『・The secret of Andromeda・』

☆・Chapter 2・☆

I entered my apartment and see my mom in the kitchen, cooking.

"Hey", I say nonchalantly.

"Hello, dear. How was school?"

"Boring, as always."

"Well, something must have happened."

"It's not the 90s, mom. Besides, what should I be excited for, other than my friends?"

"Excited that you had a chance to wake up this morning, and live another day."

Im now silent. She says I should be glad, that I even had the chance to wake. And live. For some reason it just reminded me of my brother. I take my shoes off and head to my room, it's clean. My mom cleaned it. Why did she do that? Gosh, now I feel guilty, but grateful.

"Um, did you clean my room?"

"Yes I did, why?", she says with a smile. Was that real or fake? I ask myself

"You shouldn't have...I could have done it. You're already doing much", I say in a disappointed tone.

"Just be glad I did it. But, I could use some help"

"Okay, I'll help you. But mom, did you find a job? I could also do a part time job, you know? After dad left..", I mumbled the last three words.

"I did find a job, as a barista. It's not the best. But I do enjoy having small talk with customers."

Must be nice...

"Congrats, a job is a job, am I right?", I try to lighten the mood.

"Anyways, y/n, do you have any homework to work on? I also don't like the idea of you doing a part time job."

"I do have homework, but why can't I-"

"You won't and you can't.", she interrupts me. "I bet you have maths. Don't worry, Im good at it, I can help you."

"No thanks...I can manage. And im not that bad either!"

　　　　　　　　　　　　『』

After I freshened up. I went to the kitchen to eat. Today we're having ramen. Better than eating mash potatoes for a week.

Me and my mom sit down. I also have the same bear plushie on my lap, that Zayn gave me before he died. I felt like having it with me, so I did.

Normally, we'd have our father sit right next to me, and Zayn in front me. But I guess fate didn't let that happen. At least I don't have to hear the screaming and yelling of my parents. That was basically my alarm clock. And reminder to go to sleep and forget everything.

 Sometimes I feel like im too old for a plushie. But it will tear my heart apart if I "mistreat" it. I can't believe I feel bad for inatimate objects. But it's not like I told, or will tell anyone.

『Flashbacks』

"Nicole, I told you I didn't want soup for dinner", he says disappointed, and annoyed.

"We didn't have anything e-"

"I DON'T CARE. IT IT THAT HARD TO LISTEN TO YOUR HUSBAND?! That's it. Im not eating.", he yells. I got scared whenever he got mad. 

"J-Jared, you can't just star-"

"Im going to Jules, rot here for all I care..."

And the slammed the doors before getting his car keys aggressively from the kitchen counter. This was 2 years after Zayns Death.

I hate to see him so angry, and get mad at mom for little reasons. But I felt like we were strangers under the same roof. I don't remember how he was with me when I was under the age of 6. Of course I don't. And after? He barely recognized me. Nor even pay any attention to me. 

But, I sometimes forgot he still lives here. I would be reading a book or watching TV, not knowing my dad is still here in the same house. The only time I really knew he was here, when he fought with mom.

"Mom..?", I say with a little shaky voice, concerned.

"Don't worry dear, he'll come. He's just a little mad."  She always says that...

『End of Flashbacks』

"Earth to y/n!", she waved her hand in front of my face.

"W-wha, huh? Sorry...I was just, lost in thought."

"You shouldn't overthink about useless stuff, y/n. Eat up, you still have work to do, don't you?"

"Yeah..."

　　　　　　　　　　　　『』

I enter my room, and to my surprise...I see the exact "crystal ball" on the ground I had seen with the man from earlier outside...