When The Fourth Wall Breaks

Prologue

Twilight has arrived and everybody who's in a state of normality knows that it's not the perfect time to wander inside a bookstore. Well, whoever that normal person is, I'm quite sure that it's definitely not me. The bookstore had been my safe haven ever since I was about seven years old.

I have read more than half of the population of books displayed in bookstores. It really feels like I've nothing to read anymore. Most of the stories tells the same story and I'm starting to grow out of it.

I've read hundreds of fairytales, starting from Cinderella to the latest fairy book. Stories surrounding thieves and crooks to knights and peasants.

Every book provides a spark of hope for me, a girl who lives under the shadows of her friends and relatives.

Every single person I know possesses different kinds of talents, meanwhile, here I am sitting alone in a corner holding another novel in my hands.

The left corner of the bookstore is usually my reading spot whenever I have time to visit. I prefer buying books since first of all, my parents support me with my reading habit. They say that they find it quite amusing to have their daughter as a reader than someone who just relies her entertainment based on the internet alone.

Other than that, they see books as a prized possession.

I sigh as I opened the book to a random page without bothering to check on what the title is.

It has always been like this and I'm starting to think that maybe I should change my ways. I have been marked as the 'reader' in my family. It's not as if it's a bad title for a teenager, but being called a reader alone and nothing else feels so... unsatisfying.

But I thank all the books for being my aid. Without them, I probably wouldn't have any title in the family at all.

A tear runs down my cheek as I slightly tilt my head upwards, thinking that the action might stop me from crying.

Again, it has always been like this.

No one would ever understand. Well, except from the authors who served as my voice even if none of my relatives read as much as I do.

They will never know the pain even if I would be willing to explain for a thousand times.

My breathing turns muffled and I could only cover my mouth to ease the pain I'm feeling at the moment. I have to suppress the tears and hide everything away from the people surrounding me, particularly the sellers and the other readers.

Because if any one of them sees me then there would be a huge possibility that one, or more, of them would particularly tell my parents.

It's an odd day today. My parents would usually be the ones to come with me all the way to the bookstore to buy something that would keep me company whenever we're in a family gathering.

But now, it's just me. Just me and the silent tears.

I could enumerate all the talents of every friend and relative of mine. Well, if it's not about talent, then I can tell that they're gifted through physical beauty. If we're not talking about beauty or talent, then let's proceed with intelligence.

Flashes of my relatives faces pops up to my view. The frustration had driven me far enough, I couldn't bare with it alone.