Chapter 1.

Recently, I've been swimming in an ocean of despair, but as we drew nearer to the dilapidated old home, I felt a flutter of joy that echoed through the sadness.

In spite of the fact that the home was not in the least bit modern or flashy, it exceeded my expectations in a number of diverse ways.

We packed up our two-bedroom flat in a terrible neighbourhood in Sacramento and headed east. We've moved to a different state. The daily commute had turned into a source of unending stress for her. Though I was excited to begin a new phase of my life, I couldn't help but make plans for the worst.

To say that I dislike living with my mother and her husband for the last three years would be an understatement, yet that is precisely what has occurred. My dear grandma raised me and took care of me throughout my life, but she passed away a few years ago. Only my grandma could provide me a place to stay, and my mother was unable to do so.

All she wants is for me to call her "Ashina." She treated me like I was nothing more than a stray child she found on the street. Ashina and I have what can only be regarded as a non-existent relationship, which, in essence, means that she acts as if I do not exist, and I try my best to keep out of her way. Our dynamic can only be fully understood in this light. It's because she's married that things have become complicated. Unfortunately, Kane's drinking makes him a true jerk. Kane enjoys alcohol much more than is healthy for him. I try to avoid Kane's company while he's been drinking to protect myself from any potentially dangerous actions he could take.

We very recently uprooted our lives and went all the way to Georgia, as Ashina had been granted a job there. Ashina ended up footing much of the expense because of Kane's unreliability on the job. The majority of my jobs just asked me to put in half a day. I had to shell out cash from my own pocket since Ashina refused to pay for our basic needs.

The new home was far bigger than I had anticipated. It seemed pretty ancient due to the chipped white paint and the skewed porch that extended from the front of the home.

When we first found out we were moving across the country, one of the things I was most looking forward to was the chance of obtaining a new bedroom of my very own. When I lived in Sacramento, all I did to modify my bedroom was build a curtain so that I would be physically isolated from the dining area, which was used very occasionally. It was Kane's intention to transform the second bedroom into an office.

I parked in the driveway, hopped out, did some stretching, and threw my rucksack over my shoulder before walking up to the front door. Due to the fact that I had sufficient past experience with this method, I was able to filter out Ashina and Kane's argument. I overheard the beginning of their argument.

Even though the front porch moaned and creaked every time I crossed it, I didn't mind it. I took advantage of the solitude by reading a book and lounging on the porch. Kane seldom went anywhere outside the booze shop when he did go out.

Ashina let Kane in via the front door, and Kane was already inside. I wasted no time making the ascent to the second level and my bedroom.

"The smallest of the chambers is the one known as Lovota. Don't lose sight of the importance of keeping it in mind. I wasn't going to forget, but Ashina prodded me nonetheless, just in case.

As soon as I walked upstairs and had a look around, I was incredibly pleased that the lavatory was positioned in such close proximity to my bedroom. After briefly scoping out Ashina and Kane's bedroom, I couldn't help but break out in a broad grin. The fact that Kane would leave me alone for a change was a huge relief, and the attached bathroom made it feasible.

When Kane was under the influence of alcohol, he would put our partnership through its paces on a regular basis. He was perceptive, and he refrained from engaging in conduct like that if Ashina was there. When I was in Kane's company, I was never able to escape the notion that I needed to be on high alert. This feeling never went away. It wasn't the first time he'd become violent, but while he was drunk, he was a lot simpler to get away from. This time, however, he attacked me physically.

As soon as I walked into my bedroom, I saw that the paint on the walls had begun to peel. I decided to take care of the problem immediately. As soon as I found work, I would be able to spruce up the look of this area so that it was more appropriate for a business setting.

I opened a savings account as soon as I turned 16 and have been contributing to it ever since I could legally hold a job. In spite of the fact that I had an unblemished academic record, it was essential for me to have a Plan B in place in the event that I was not selected for a scholarship. My intention was to move away from this community as soon as I was eighteen years old, and the idea never left my mind.

I put my backpack down on the ground and made a cursory survey of my immediate environment before continuing. Even if there wasn't much room, there were still four walls and a door that worked perfectly (both opening and closing). A shabby queen-sized bed and an old dresser made of wood were tucked away in one of the room's nooks, up against the other wall.

I ran downstairs as fast as I could, and despite the fact that carrying the heavy baggage was a challenge, I was able to get it from the trunk of Ashina's vehicle. While Ashina and Kane continued to quarrel, I took advantage of their disagreement to successfully carry my suitcase to the top of the stairs in a timely manner. Thanks to their argument, I had plenty of time.

My carry-on luggage was just the right size to accommodate all of my essentials. Even though I didn't have many clothes, I had resigned myself to the terrible truth of the situation. I had grown used to it.

I shoved the few articles of clothes I had into the dirty drawer, and the following morning, I went through the drawer to find an outfit to go to school.

When it came to getting me registered at the public school located in our area, Ashina had not spent any time at all. Anything that may get me out of the house and away from the receding hairline that Kane is growing would be much appreciated.

Before I dashed down the stairs, I hastily slid my debit card into the back pocket of my jeans.

During the time that Kane was putting up the little television in the living room, Ashina had her back turned to me and was having an argument with Kane.

The inquiry "Where do you think you're going?" is meant to be taken in a rhetorical sense. As soon as I opened the entrance to the front porch, Ashina whirled around to confront me and let out an angry shout.

I had to make a conscious effort to suppress the desire to give her the evil eye and roll my eyes at her. In the past, she never exhibited the slightest bit of curiosity in the locations I visited. I just shrugged my shoulders and stated with a deadpan laugh, "I'm going to go find something for dinner."

I no longer participate in the tradition of having dinner with Ashina and Kane as I used to a long time ago. I was resolute about avoiding giving any of the money that I earned to Ashina, despite the fact that the court had assigned her to serve as my legal guardian until I turned eighteen. On the other hand, I was solely reliant on the resources that I had at my disposal in order to make ends meet.

"While you're out, pick up a case of beer for me." Kane blew up, his piercing eyes narrowing in concentration as he peered at the hazy image on the screen.

Because this individual was such an idiot, I couldn't help but grit my teeth in exasperation. "I am seventeen years old."

As I spun on my heel and walked for the front door, Kane was muttering something, but I didn't pay any attention to what he was saying. As I turned into the main thoroughfare, I heaved a sigh into my own ear. My knowledge of my goal was nonexistent at that point. My eyes kept darting left and right a few times until I finally decided to go with the choice that was to my right.

Simply locating a gas station was all that was required of me. I could get myself a bottle of water and a bag of chips, and that would be all I would need for the evening.

I don't know how long I had been going along the main road, but it had to have been at least fifteen minutes when I glanced up with a sigh of relief as I saw a tiny corner store emerge in front of me.

That was one facet of Sacramento that I enjoyed and would miss after moving away from the state. In the state of Sacramento, you can pretty much turn any way and find a petrol station, grocery store, or convenience store. This is because there are so many people living there.

I walked inside the dingy convenience store and welcomed the young lady at the register as soon as I could. It was just a few years that separated us in age. Before stepping up to the checkout, the first thing I did was get a granola bar, a bag of chips, and a couple of bottles of water.