MEERA - 01
Sometimes life is like cool and calm waves. when you just want to stop and savour the moment. Sometimes it's full of adventures, when it truly gives you the feeling that you're alive. Sometimes life means struggle from which you can never run away and sometimes it's fun and joy which you wish would never end. But whatever it is, it has never been static, at least for the rest of the world. But for me, it's like my life has been static ever since the day I was born. The only feeling I ever get is of a prisoner.
Don't get me wrong, I love my dad. He is cool but I don't know why he's overprotective, to a level where he comes home in the evening and the first thing he does is call out my name, I almost always show up immediately, but there are times when I can't, and I don't even wanna remember what happened on all those days. The thing is, he is too concerned about my safety, like I'm some sort of Princess.
Maybe I am..? A secret princess? Why else would I be homeschooled and be taught every kind of skill and was even prohibited from going outside with my friends alone..? Fuck princess, I feel like the fucking Ruppunzel, staying in a big castle, with all luxuries; I can have anything I want but, inside the walls. I'm not allowed to have the life I've always dreamt about.
Sighing heavily I kept the letter carefully at the table near the bed and looked at my dad for the last time. His expressions were soft and the corners of his lips turned up slightly. He might be having a good dream. My chest tightened at the thought of him discovering tomorrow morning that I'm gone. His anxiousness will increase.. he might even go crazy with anger. But at this point there is no going back. I've held on for too long just thinking about him. But now I want to live the life that I've always dreamt of.... even if it's just for a few days...
"I'll be back dad. Don't worry too much about me ok? I'll be back with memories that I can cherish for my whole life and who knows, after this one, maybe you'll believe me enough to let me go. Your house of golden walls can't hold me anymore. I'm leaving papa. I'll be back soon, I promise." I whispered in a low voice and quietly left the room, careful not to wake him up.
The letter contains all the apologies and assurance that I will come back home safe... soon; but it doesn't say where I'm going. Because once he knew he will track me down in no time and bring me back to this cage.
Suddenly my phone started vibrating. Thank god I had already put it on vibration.
"Lilly, I told you not to call before I leave the house!" I spat in the speaker holding it between my ear and my right shoulder while I tried to hurl both my suitcases out of the door as quietly as I could.
"Then you better fucking hurry up! We are already getting late and all these bodyguards are not gonna stay unconscious forever!" She whispered back, panic was clearly evident in her voice.
"Coming coming!" I cut the call, and switched it off before keeping it in my back pocket. Mobile phones are one of the easiest things to track and I afford that, seriously. I'm not even carrying my own suitcases, these are all Lily's. Because I know my dad , he'll go as far as installing a tracker in my things, he's awfully crazy when it comes to my safety. I picked up both bags and ran down a flight of stairs. All those days at the gym are paying off quite nicely.
As I made my way down the stairs I tried not to look at all the picture frames hanging on the wall. But like always, I stopped in front of that one picture. She looked so damn beautiful and radiant, it was a still from one of her solo trips. Her golden skin was glowing brighter under the sun and her hazel eyes were protected by her hand on her forehead, but I can't possibly miss the charm in those eyes and the confidence that her big smile held.
She was a queen of her own world and she knew it. Every single person says that I'm so much like my mom, sure the resemblance is remarkable, but still I'm nothing like her. I never got the chance to know her properly but I do know that she was a beautiful, carefree and a super confident spirit. While I... I can never be like her...
"I need your courage today mom. This is my first time leaving the house without any protection and without telling dad. I need you to be with me." With that I left the house. Every nerve in my body was going crazy with the amount of blood flowing through them. My heart was racing like its life depended on it. well in a way it did. Before running to the car I scanned my surroundings and not a single guard was in sight.
"How did you do that?" I asked Lilly.
"Do what? The guards? Oh honey there were 7 of them! I can't do all of them all together." She said as she helped me put the suitcases in the trunk of her car.
"Not funny. They were from the best security company! How did you manage to knock all of them unconscious!?" I'm going to kick her if she said it's because of the self defence training that she started taking.
"Oh honey, trust can destroy you. They knew I'm your childhood friend and the laddoos with sleeping drugs did the rest of the work. They are getting fired tomorrow anyway. I feel sorry for them." She said closing the trunk. I do too, but that's all I can do right now.. feel sorry.. turning back is not an option anymore.
"Come on, we're already getting late." My heart was pounding loudly in my chest as I sat in the car. Lilly's pine tree perfume suddenly started to make nauseous.
"Ready?" She asked as she changed the gear and we were already speeding away from my house. My breathing increased as I looked at the trees speeding past us. The reality of the situation was drowning down my spin and the adrenaline already decreasing.
"I know what you're thinking Meera. But it's no time to doubt yourself, we've already come too far, let's just go forward from here hum?" She said, placing her warm hand on mine.
"Of course. I'm not rethinking my decisions. At all." Am I not though? I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, counted to 10 and exhaled. Everything will be alright Meera. There's nothing you can't do. You've got this.