Everything was really dark; I couldn't see anything. The last thing I saw was dad slapping mom. The sound echoed throughout the room loudly as I looked at my younger-self peeping through the door of our room. After that moment, everything shattered like glass. Now I'm floating in void of darkness and nothingness.
"Elliot... Elliot."
"What the... Who's there!?" I questioned after hearing the echo of an unknown voice.
"Eliot." In a small voice. "Elliot!" It yelled in a deep growly voice.
"What, WHAT!? WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE ARE YOU?"
"Wake up, WAKE UP!"
"SHOW YOURSELF!" I demanded.
After I demanded I suddenly got pulled back. I flew backwards at a great speed. I looked around and structures started to suddenly form. Wood and concrete came falling down from above and sticked together.
Next thing I knew I was pulled back into the sofa in the living room. I kept panting and panting out of nervousness of what had happen. I was shaking and freaked out until my attention got caught by the voice of mom and my younger-self in the kitchen.
"What the fuck was that..." I said panting.
I turned my attention to the conversation my younger-self had with mom.
"Where'd you get that bruise?" My younger-self asked.
"Oh this? I uh, fell down the chair last night while waiting for your dad." Said mom.
"Uh-huh..."
"Why?"
"You're a terrible liar."
"I'm not lying, Elliot."
"Bullshit."
"Hey watch your mouth young lady!"
"I saw what happened last night. Dad slapped you right in the face."
"Look, he was just drunk, he didn't mean it."
"Why are you defending him?"
"I'm not!"
The two of them started to have a heated argument early in the morning. Dad was still sound asleep.
"You are defending him! He's treating you like shit and you continue to defend that stupid old drunk!"
"Elliot Venus Mirage, you watch on what you call your father with that mouth. He's still the one who works to earn money for us all here."
"Yeah sure, wastes it all on his damn alcohol."
Mom sighed for a moment. "Can we just please, not talk about his anymore? It's early in the morning and you have school. How'd you got up so early this time?"
"Fiercey bit my ears."
"Oh, is that so?" Mom laughed. "So that's where he was this morning. Is she still in your room?"
"I think yeah, she lied on my bed. I'll go check on her."
"Finish your breakfast first." Mom ordered.
"Alright,"
My younger-self finished all the cereal and drank all the milk from the bowl. She washed the bowl and utensils and dried them. She went back into her room to ready her clothes for school. She looked around but didn't saw Fiercey anywhere in her room.
"Mom! Fiercey's not here!" I informed.
"Where can she be now?" Mom replied.
"I don't know, maybe somewhere under something."
"Won't she get trapped or suffocated or something?"
"I highly doubt that, she'll just come out when she's hungry." I assured mom.
"Alright alright. Get your butt to the showers, the bus will be here soon." Ordered mom.
She got to the bathroom and took a bath to get ready. I walked into our room to try and look for Fiercey again since I remember what happened here. Even so, there isn't much I can do to change it. I didn't see Fiercey under the bed, or in any corners, so I looked at where my hunch said she would be: My backpack.
There I saw her. Soundly sleeping beside my books. I remembered this day. It was one embarrassing day. Luckily Fiercey didn't die, I can't believe I'll be relieving it. Poor younger me, I can't really do anything but watch.
My younger-self came out of the bathroom and went straight to our room. She dried and changed her clothes.
"Wow, I miss my old clothes." I said to myself.
She finished changing her clothes and started drying her hair. After hanging her towel, she zipped her school bag close – not noticing Fiercey inside – and took it.
"Wow, you're right on time today." Said mom.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know, ask yourself that." Mom chuckled.
"Haha, very funny old hag."
"Alright, bus must already be downstairs. Scootch young lady, off to another glorious day." Mom said pushing.
"Really excited to get me out of the house, huh?"
"Nah, it's just you." Chuckled mom.
"Alright, babye." My younger self said.
"Bye, Elliot."
She opened the door and shut it close. I phased through the door and followed myself. She took the stairs since the elevator wasn't working and under maintenance.
"They'll never get that elevator fixed, pft." Elliot complained.
My younger-self easily rushed down seven floors of stairs while I was panting to keep up.
Ah yes, the "perks" of getting old, am I right?
