❝. .sugar coated, lies unfolded, you still lick the wrapper..❞
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ZOEY LEE, THE DEFINITION OF WHAT MOST PEOPLE IN KOREA WOULD CALL: A MIXED BREED. Atan brownish skinned, curly headed, thick tight lipped girl whom didn't have much of a passion for anything, maybe except for listening to music or cycling around her neighborhood. Although, one thing was for certain, she was a family girl. Caring for her 6 siblings, including herself, brought both the privilege of being the eldest and the responsibility of overseeing them. While she enjoyed bossing them around, the daily routine of dropping them off at daycare, attending school, picking them up, completing homework, and ensuring their well-being was exhausting. Despite the fatigue, she fulfilled the role her own mother couldn't afford.
Her mom frequently picked up additional hospital shifts, perhaps hoping for a future raise and also for the cash grab, however, Zoey saw it as just another excuse for her to lean on the eldest child, leaving the care of her siblings in the familiar cycle detailed in notes left on the kitchen counter each time Zoey returned home.
Honestly, she'd grown tired. And there were somedays that she'd wondered if her mother had too.
Today unfolded similarly, with a slight exception in the evening. Her mother, restrained by her boss from working extra weekend hours, was finally home, granting zoey a rare freedom. Nodding and waving to familiar faces in the well-known neighborhood, where even the local gang, more guardians than troublemakers, had a watchful eye, especially for her. Usually opting for her bike, the store was within a short stroll today.
She swung open the door of the quaint corner store, revealing her favorite cashier.
"Uncle," she greeted with a smile. He had taken a temporary break due to leg surgery, leaving his son in charge.
"Ah, my favorite customer! Good to see you," the older male replied warmly, his eyes reflecting gratitude for the visit. "Taking a bit of a breather, mending the leg but i'm sure I can get you whatever it is you need, your regular I assume?"
"my regular, I am glad to see your surgery went well."
the man left the conversation with a hum, and a small smile perked on his face, as he treaded towards the back of the shop.
A familiar red-headed male emerged through the door. Vinny Hong, a close "friend" – though she hesitated to label it that way – their mothers were acquainted, and that was the extent of her knowledge about him.
She gave him a small wave; he acknowledged with a nod before strolling through the store, paying little attention to the smaller girl.
She thanked the older male as he put her sandwich in a small bag, paying him the proper change she waved him goodbye with a smile, the bells on top of the wall jingling as the door opened and closed.
Walking back, she cursed in surprise as a bike came peddling down the hill faster than lightning, almost running her over in the process,
"The hell, who was that..?" she shook her head, shrugging it off not wanting to think about it anymore than she already had before going back to walking.
୨୧・┈┈・┈┈・୨୧
Arriving home, she didn't expect her mother to be on the porch of their home with her hands crossed over her chest while leaning on the door with a scowl perched upon her face.
placing her foot on the porch, she walked up the steps before trying to walk past the vexed–looking women only for her wrist to be taken in a firm hold.
"So you're just gonna act like i'm not standing here smart ass?"
It was normal for her to make comments like this whenever she was angry, she'd even act like that in front of the younger ones, but if there was one thing everyone knew about Zoey in her neighborhood, she wasn't scared of anyone, not even her own Momma.
She stared blankly at the women, just nodding her head. In her mind she wanted to roll her eyes, but that would only get her kicked out and she didn't have anywhere else to go.
Her nosy ass neighbors weren't an option, they'd obviously ask "argued with sheila again, huh?" she'd almost lashed out the last time someone asked her that, and it wouldn't have been a pretty sight to see.
Returning her focus to the older women, she clicked her tongue and gestured toward the interior of the house.
"Luckily for you, it's a Friday afternoon. I managed to secure extra time for work tomorrow. You're in charge of looking after your siblings, so get some rest." The girl could only bob her head, signaling she understood, then began trudging into the house.
Her siblings were most likely dead asleep by now. striding away to her bedroom, she flops down onto her bed, pulling out the pack of cigarettes she'd gotten from the store out of her pocket, and picking up the lighter left in her bed drawer.
holding up the tobacco to her lips, she lights the charcoal tip as she sits up crisscrossed on her bed. She takes a drag and releases a large sigh, only to lay back and close her eyes. No one gave a damn about her health, so why should she?
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01. " MOMMA " ❝. .It's addictive, you know this, but you still lick the wrapper..❞
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alysha speaks! and that is the end of chapter one!! how are we feeling bout it guys??
