom's hard work.
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"Feeling better?" he asks while fixing my hair.
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"Yes... Thank you so much, Jackson... but I ruined your shirt..." I point to the black mark on his crisp white shirt.
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He shrugs his shoulders and says it's not a big deal.
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"Do you need some water?"
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"Nope... Where are we?"
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"Actually... Nowhere..." He says sheepishly.
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I gasp at his reply and look around only to see darkness.
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"What? How did we get lost?"
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"Okay... I just tried to take a shortcut through the forest... Which would be kind of an adventure... But unfortunately, I lost my track... We are in the middle of nowhere."
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"Uh... What are we gonna do now?" I ask tiredly and lean back.
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"Hmmm, don't worry. I'll ask Ben to send me a better way to get out of here, but we would be late," he says, a bit disappointed.
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"Good," I say simply and grin.
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After a few constant messages and calls, Ben, our schoolmate and his dad's employee's son, sends a better map, which is a relief.
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The nightmare I saw a few minutes ago flashes in front of me... It's not a nightmare, rather a bitter past of my childhood. Dad always loved and admired Bella. And he always considered her as his only daughter.
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I still remember the day when Elly slapped me when I spoke out about her little affair she practiced with her secretary when Dad is out of the country. On the very same day, she took revenge on me, which gave me a whole life trauma.
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"Ahem... You know, darling... You could relieve your tension and stress... If you get something sweet and delicious in your mouth." Okay, I take back the thanks I said. Once a flirting machine is always a flirting machine. My bad!!
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"So? I don't think you would carry sweets or candies with you."
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"Mmm, well what if it's something easily portable?"
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"Portable? What exactly does that mean?"
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"Maybe... Something like fluffy, smooth, sweet, and juicy red, like something on our face..." He is smiling devilishly when my eyes grow wide.
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Jerk!
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"Is it really a tension relief?" I ask innocently.
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"Yes! Of course, yes." He abruptly stops the car and stares at me curiously.
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"Mmm, I think..."
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"I think?"
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"Mmmm, you are a..."
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"I am a?" He comes closer, making me lean back.
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"A.... asswipe." His once beaming and charming face drops into a scowl in no time.
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"Uh, when are you gonna accept me, Anna?" Annoyance is visible in his tone.
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"Probably when the moon turns blue." I say while fixing my lashes.
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"Oh yeah? Then I bet you will be my little girlfriend within one year." He is rather serious.
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"K... I'll give you half of my shares at the bakery if that happens." I say simply and gaze at him, who is staring at me.
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"No, you need to marry me."
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Excuse me!
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"What? Marriage is this kind of a joke?"
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"Nope... If I make you tell you love me you need to marry me... If I lose in the bet, I'll never gonna be a flirt and would never get in between your business," he says as if he is making a deal with me.
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"Uh, okay but you have to stick to your word. Once I win the bet, you need to be a little good brother of mine... Promise?" I extend my palm, which he takes gently.
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"Promise, if I lose in this bet, I'll never ever be an irritating jerk in your life... No troubles. You will be my little... Friend."
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"Friend? I thought you would make me a sister."
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"No please, it's impossible for a man to even think of the woman he loves as his sister so a friend... That's better."
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"Fine... Now can you please speed up? It's already 7:30."
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"Sure, darling."
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