Royalty (Book One)

Chapter 9

You can't protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness- Jonathan Safran Joer

"Here." Megan hands me the orange juice I gladly took. Her mum actually stood to her promise. I like her for that.

"Hmm, thank you." I close the space between us, snuggling my head on her chest making her chest vibrate.

"Royalty, aren't you eating the sandwich? Or you don't like it anymore?"

Oh no. I don't want to be the reason why my best friend is frowning so I decided to spill the truth.

"I'll have only the juice now because I want my dad to taste the sandwich."
Though, I am not sure of how he will react.

"But you haven't eaten, my mum said the juice will make me hungrier."

Well, I have no mum to tell me that

She noticed I was unconvinced so she continued further,"okay, eat your sandwich and I'll get extra for your daddy tomorrow."

I moved my head sideways,"he was mad at me so I want to lessen his anger" I was convinced and earned an audible sigh from her.

"But I'm still gonna tell mummy to bring extra tomorrow."

I squeal in excitement, I'm certain dad's going to love it because it tastes so yummy.

*. *. *. *. *. *
School was over for the day and I was sitting at my usual place. I'm becoming happier as the time goes by.

I gaped at the sandwich I was still holding, frankly speaking, it's so tempting, I feel like having a bite of it, but I know that one bite will turn into two then three then four till it finishes them I'll come back to my senses and remember that I wanted to give dad. I want to keep it for him, I haven't had any other thing than the orange juice and Megan was right, it makes me hungrier but I gave myself a pep talk not to look at it or else... You know what will happen.

I attacked my lip with my teeth, struggling to look away from it, while struggling, my eyes met a very familiar car. I quickly took to my heels with a big beam on my face.

Let's just hope this goes well

"Dad." My smile couldn't get any bigger, if it did, my lips would surely tear apart.

And that will be the end
That sucks.

I noticed he was grumpy but when is he not grumpy?

I pressed on, "Guess what?"

His nose scrunched up,"you failed maths again?"

I slightly frowned but rapidly covered it up,"it's a sandwich, I got it for you."
I streched out my hands, aiming the sandwich at him. Daddy stared at me, down to the two squares on my palm. I moved it further to him when he hadn't made any move yet.

"You're going to love it." He still didn't move a muscle, he just stood like a rock. I, myself don't know where I got this confidence maybe because I was too over excited that I was not even thinking straight, I'm just doing what my conscience told.

I forcefully muffled it into his mouth and the next thing, he got hold of my wrist and spat the sandwich.

I frowned.

"So now you've become a beggar, a sandwich beggar?" He spits.

I shook my head immediately so he wouldn't get the wrong message, I badly ignore the feeling on my wrist, it hurts but... Who does it help?

I'm certain it will be forming a bruise because that was the same place he aimed for, my right wrist the last time. Sometimes, I feel pain in class.

"Then how come you got this? Oh it just appeared as a miracle?" He points at the half eaten, or in this case, half vommitted sandwich. I quickly hid it behind me so he won't snatch it away.

"Where did you get it Ro? I won't ask again." Long gone the confidence I'd reserved but anyways, I didn't welcome the fright that replaced it.

"She- she's my sitting partner."

When he nodded, I thought he had agreed, that he will be quiet and let me be, you have no idea how wrong I was.

"Her name?"

Small sobs escaped my lips, I don't want to get Megan into trouble, I know what he's capable of doing and I don't want to lie to him either.

"I asked you a question."

"Um..." I thought, "Roya... Uh, oh Meg.'' I think you know why I didn't mention her full name.

"Meg what? Just Meg? As in M-e-g?" I nod, "Gosh are you serious, are you even hearing what you're saying?"

By now, we've drawn the attention of other people passing by.

"Bro, take it easy on her." One of them said,

Actually, they thought they were helping me but have no idea they're just bubbling his anger more. It was adding kerosene to the fire inside him. Before he could say anything else, I used that as an advantage to hurry and get behind the driver's seat so I'll hide away from his scrutinizing gaze, he said nothing else but...

"I'll have the sandwich."