Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) (Leonardo X OC)

Chapter 1: The Start of a New Journey

"Lia Wilson, turn off that infernal racket and eat your lunch this instant," a voice shouted from downstairs. I groaned softly as I paused the movie. I was just about to watch my favorite movie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It came out in 2014, and even though a few years went by, I never got tired of it!

Hi, my name is Lia Wilson. I just turned 16 a couple of weeks ago.

I stretched my back a bit and felt a few pops before I stood up. I grabbed a military green bomber jacket off the chair and slipped it over my blue tank top. After I straightened out my black cargo pants, I picked up my black-and-white converse. When I finished tying my shoes on, I walked out the door and went downstairs to the kitchen to face my mother.

Mom and I never got along ever since I lost my dad, even before that. My mom has been too busy with work to spend time with me. And when she does have a day or two off, she would criticize my outfit and my behavior. What can I say? I'm a rebel. She expected me to be wearing blouses and skirts like the Plastic from Mean Girls. What's wrong with what I'm wearing? I felt more comfortable wearing loose pants and tank tops, and often a hoodie or a jacket. That's just who I am, but mom never listened.

When I made it to the kitchen, I found a microwave dish of what was supposed to be meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a small set of peas. The meatloaf looked half-cooked, and the potatoes still had a bit of frost at the edges. But at least the peas were decent. Just as I sat down to eat my so-called lunch, I heard a scoff from my mother. 'Oh boy, here we go again,' I thought.

"Again with the tank top and pants? Why are you not wearing that blouse I got you a few days ago," she asked as she crossed her arms, giving me a death glare.

"I told you, mom, the blouse is not my style. Besides, I gave it to one of my friends. It looked better on her than me," I said.

That part was true, but mom always tried to buy me a few blouses that were so itchy and tight, that I don't want anything to do with it.

"Lia! I bought that blouse just for you, and I expect you to wear it," she said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't bother buying another blouse, because that would be a waste of time and 'money'," I air-quoted.

She scoffed, "I don't know why I even bother. What would your father think of this?"

Oh, again with the 'father' excuse. She always said the same thing, when she clearly didn't know my father well. Before my father died, he was there to support me, and he told me that whatever I decided to do with my life, he would be there every step of the way. Sadly, that promise was short-lived, but I felt like I could sense his presence from time to time.

I spat at her, "My father would love me no matter what I decide to do with my life, especially with what I'm wearing."

"I don't like your attitude young lady. You graduated a couple of months ago, you should be looking for a job by now."

"Mom, I still haven't heard from a few of the companies yet."

"Is one of the companies the one that I asked you to apply for?"

"No mom, all the companies I applied for are related to Martial Arts."

I jumped in surprise when mom slammed her hands on the table.

"Lia Wilson, that is the ridiculous thing I ever heard coming out of your mouth. I thought that was just a silly hobby. You will never make a living with this so-called martial art."

I couldn't take it anymore. How dare she have the nerve to say that?! She had some nerve to decide what I should do with my life when she wasn't even there in the first place.

I stood up and shouted at her face:

"Why are you so against everything I do?! No matter what I do that would make me happy, you just do nothing but criticize me all my life! If my father were alive, he would-"

"IF your father were alive, I wouldn't have to deal with you, but he's not here, is he?! He's dead," her mom shouted back.

The room went silent. I stared at her, shocked by the cruel words that came out of her mouth.

'How could she say that? Why would she speak of my father like that,' I thought.

The silence was interrupted by the ringtone coming from mom's phone.

She picked it up and answered, but not before telling me:

"You have been nothing but a burden in my life."

She answered the phone with a professional attitude as though nothing had happened. I lost my appetite as I pushed the half-frozen food away from me. I silently walked up the stairs, lost in thoughts as her words echoed in my head. When I made it to my room, I slammed the door behind me. I leaned against the door and slowly slid down to the floor. I hugged my legs close, burying my face in my arms as I embraced the quiet in the darkroom. I sat there for what felt like hours when it was only ten minutes before lifting my head to observe my room. The small rays peeking through curtains were enough for me to see.

Posters of TMNT were scattered all over the walls, each from different generations. My father introduced me to this tv show when I was a child. I was amazed by their skills, their teamwork, and their honor to protect New York City.

Before dad died, he paid for a karate class, and since then, it was the start of my life. Growing up, I excelled in every training I was given and was rewarded with praises from the teachers. When I started high school, one of my teachers, who used to be a friend of my father, saw potential in my work and paid me lessons in ninjutsu. There were many challenges I had to face when I took it, but I never backed down from it. I graduated as a kunoichi the same year I graduated from high school.

Shocking right? I know I just turned 16, but having extra time to study and not deal with my mom has its perks.

I heard the sound of the door closing downstairs. My mom just left for work.

"I had enough of her," I quietly said to myself, "if she thinks of me as a burden, then she can deal with not having me around anymore."

I went to my closet and pulled out a black duffle bag. When I placed it on the bed, I started packing my clothes: undergarments, pants, tanks and shirts, and a few hoodies. Then I went to the bathroom and gathered all my personal products in one overnight bag. When I finished packing my clothes and overnight bag, I looked around to see what else I needed to take with me. I found a long, thin bag that contained my weapons.

Okay, not exactly weapons, for safety reasons. But it was a gift from one of the students in ninjutsu who made them out of wood. Not very dangerous, but it held the same weight as any other ninja weapons. I packed them in my bag without any trouble.

Then I spotted a small frame on my desk. It displayed a picture of dad and me when I was a little girl. I smiled sadly at the fond memory I had with him as I picked it up. Carefully wrapping it in one of my hoodies, I stuffed it in the bag and zipped it up.

I moved the strap of the duffle bag over my shoulder as I draped it across my chest. It was a bit heavy, but years of training and lifting weights paid off. I grabbed my helmet and skateboard and went downstairs. I placed a note on the table:

'No more burden in your life. Enjoy whatever freedom you have left.'

When I opened the door, a slightly cold air greeted my face. I took a deep breath as I walked out of what used to be my home. After locking the door, I put on my helmet. Once adjusted, I put down my longboard and took off. I never looked back as my adventure was just about to begin.

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

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I will work on more as soon as I can. See you later!