Two Opposite Worlds

Yara's torso spontaneously plopped down to her knees while her hands wrapped her ears. She shut her eyes as the object smashed the wall of her bedroom strongly and broke to pieces, clattering and scattering on the floor.

"Argh…." Her mouth screamed at the thundering sound. "I-I haven't received my salary yet." She stammered, struggling to defeat her fright; her stuttering answer faded among the clinging and banging of the items thrown at her.

Enduring the pain on the sole of her foot, Yara slowly moved aside while bearing her wound to avoid the rampage of another attack from her wrathful mother. She squatted behind the sofa with her palms shielding her head, anticipating the flying objects as that drunk woman kept tossing anything her eyes found toward her direction.

"Do you think you can fool me?" Yara's ears could catch her creaking slippers coming nearer with her roaring voice piercing her hearing." I know you're working on that cruise ship. Get out of your hideout! Give me the money! Now!" She covered her wail as her mother smashed a cup onto the sofa which bounced and dropped on its fluffy mattress. Yara's shoulder shuddered behind the sofa. "Yara…." Her level of intonation lowered but lanced. "Yara…."Her voice haunted her like a ghost; the shriek of her footwear followed.

Yara bit her lips; her wide eyes set on the carpet on her left side, expecting her figure to spot her there. Her heart pounded against her chest, waiting for what kind of calamity would strike once her mother discovered her here.

"I got you!"

That woman hovered over her with her hand reaching out to her head. Her fingers pulled some strands of Yara's hair and screams blazed out of her mouth.

"Argh….it hurt, Mom…please…let go of my hair. Please…," she begged while holding her mother's wrist to force her to release her hair.

That furious woman snatched her handbag and pushed her nape to the restroom. Yara fell on the freezing floor conquered by her corpulant arms. Yara's palms bussed the hard tiles and her knees came after; her mouth whined as she sprained her wrists.

"Ouch…."

"You will sleep here tonight."

Then, the door slammed shut, imprisoning Yara crying in hopelessness inside it. Ignoring the the pain of injury on her foot, knees, and wrists which was getting intense, that girl helplessly sat with her curled knees, leaning against the restroom door. She hid her wails onto her lap.

Regret and sorrow slid into her mind. She regretted her bad luck which chased her and the sadness that filled most of her story. Her heart hurt at the fact that no one cared for her. Her mother the one who should shower her with compassion heaped her with hate.

Yara's cry became louder as she began comparing her life to that girl who just held her engagement party on the cruise ship with the man she adored. Her destiny brought her to life everyone dreamed of, having perfect parents, an adorable fiancee, and fancy outfit, and all the items attached to her. Everything she possessed tempted Yara to see her with jealousy.

Meanwhile, her pathetic fate shoved her here, living a horrible life with a woman who detested her like she was trash in her eyes. She even had to work hard to quench her hungry stomach and face her mother's punch and kick almost every day.

Yara's face jerked up; she grunted. "Why is life unfair to me?"

***

Esma studied her reflection in the mirror which displayed the beauty of her big round brown eyes and pointed nose framed by her oval face. Her wavy long brown hair with straight bangs on her forehead fell, covering her ears.

Her cheeks blushed into a smile of satisfaction after applying some makeup to them. Standing up, she posed there for a minute to ensure the perfection of her appearance in her cerulean coat.

Just as her body turned, her mother's entry into her room paused her in her spot. The wrinkles on the woman's forehead deepened with lines of ecstasy.

"Mom…, You look more excited today; what is it that makes you happier?" Esma's narrowing eyes went deeply to her.

"I've good news for you. Guess what it is."

"Well, you know exactly that I am not good at guessing, Mom."

"You will find out later. Now, let's have breakfast; your father has been waiting." She circled her arm around her shoulders, leading their way to the dining room.

Sitting by the big long square table with various foods on it, Mr. Ozkan's face switched to her wife and daughter, greeting them with a smile. He started eating as soon as they all had settled in their seats.

"I am curious about the news, Mom." Esma piped up while picking bread and dipping it into the soup before shoving it into her mouth.

That woman's smiley eyes took a glance at her husband, signaling him to say something. That man stopped cutting his bread and putting the knife next to the plate.

"We, Mr. Durmaz, and I have set the date of your wedding; it will be held next month." Esma looked up at his father with a blush timid smile on her cheeks.

"Has Erhan found out about this, Father?'

"Yeah….Mr Durmaz must have informed him about our decision."

"Esma…what do you think? Do you agree with that?" That girl's gaze shifted to her mother's serious face, looking forward to her answer. A small bow of her head confirmed her agreement which painted the bright of happiness on her parents' countenance.

As the only daughter in the Ozkan family, Esma lived a happy life many people would be envious of; having caring parents who treated her like a jewel was one of the things she was always grateful for. Never did Esma witness the violence not the fight of her parents, in her whole life, not to mention the punch or the rude words addressed to her or any other people in her family.

As a wealthy family, she had many privileges, buying anything she wanted or traveling abroad on vacation. The Ozkan family even sent her to the best institution to pursue her education with which she had a brilliant career in fashion design. In short, Esma could easily and quickly get everything in her hold with one instruction only.

***

The work of cleaning the wide area of the hospital building had occupied Yara since morning so her body weakened with fatigue. Her hands once in a while wiped her sweat dripping from her forehead and temples.

Yara kept pushing and pulling the moping tool, brushing the crystal white tile of the long corridor. Her feet and eyes moved wherever the tool brought her body, tracking the dirty floor.

Her body straightened upright every time she could no longer defeat her exhaustion. While watching the area ahead of her and counting how long her activity would come to an end, Yara's palm fanned her sweaty and smelly torso.

"How long will you rest, Yara?" That loud firm admonition jerked Yara's hand to snatch the mopping tool; she resumed her task with grunts occasionally escaping her mouth. It seemed that her supervisor enslaved her under her strict surveillance.

As Yara possessed no time for a short break with that bulging-eyed woman around, Yara started losing the balance of her weariness. Her foot unconsciously kicked the pail full of water behind her when she was concentrating on mopping the floor.

The dirty water spilled and flooded the hallway. She looked at the puddles in panic and aimed to clean the mess. However, someone's scream halted her, compelling her to spin on her heel. Her shoes slipped on the slippery tiles hauled her body, falling next to the girl - Esma - the one she admired and felt jealous of at the same time.

The hand of a handsome man with his angular jawline, mesmerizing eyes, and an endearing smile on his lips in a white cloak extended, and both girls gaped at him in awe and amazement.

"My Hero comes at the right time," Yara's heart whispered; her gaze clutched in his.