A'S

ff my shoulders. "Well done, Amora," I whispered to myself, satisfied that I had managed to blend into the background once again, just as I always wanted. Being t

elf a brief moment of contentment. The routine was comforting, a familiar pattern that grounded me amidst

ora

fuck's sake, Hazel!" I muttered under my breath, feeling a mix of irritation and

e to stay mad at. "Can you call me with a human tone for once?" I snapped, trying to kee

n that showed she wasn't sorry at all. "But you

azel, after all-my loud, exuberant, and endlessly lovable best friend. She was a force of

comment with a wave of her hand. "Can I

't have to ask me to come along, right?" I questioned, raising an ey

feel bad for taking advantage of you to see David," she confessed, her lips

reassured her, giving her a gentle nudge. "I know your crush

e you," Hazel cooed, pinching my cheeks in that affec

said, gently swatting her hand away. "Let'

ce, like a bright light that made the world a little less daunting. As we walked together, I realized that despite the noise and the cha

appiness and peace. The quiet rustle of pages, the soft hum of the air conditioning, the scent of old books mingling with fresh coffee-it all felt like a sanctuary, a world where I could esc

was time to go

with thoughts of what awaited me there. The idea of stepping through that front door, facing the suffocating tension of my father and sister, fill

something unexpected happened.

t was a rare gift, this solitude. A bundle of joy in the midst of my daily turmoil. I quickly made my wa

hings that added to the strain in our household. But tonight, with no one around, I didn't mind. I headed to the kitchen, moving quickly as I prepared dinner. The rhythmic chopping

m. There were assignments to finish, and though the work was tedious, it was a welcome distraction. Anything to k

eace never lasted

ora

t voice-it was the one I dreaded most, the one that haunted my nightmares. My father. There was n

s I entered the living room, I saw him slouched in his usual spot, the only comfortable chair in the room

tion mingled in my chest as I waited for his response, bracing myself for whatever was to come. Th

and filled with disdain. "Go to the store a

d her down-the way he drained the life out of her, siphoning her hard-earned money for his vices, never giving her anything in return but fear and bruises. She had been hidi

keep doing this. I'm not even old enough to buy alcohol, and you nev

e. The back of his hand connected with her cheek with a force that sent her reeling. The impact was so sudden, so violent, that the world ar

her, his presence menacing and overpowering. "You think yo

tead. But the sting of the slap still lingered, and the sharp, metallic taste of blood filled her mouth where she had bi

skey," he hissed, his breath hot and foul against her face

words would only provoke him further. Her father stared at her for a long moment, his chest heaving with the remnants of his

n ever before. The world still tilted on its axis, her mind reeling from the pain and the shock of what had just happ

few more months, and she would turn eighteen. And when that day came, she would be gone, far away from this

ging, her resolve hardening with every step she took. She would get the whiskey, as he demanded. But one