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Ria's POV
The room was dim and cold with clothes splattered all over the floor. I had to drag my feet to even get to my bed. I sat down and brought out my computer so that I could work on my essay but all I could do was stare at the empty white page. No words could enter my mind, the things that happened to Mari were still rummaging through my mind. My hand twitched and I felt the sudden urge to beat up Jay again but it Bill
already beat me to it. 'He didn't do so badly there, I'll give him that' I shut my computer and laid down on my bed and was hit by the smell of cheese puffs, I really needed to get these sheets washed. My eyelids felt heavy and could barely stay open. I was ready to sleep even without having
changed to my pj's and since I'd already taken a shower right after I got home from school I didn't have to think about that. I let out a groan and shut my eyes, ready to feel at peace when I heard heavy footsteps that made me spring up. My body was up but I still kept my eyes to the dirty
floor.
I could feel his presence by the door but he wasn't saying anything and I wasn't gonna be the first one to speak. I mentally strangled myself over having forgotten to shut my door. "Look at you Ria, you look like a pig living in a pen," he snickered. "It's filthy, clean your room better." If I wasn't so busy cleaning the whole house after you while studying day and night to get good grades so you won't kill me then sure, maybe I'd have more time to clean my room.' Is what I wanted to say but instead all I could do was clench my jaw. "What woman can't even do that?" I let out a groan at his stupid words which ticked my father off more, I should've been more quiet. "You remind me of your mother, beautiful but stupid." His voids were sharp and kept me on edge. "Barely even knew how to take
care of herself, that's why she ended up like that," he sighed. 'Okay, I get it.'
I couldn't even mutter those words, if there was even a slightest chance of him hearing them he would've gotten even angrier. "Your mother." He paused. “She was nothing more than a whore." I looked at him with wide eyes and saw how dark his eyes were as they looked at me, so judgeful and
cold. "Don—" "Quiet Ria!" he shouted.
"If you don't get your act together you'll end up just like her, running off with some man, abandoning your own family." he said through gritted teeth.
"One day I'll move out of this shitty household." I glared. He crossed his arms over his chest, "On your own? You'll need a man by your side just like your mother did. Will you use your body to survive?" Those words filled me with anger, my body started to heat up and my breathing became rugged. I stood up and took a step forward with my jaw clenched and furrowed brows, I knew I must've looked stupid to him. "Shut the fuck up." I breathed out, my voice was low and dark. His eyebrow twitched up and his glare became sharper. "What did you say?" Silence filled the room and the room had become even colder, to the point where I could feel myself start trembling. "I said, shut the fuck up!" His eyes went wide and he lifted his hand, "Don't you dare speak to your father that way!" I ducked past him and ran out of the room, my heart kept on beating faster and faster, to the point where it felt like it would jump out of my chest. I ran out of the house and into the dimly lit street and gasped for air, like it was the first time I'd ever breathed in my life. The tears couldn't stop coming and I didn't even want to bother to wipe them away, I just stood, at some random part of the street alone.
I took out my phone and called Mari but she didn't pick up. Couldn't really blame her since it was twelve-thirty right now and she was always the type to fall asleep early. So I rummaged through my contacts to see if there was anyone I could call and landed on one. I stared at his number as my finger hovered over the call button. I needed someone, anyone.
'Just pick up, please..' I pressed the button and felt how my throat went dry as I heard his calm breathing. "Hey?"
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