We finally got down on the first floor and rushed towards the entrance. The bus was there waiting. I phased through the bus full of teenagers. Noisy teenagers. Younger me got up as well and sat at the back with our friends (well, my past friends). Margarette and Deana, my two high school besties.
"Wow, you're early today." Said Margarette.
"I had the intuition to get up early."
"Woah, are we sure you're really Elliot Mirage?" Teased Deana.
"No. I came to suck all the life outta everyone." Replied Elliot.
"Please no! I haven't even sucked on Brandon or Yurian yet!" Dramatized by Margarette.
"You are disgusting." Replied Elliot.
"I know." Laughed Deana and Margarette.
They had a long bus ride towards the High school. I sat there with them the whole bus ride, and it was very annoying. Never thought my teenage self would be like this, now I know how mom feels.
We arrived at the school grounds and got off the bus. There were so many students there.
"Damn, I miss my high school." I said to myself.
I followed Young Elliot, Margarette and Deana to the entrance and onto the hallway. It was crowded with teenagers. Noisy and unruly teenagers. Some were in groups while others walked alone, some were couples making out by their locker.
"Disgusting little pricks" I scoffed.
I followed the three through the hall and entered our classroom. Lot of yapping mouths, gossiping, making out. Usually at this stage kids have their hormones bursting like shit.
Later on, the bell rang and all the students at the hallway immediately ran to their classrooms. The teacher came in the classroom and everyone was silent. It was English this morning with Missus Olivia. She said "Good morning" to the class and they replied back.
She talked briefly before starting class for encouragement, but I didn't pay much attention since I was more focused on what would happen next. Missus Olivia was a nice person but a really strict teacher. That's what made this a bad memory.
"Alright everybody, bring out your textbooks and turn them to Chapter 16 page 135." Ordered Missus Olivia.
"Hey, did you do our homework?" Whispered Margarette.
"Yeah, I did. Why?" Young Elliot replied.
"Well, I didn't"
"What? You had a whole weekend to do so."
"Well, I was uh, busy." Margarette excused.
"Alright, class if I may recall, I gave you all homework last time, right? Bring it out now?" Said Missus Olivia.
"Elliot, give, now." Said Margarette.
"Alright, alright, jeez. Make it quick."
Elliot opened her bag searched for the homework. While shuffling her hand inside she felt something furry and warm.
"What the.." She spoke.
"Oh God... here it goes." I said.
"What the hell... Fiercey!?" She said looking inside her bag. "What the hell are you doing inside my bag!?"
"Something wrong? Miss Mirage?" Asked Missus Olivia.
"Ah, nothing! Nothing." She answered.
"Elliot, where is it?" Margarette asked.
"Give me a second dammit." Elliot said panicking. "Where is it, goddamn where is it!?" She said shuffling.
Later on, Elliot felt something at the bottom of her bag. Pieces of papers crumpled with shreds.
Elliot grabbed hold of the papers and looked at it. The papers she wrote last night was trashed and shredded.
"You little son of a bitch!" Elliot said while grabbing Fiercey in the bag. Fircey fought back her hand. It was starting to cause a ruckus. "I'm going to kill you! You piece of shit cat!" Elliot exclaimed.
"Miss Mirage!" Called Missus Olivia. "What is going on!?"
Everyone in the room went silent and looked at young Elliot with her hand inside her bag. It was really an embarrassing moment, even for me.
"Uhh, ma'am, it's uh, nothing!"
"What's in your bag? And where's your homework?"
"Uh well, ma'am, it's uh, it's right here." Elliot replied while shuffling her hands inside to grab hold of the papers.
"Alright then, bring it out." Said Missus Olivia.
Elliot grabbed hold of the papers and was bringing it out but then Fiercey bit her hand. Elliot shrieked and brought out her hand out of the bag scattering the pieces of paper everywhere.
"Miss Mirage, what is this!?" Missus Olivia exclaimed.
"Ma'am, I am so sorry there's a problem-"
"Is this your homework? What happened?"
"Ma'am there's something inside my bag."
"Well then bring it out!" Demanded Missus Olivia.
"I, uh, okay..." Elliot said panicking. She grabbed Fiercey by the neck and brought her out of the bag. Everybody looked at her.
"Miss Mirage, why do you have a kitten inside your bag!? You know this school prohibits bringing pets."
