Chapter 2: Evicted.

I got home in a hurry and earlier than I'd have usually because I half ran half walked. I was panting like a rat when I got to the front of our balcony door. Who wouldn't be? I peeped through the window pane. Mom and Dad weren't there. Guess today was my lucky day.

The plan was to sneak into the house unnoticed. Take a shower and get changed into my most decent wear. You know, to give that impression of an all-around decent innocent daughter. It got shattered before I could even put it in motion.

I held the door and took in a deep breath. Then I let it out softly and slowly. I pulled the door open and behold my dad and my mom stood face to face before me.

I let out a gasp because bruh. I wasn't expecting that. Like I was speechless. Anyone would be speechless. It wasn't a fun experience. Believe me. "Good morning Mom." I managed to say. Oh, the glare in her eyes. I wouldn't have objected to being buried at that moment.

"I hope you're coming back from your 'group study' young lady," she said sarcastically. It was futile. I felt they knew something but who was I to conclude?

I bent my head so low. I didn't want to meet their gazes. Their presence alone was intimidating. Not to talk of having a conversation with them. Terrifying. "I'm sorry" I apologized "I'll be back for breakfast. I want to have a quick shower" I said.

"Take your time," Mom said and honestly I was petrified. I had no idea what they had in store for me. Dad hadn't even spoken a single word. This was getting creepy. Extremely creepy.

I got to my room and met my stuff packed in boxes. I was confused. Were we expecting the movers or something? Were we packing out and moving into a new house?

"Oh well," I said to myself as I opened my closet. Empty. I opened my drawers one after the other. My clothes weren't in them. I looked behind me. A box was there. I rushed to the box and opened it. In it were all my clothes neatly folded and arranged. I was puzzled.

I took out a sweatshirt and a pair of joggers and placed them on my bed. Even the bedsheets had been carefully packed away. I had a quick shower and rushed back downstairs to have breakfast with my parents.

"Good morning Mom, Good morning Dad" I greeted them, and all they had for me was cold stares. Rude.

I ignored their cold reactions and sat on my side of the table. Mom had prepared Rice and Miso soup for breakfast. Yummy, I was going to eat my sorrows away "Are we moving to another house?" I asked even though my mouth was full.

Dad sighed "Aoyuki Mandalay Haku how was your 'study' session yesterday?" he asked ignoring my question. Trap number one, Dad had used my full name to address me and I was scared. He only did that when I had committed a grave offense. They didn't know about the group date, right?

Trap number two, I couldn't just lie to him. He would find out almost immediately and that would lead to a very tragic event. It did anyway. Like I couldn't have just said"The study session was a success. I progressed in my ability to do complex algebraic sums". I couldn't say the truth either.

"It was fine" I replied as I gulped down a cup of orange juice. I was shaking. Mom walked up to me and swung her hand. My face got in the way. In simple words, she had slapped me. I held my aching face in disbelief.

"You dirty liar," Mom said with a grimace on her face. Mom had always been the disciplinarian while Dad was the interrogator. A balanced pair right?

Dad took out his phone and unlocked it. He then scrolled through till he got to the Line App. He tapped on the icon and before my eyes were pictures of Ryan and me. I was hanging from Ryan's shoulder.

The photographer had style because I looked good in the pictures, my short hair complimented my round face but that wasn't the issue here. I was in deep trouble.

"How did you get that?" I asked surprised at the same time. He wasn't supposed to have that.

Dad smiled. "So you decided it was okay for you to lie to your parents, right?" he asked ignoring my question yet again that morning.

I averted my gaze and re-asked my question, "How did you get that Dad?"

"Ever since you and Akayuki were kids we've had spies follow you wherever you went on all occasions," he said with a straight face.

I instantly became disgusted. "You what?" I screamed. Akayuki is my older sister by four years. She's in college studying Human resources management. We do contact each other quite often and I was going to inform her about our parents' nauseating behavior.

"So you go around following boys Aoyuki," he said. I looked him straight in the eye and sighed. "Why are my things packed," I asked.

Mom gave me a devilish smile "Because you're leaving the house for good". That didn't make sense. She was the one who birthed me how could she be comfortable spurting out those words? I was bewildered. It was just like a web novel. You know, comical.

"Mom, I can not go anywhere" I argued "I'm your daughter. Ground me or something. You can't just throw me out".

"Get out" she yelled.

I stood fixed. I couldn't leave. Where would I go? She stomped to my room and began to pack out my things one by one. I was infuriated. "Now get out," she said.

What had I done to deserve this kind of treatment? It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. I had nowhere to go. "Dad" I yelled.

He looked like he supported my mom. I had just experienced the greatest betrayal in my life. My parents had disowned me just like that. Like it wasn't a big deal.

Dejected I took my box by the handle and stared at my parents perplexed. "At least let me keep my carton boxes in the attic" I pleaded.

"Three months," Mom said with a straight face. I nodded my head and left. Rolling my box behind me. I walked out and I could hear Mom sobbing. Why would she be? I was confused.

I was all on my own with nowhere to go. I crept into the nearest alley and crouched. The tears began pouring out. So this was how it felt to be abandoned. Heartrending.

Maybe I'd call my older sister. I did and her phone was unreachable. Why? And at this time. I contemplated informing Mia about my situation but I did not. I was sure her parents had already gotten the gist from mine. I didn't want to put her in a difficult corner.

The last person I could reach was Ryan. But what would he think of me now? I swallowed my pride and gave him a call. He picked up immediately "Hello" came his voice. I felt not at ease.

"I'm so sorry for calling you, are you at school?" I asked.

"No, I only have afternoon classes today" he replied "Is everything okay?" he asked.

I began to wail. I'm sure that worried him. "Where are you," he asked over the phone. "I'm coming over"

I sent him my location via Line and waited. True to his words he arrived in a jiffy. He was driving a Honda Civic which was quite flashy for a College student to own. "What happened to you?" he asked.

Amidst sobs, I told him my story. He listened with rapt attention. After I was done he sighed. "I'm sorry" I

apologized. He chuckled "That means you can have breakfast now," he said. "You can stay home with me until you get a place to stay" he added.

I couldn't believe my ears. "Ryan" I cried. He took my box and placed it in the trunk of the car. And opened the passenger seat for me to get in. He was such a gentleman.

"I can't let you stay for free though," he said as he placed the key in the ignition hole. I wondered if he was going to ask for sexual intercourse. "You'll have to get a part-time job and you're in high school, right? What year?" he asked.

"First year" I replied. He was nicer than I thought.

"Okay, you'll be footing groceries," he said "My district supermarket sells their goods real cheap and they give out discounts every Saturday".

'Thank you" I replied. "About the school, it's far away. I'm thinking about transferring to another school".

"You can't" he repudiated. "It's already the third term. Don't worry I'll drive you to classes whenever I have morning classes or you can just take the second bus" he suggested.

I nodded "So after my first year I can move to a school closer to your district.". He flashed a smile" Yhup" you can.

After our conversation. The rest of our ride was driven in silence. Each of us pondering on our thoughts.