Lies took the elevator.
Truth took the stairs.
Both arrived and met Revelation.
Jane killed a family in a car accident. Depressive and accustomed to self-harm, she decides to go back to where her life toppled upside down. Jane doesn't know what to e...
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"Jane."
"Dad."
My dad spreads his arms, I'm confused, but the little girl in me runs to them. Travis Austen Jr. is like most dads. He has the best role. He doesn't speak much, and when dad does, what he says is meaningful, but isn't it what you expect from someone supposed to maintain and cultivate diplomatic relations?
Travis shines, and Rebecca finds herself overshadowed by this accomplished man.
My dad has only one default, he's career-driven, and we are just elements that decorate his ambitions, but he's kind. Deep down in the depth of my soul, there's a reserve of love for him.
"Gosh, you've grown, and you're blonde," dad says as he pulls away.
Grown for my dad is the substitute for fat.
He's a diplomat, after all, and he doesn't want to vex the chubby little panda I've turned into; it's not something which troubles me.
Weight wise I've been going up and down the balance since. From size 8 to 16, I am a pure product of the Yo-Yo effect. A veteran and I possess the stretch marks to prove it.
Yes, in five years, I've changed, and the blonde hair was to irritate Rebecca, who is proud of her red hair. I don't know if my strategy works since my dad is the first to notice my hair color change.
"How long are you staying?"
The uplifted tone of his voice reassures and gives me an impression of security.
My dad is here, and everything will be okay. He's reliable; what he managed five years ago proves it. I know he's the one who made the calls and pulled the drain on my shit.
"I figured I could spend a semester or two. Is that okay?"
"Of course, it is."
"Honey, we should talk first," Rebecca says, unable to hide her apparent disagreement.
"What is there to discuss? My daughter, who I haven't seen for years, is here. You don't expect me to send her back, do you?"
At that moment, the brat in me wants to stick my tongue out at Rebecca, but it's my first day, and I'm too exhausted to start a feud.
My gaze shifts around the dining room table, a tiny spark wells inside of me; I almost feel in place. It's hard to describe, but I get the impression I made the right decision. Even if Rebecca's expression shows its disapprobation, I'm glad to be here.
I look at the dishes on the table, and I grab the salad, Aina brings a cutlet, and the smell immediately makes me want to throw up.
"Is everything alright, Jane?" My dad asks.
"It' sㅡ."
A wave of hesitation sweeps over me. If I start explaining all the phobias I suffer from to them, and I'll be on an airplane back to London in no time. No, Jane, don't sell yourself out. Abby must have told them already, and they're playing pretend, so let's play.
