"So you don't remember anything I've taught you this past summer?"
"I do! B-but I forg-"
"That is not an excuse. Why can't you figure out this simple question?"
"I'm not making excuses! I don't understand what you're saying, nor do I get what I'm supposed to do!"
"It's. So. Simple. You've already determined what a, b, and c are, as well as the vertex of f(x) = ax² + bx + c! Plug the numbers in!"
"But do I use the quadratic formula or the vertex co-ordinates?"
Her father didn't answer. Instead, a sickening crunch echoed around the large study, and the next thing Ahsoka knew, a large purple bruise was forming on her cheek.
Her bright blue eyes welled-up with tears, bottom lip trembling in fear and indignance.
Pathetic.
Incompetent.
"I'm going to help your sister get ready for bed and in five minutes, I'll be back. By then, you'd better be finished. Or else."
As soon as he left the room, the young girl buried her head between her arms and sobbed.
***
"... you'd all better count those beats correctly," Mr. Huckins said, staring at Ahsoka harshly.
"Why is he staring at me?" she whispered to her friend Euna, who sat to her left.
Huckins sneered. "Why am I looking at you? Because you either count it wrong or you don't count at all."
His snide comment was met with a gaping, uncomfortable silence. Then he grinned. "So class, you have two choices. Either do it right or don't do it at all."
Ahsoka clutched onto her flute tightly, begging herself not to break her character.
***
"Talk! Or are you mute? I didn't raise you to be disobedient!"
Although the words were unspoken, the implication was harsh.
That bastard.
"I'm not mute, you're simply deaf," Ahsoka shot back in retaliation. "How about you shut up and let me talk?"
The shock on her father's face quickly contorted into fury. "How dare you?" Craig Tano roared, his chair scraping against the floor loudly with the textbook in hand.
"Your mother will hear about this. Theresa!"
The sound of slippers repeatedly hitting the ground at a fast pace signaled impending doom.
Theresa stalked into the room, glaring at the distance between her husband and daughter. "Ahsoka Tano. How many times have we had this conversation before, you insufferable waste of space?"
"I'm not a waste of space!"
"Yes, you are. You're an incompetent student, and you-" she snarled, whirling on her husband, "are an incompetent teacher!"
"I-"
"Admit it, Craig!"
After endless hours, her parents' bickering was finally over. Ahsoka was glad; her ears were just about ready to burst.
"Ahsoka."
Kriff.
"Y-Yes?"
"Outside," Theresa glowered. "Now."
"But I-"
"NOW!"
The girl flinched, scurrying past her furious mother and down the steps, slipping only her phone, headphones, some money and snacks from her room before slipping on her shoes and running out the door.
As she stepped over the threshold, her life as she knew it was over.
***
Overwhelmed by the torrent of angry tears threatening to fall, Ahsoka slipped out her phone to call a friend — and wept.
But she couldn't stay like this. She knew Anakin would be able to help her. He understood. He always did.
***
A/N: here's a little bit of fluff mixed with angst :) i have a fully-fluff chapter out next with our fav brother-sister trio and i'm almost done writing it. i hope you enjoyed this chapter! see y'all very soon!
- jazzy