butterflies rising | ✓

6: loosing everything

6 months ago Temperance woke up with a horrible headache. She lays in bed, wondering if maybe she could just skip school and sleep all day. She couldn't.

Temperance slips out of bed and puts on a pair of slippers. As she's leaving her bedroom she's stopped by the reflection of herself in the mirror she hung on the back of her door.

Temperance looked much different just 6 months ago. She was what everyone wanted her to be, much to her dad's dismay, who wanted so much for her to express herself. She's the same height, slightly heavier in weight, but not by much. Her face isn't as slim, she has fuller cheeks and warmer skin. Her collar bones are defined, but don't stick out. Her hair is it's natural light brown, no bleached pieces in front. She doesn't ever wear heavy makeup, she hardly wears makeup at all. Andrew hates girls who wear too much makeup. She wears colorful clothing, floral dresses and skinny jeans. Andrew loves these things. She's less outspoken and hardly speaks above a whisper at all. She's shy in school and doesn't talk to anyone but her friends. Andrew hates when she talks to people she doesn't know.

Temperance steps out of her room and makes her way to the kitchen. Her dad sits at their breakfast table, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Morning, Tempie." He chirps.

"Morning, Papa." Temperance says. She pours herself a cup of coffee and sits down beside him, peering over to what he's reading.

Temperance's dad was a tall man, average build. He had Temperance's brown hair and her blue eyes. They were often told they looked almost like twins. He was smart, resilient, and caring.

In his third year of college he met a beautiful young woman with dark brown hair and green eyes. They fell in love and eventually she told him she was pregnant. She wanted to put the baby up for adoption, but Temperance's dad was overjoyed and offered to take care of the baby. He loved Temperance more than anything in the world. She was his pride and joy. His everything.

After college Temperance's dad got a job at The Portland Post as a journalist. It was his dream job. He worked hard, eventually making it to the front page. Temperance was always so intrigued by his work, interviewing people and writing informing articles. She thought maybe she'd do the same one day.

"What're you doing later?" Temperance asks her him. He shrugs.

"I'll probably have to work late. You might be on your own for dinner, unless you want me to pick something up on my way home."

"Ok, I'll let you know." Temperance says. She heads back to her room to get dressed. She peers into her closet and decides on a yellow dress that reaches her knees. She cleans herself up, washing her face and brushing her hair.

She leaves for school at 7:45, taking the short walk down a few streets, turning twice and ending up at campus. Temperance sees Andrew waiting out front for her, scrolling through his phone as he usually does. Temperance runs up to him, a big smile on her face to hide how tired she was.

"Good morning!" Temperance says cheerfully. Andrew scowls at her.

"What are you wearing?" He says. Temperance looks down at her dress and furrows her eyebrows. It covers her thighs and chest completely.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a whore's dress."

It had spaghetti straps holding it up, and Temperance now realizes that's what he's referring to. Temperance stands there, hardly phased by Andrew's words. She's used to them, she thought he might say something about the dress. But she wore it anyways, and now she regrets it.

"I'm sorry, Andrew."

"Whatever." Andrew start towards the front door. Temperance follows in suit, keeping her head down. When they get inside Andrew throws his arm around Temperance, gripping her shoulder tightly. He walks her to her first period, not saying anything until he gets to the door.