When It Comes To You |j.k

Prologue: Mirror

"Mum!"

We're on the car, the whole family is going out together for dinner.

Father started an argument with mother, having frightened Lana and I.

I was 16, and Lana was 3.

We were both so young, it was even more so for Lana.

"You don't even care about this family!"

"For fucks sake calm down!"

"Who was she?!"

"Mom!" I yelled, my heartbeat fastened as their voices filled the car. I looked to my right, Lana's face grimaced as she began to whine.

The poor baby could only cry to express her fear and sadness.

My voice was drowned out by their shouts, as if I wasn't even there.

I looked in front of us, as a vehicle drove in our direction.

I've seen this play in movies, tv dramas.

But this was real life. And it was my life. My movie. But I couldn't just yell cut and rewind.

A wave of fear washed over me, it seemed as if I had been living in a dream—or a nightmare, to be precise.

"Dad!" I screeched in terror.

The truck's head lights blinded my eyes, and all went black.

/

I lost everything.

My mother.

My father.

My childhood.

I only have Lana left.

Not a day goes by without me thinking about the incident.

Sometimes I still look at the scar on my arm from that night, and I cry myself to sleep. The memories never go away.

To make money, I've done several jobs to sustain us two sisters. I've delivered milk from house to house, sold newspapers on the street, sung at cafés. But none of those lasted. Now to feed the both of us I'm getting all the money I can get from working shifts at N' café.

We now live in a one bedroom apartment that I paid a homeless man to sign for us, since i was under age.

I tell them that he's my father, and he goes out a lot.

He doesn't exist.

Our beds are just plain mattresses on the floor.

We use the same two bowls every night, because we can't afford good tableware.

I struggle to keep up with the bills.

With the homework.

With taking care of Lana.

With my life.

People from both my parents' side either passed away or ran away with my parents' money.

I need to pull myself together, for Lana—I repeat to myself everyday.

I suddenly feel someone tugging at my shoulder.

"Aera!" I shook out of my thoughts as a voice called out to me.

"Are you ok? What happened?!"
She cupped her small hands on my cheeks, I felt the wetness of my own tears on my face.