1 Network Love 1

"RYEN! RYEN! Where is this child?!"

Oh no. There she goes again. I should hide.

"Ryen! If you won't come out, I'm sure I will throw you out if I find you!"

I went out of my room and stood outside there, facing the floor.

"Here I am mom," I said in a very small voice.

"How many times do I have to call you?!" Her loud voice rang inside my ears. She lifted my head to face her and then she hit me.

"Ah! Mom it hurts." I said almost crying as she hits my head again and again.

"What? Did I hear you complain just now?" I shook my head as a response, and I turned my eyes sideways as I saw my stepmother's, another man, Jungseok. She's been seeing him for quite a while now. He went down to the living room and sat on the sofa with his feet on it which angers me because it's as if he already owns the house when he's a homeless drunkard.

"Ryen, could you buy us 10 bottles of beer and soju so that you'll have something to do instead of just staying in your room and doing things on your laptop."

My step-mom stopped hitting me and went to her 'boyfriend'. She sat on his lap and started kissing him. Their kiss went deep and I stood there watching their gross doing. I almost threw up at the sight of them. And then they stopped and my stepmom's boyfriend looked at me angrily.

"What are you looking at?! And why are you still standing there?! I told you to buy us beer, don't you understand that?!"

I slightly jumped at the loudness of his voice. I scurried to my feet and went inside my room to get my jacket. When I got outside I forgot to bring the money so I came back inside and asked.

"Uhm uncle, where's the money I'll use to buy you drinks?"

They were still making out and they stopped as if the world stopped and the both of them glared at me. Jungseok stood and pushed my stepmom away not too gentle. He then walked towards me, more like stomping perhaps.

"Use your money, you dimwit! I know your father sent you money last week! So use that! And use your head!" He pointed at my head and pushed it using his finger.

"But it's for my allowance. If I use it for unnecessary purposes, I might run out of money at the end of the month--" I could not finish what I'm saying because he grabbed my face and squeezed it hard. I winced in pain as tears slowly filled my eyes.

"Dare to say another word and I'll snatch your mouth off of your face." He let go of my face and tears finally escaped my eyes. I just looked down as I sobbed silently. I wiped off my tears before he could do anything to me again.

"What are you waiting for?! Get your money dumbhead!" I scrambled at my feet and almost stumbled as I ran to my room to get my wallet. I walked out of my room and saw them making out again. Right now I decided to ignore them because my step-mom is already almost naked. I half-ran towards the door and made sure not to slam it. Because if I do it, I'll receive another scolding for sure.

The nearest convenience store is just a few blocks away. I took my time walking and watched the starless night sky above me. I just wish Daddy is alright. I wish I could tell him what my step-mom had been doing at his back. Spending his hard-earned money on that jerk. But I can't. They blackmailed me that they'll do something bad to me and that my step-mom will tell my father how disgraceful I am. I couldn't do anything. Except let out my feelings on my dummy account. I took my phone from my pocket and started fumbling for some words.

"𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵."

I posted it and just some minutes after, it already received almost a hundred reactions and fifty shares with some comments from the people I made friends with online saying they agree to what I posted and some other stuff. They don't know who I am. It's better that way. They only knew me as Mist, the famous girl online who has a shitty life in the real world.