The Rival

Chapter Nine

The next day I woke up to what looked like a snow storm. My balcony was covered in a thick stack of snow that blocked most of the light from reaching my room. I checked my alarm clock but it had been turned off at some point during the night. 

The house was quiet so I assumed no one had woken up yet. As I walked downstairs the extent of the snow storm had become apparent. The snow was as high as the windows, blocking out the natural morning sunlight. I tried to flip the switch to turn on the lights but the power must have gone out during the night.

"Scheisse" I mumbled, not knowing what to do. My dad was fast asleep on the couch still, unmoved from the early hours of the morning. 

I gently shoved him in an attempt to wake him up but he rolled over and mumbled into the cushion.

"Leave me alone Eliza" 

My body froze out of shock as I processed the words. I hadn't heard that name in years. No one ever dared speak it. It was my mothers name. 

I didn't know how to react, she was only ever mentioned by my father when he saw resemblance in me of her but she was only addressed as "mother". So for him to say it must have meant he was more drunk than I anticipated. 

There was a clunk behind me causing me to snap out of my thoughts. Max had silently entered the room and was trying to plug his phone into the wall. He saw me jump at the sound and frowned. I rolled my eyes and walked away to the kitchen to make myself breakfast. As I poured the milk into the bowl it clicked that my attire wasn't the most appropriate for guests - a cropped tank top and very short shorts. Perhaps it was a good thing my dad was drunk so he wouldn't have to shout at me. 

My mind went back to what he had called me.

"Watch it" Max said and I snapped back out of my thoughts. I had continued to spill the milk without realising.

"Shit" I mumbled, reaching for a tea towel.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked confused at my strange behaviour. I looked over to see he was getting a glass of water.

"Nothing" I threw the towel at his head and walked off with my cereal. 

He said something in Dutch which I presumed translated to something rude but I wasn't bothered. I Took a seat on the window bay and began to eat my cereal before I was hit by a tea towel thrown from across the kitchen. It was soggy from the milk.

"Cunt" I shouted in annoyance. 

"Cunt" a little voice repeated. I looked over to see Ben stood in the doorway with a huge grin on his face.

"BEN DON'T REPEAT THAT" I shouted at him.

"Cunt cunt cunt" he started to run around the kitchen repeatedly shouting the word.

"Benjamin Wolff" I warned him, knowing full well Susie would not be happy if she heard him repeat the word. He came to a halt and sulked off upstairs. Max laughed but I didn't find it funny. "Help yourself to cereal or toast or whatever" I told him, throwing the tea towel back at his face but resisting the urge to throw the cereal bowl at his face. I placed the half eaten bowl of cereal on the the counter and ran upstairs.