"I-I know ma'am, I'm sorry it was an accident..."
"An accident? You didn't know that thing was in your bag?"
"N-no ma'am." Elliot replied shaking.
I remember this time. It was really embarrassing. Everyone was looking at me and laughing at me like I was some sort of freak. Even now watching it happen again, I still feel like a fool.
"Why not!? That's your bag, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you know that, that thing was in your bag? Do you not check your bag before going to school?"
"I do, but I really just didn't notice."
"Ah. You check your bag, but not properly. Now this happens. Another even could happen; an example is you forgetting to bring your homework to class because of your tardiness."
"But ma'am I really did do and bring my homework-!"
"Quiet! Off to detention for violating a school rule and missing homework." Ordered Missus Olivia.
Young Elliot placed Fiercey back in the bag and took it. Missus Olivia accompanied her and I followed. While leaving the room everyone was still looking at her, whispering and gossiping about what had happened. Later on, Elliot was put in detention for the rest of the morning. She did her homework while being there.
When lunch break happened, Elliot didn't have the energy anymore and went home. When she opened the door to their apartment, her mom and dad were surprised.
"Elliot? What're you doing back home?" Mom asked.
"Fiercey's inside my bag." She answered coldly while walking.
"What? What do you mean?" Mom asked again.
"She's in my bag, she shredded my goddamn homework!" She yelled.
"Oi, watch your tone, eh?" Dad butted in. He was drinking in the middle of the day.
"Alright, alright, where is she?"
"Here." I said grabbing Fiercey out of my bag and dropping her to the floor.
"Is that the little furball you're talking about love?" Asked dad.
"Yes yes, she's cute right?" Mom said holding up and carrying Fiercey to dad.
"My God, such a cute little thing, eh." Said dad.
"Remember when we always wanted a cat when we were teenagers?" Mom asked dad.
"Yeah yeah, we always wanted to keep one, and a dog!" Dad reminiscent.
"But instead, you got me huh?" Elliot butted in.
"Oh yeah, little devil!" Dad laughed.
"Butch!" Mom scolded.
Elliot went into her room and slammed the door. I followed inside and saw her lying down on the bed. For the rest of the afternoon Elliot slept. I remember how tired it was that day during Detention. But that... that wasn't really the highlight of the day.
Later on, that night young Elliot finally woke up. It was around 6pm that time and dinner was getting readied. The whole afternoon I watched mom and dad play with Fiercey and talk about how cute he was.
Elliot came out of her room and onto the the living room. Dad was still with Fiercey while mom was readying the table.
"You slept all afternoon?" Asked dad.
"Mm." She answered.
After that there was no more conversation. Mom placed the meals on the table and called us. They sat down on the table, prayed and ate.
"How's your scar?" Mom asked.
"Still hurts."
"You'll get over it."
"Of course. If it's me, it's nothing."
"Oi, you watch how you answer your mother, Elliot." Dad said.
"Oh, is that so? It's me who has to watch how I treat mom? What about you huh? You and your slappy hands with her?"
"Elliot!" Exclaimed mom.
"What!? It's true, don't lie to me, I saw it!"
'It was an accident!" Mom defended.
"Why are you defending him!?"
"I am not defending him!"
"Elliot, finish your food, now." Ordered dad. "You too Ellie."
"Oh, now who's talking." I replied.
"I am your father dammit."
"Then act like one!"
Dad slammed his utensils on the table and got up.
"Butch, where are you going?" Asked mom.
Dad didn't answer. He put on a coat, grabbed the car keys and took a bottle with him and left.
"Butch wait!" Exclaimed mom while dad slammed the door closed.
"What is wrong with you." Said mom.
"What is wrong with me? What's wrong with you! Defending the stupid old drunk!" Elliot replied.
"Go to your room. NOW!" Mom ordered.
Elliot got up and slammed her door room. Mom sat down on the table and placed both her hands on her face sighing. The rest of the night was silent and cold. Elliot didn't come out of her room and mom didn't attempt in talking with her nor dad.
The house was silent until 10:30 pm. Dad wasn't still home and our telephone rang. Mom answered and Elliot peeped through the door to listen. Mom's face was shocked and looked like about to cry on the phone.
I got closer to mom to hear the phone call. There I heard the news that changed our family forever. The news that dad got in an accident while driving.