River ▷ Meteor Garden

The Man I Once Loved: Part 1

Kiara stared at her seven year old reflection, letting her fingers comb through her long black curls that the maids had worked hours on,"Stop staring at yourself Mei."

Kiara turned her attention to Jia who sat on the bed,"Huh?"

Jia gave her a knowing look,"Papa's not gonna like it."

Kiara ignored Jia while grabbing her teddy bear that was on her makeup desk, and brushed its soft white fur.

"Stay in this room. I'll be right back" Jia said, closing the door behind her.

Kiara glanced at the door before walking to her balcony seeing the crazy teenagers running down the street. They cheered out towards the sky, as the sound of a train could be heard in the distance.

Kiara eyes followed them. They always came down this street at a specific time. But Kiara didn't mind. The way they acted was how Kiara wanted to act. Young and free. She wondered why they were so excited? But did that matter? No, she just wanted to have fun. Jia's words left her mind as she ran out her room and rushed down the stairs, almost tripping over her two own feet.

She gripped onto her bear and bursted out the front door, seeing the teenagers already turning the street corner. Kiara without a moment to hesitate followed after them.

Kiara knew she shouldn't be doing this, that she had to stay in her room, until her papa came home but she was dying with boredom.

All she ever did was play with her dolls and play with Jia. That wasn't enough for her. She wanted to go outside and play, her mother who she noticed never really talked, told her no, and when she asked why, the maids explained that she could get dirty and would be unlady like. Kiara didn't understand the word lady like, she assumed it probably had to with the way her mom acted. She could be wrong but she knew that if her mom acted lady like then she didn't want to act like it.

Kiara managed to get behind the teenagers who were heading towards some direction. But she didn't care. The way they cheered like it was no tomorrow made her insides warm up. Kiara giggled, almost tripping again, but when she looked up, she stopped when seeing the teenagers jump onto a train.

But this train was different. It was moving so fast, Kiara imagined her body getting sliced in half if she tried getting on.

A teenager on the train, noticed Kiara, as the two made eye contact. The teenager waved at Kiara with a bright smile. It surprised Kiara. No one really gave her that kind of smile other than her sister. Kiara stared at the geek that was waving and smiling at her with the train going down the tracks further.

Kiara didn't move from her spot til the train was no longer in her sight. She frowned, wishing she could go with them. Even if they were strangers.

With her mood saddening, she walked back to her palace like house instantly seeing her papa, mama, and Jia with the maids in a uncomfortable position.

Her papa looked upset. Kiara wondered why.

"Papa!" Kiara cheered, happily.

Her Dad turned to Kiara in anger,"And where have you been!?"

Kiara stopped midway in her tracks, startled by her Dads tone. She knew the way her Dad acted. He always was busy with his work, he didn't really play with her when she asked him to. All he would say is for her to go practice an instrument or else he was throwing her toys away.

"I was outside..playing" Kiara stuttered, feeling scared all of a sudden.

Her father fumed, he turned to the maids glaring at them,"Who let her out? She's covered in dirt!"

Kiara looked down to herself realizing her legs had mud splashes all over her skin.

"This isn't the first time she's gone outside the house, sir. She just wants to have fun" one of the maids spoke up.

Her Dad scoffed,"She doesn't need to have fun. What she needs is some discipline, that means no more toys—"

Kiara gasped when her Dad snatched her teddy bear throwing it in the trash. Kiara cried out, about to head to the trash but a maid held her back,"More practicing, no more going outside, and some time to reflect" he sneered, grabbing Kiara's small arm.

"No, papa! I'm sorry" she sobbed, using the most of her body's strength to pull back. The maids and Jia cried out for him to stop that Jia even offered to take her place but her Father paid no mind as he dragged her upstairs to her room.

He pushed Kiara to her room and shut the lights off,"You may come out when you realize that being a child will not matter when you become older like me."

Kiara stumbled back that she fell to her butt. She stared up at her Dad who closed the door leaving no light to shine in this room. Kiara instantly looked around the room seeing something standing by her closet. She imagined the creature, having claws, with it dripping of blood, ready to charge at her. ready to eat her tiny little body that carried little meat.

"Papa! Papa!" She sobbed once more, she got up and tried to open the door but realized it was locked. She banged on the door crying out,"Papa please don't do this. I'm sorry!" when she heard no response, Kiara looked to the light switch, she stretched her arm out, trying to flick the switch but even standing on her tippy toes she couldn't reach it.

Kiara whimpered, looking back at the creature who still stood at her closet. Kiara banged her small fists to the door once more calling out to her Dad, she loved,"Papa!"