The door
714 Words
Chapter 7
I had barely placed my certificate on the table when I heard a knock.
I turned.
My stepfather stood at the doorway.
Stepfather: “I heard you won an award.”
I nodded.
Luna: “Yeah.”
He stepped into my room.
His eyes moved toward the certificate.
Stepfather: “Prefect Award, huh? You did well.”
For a second, I felt a tiny bit of pride again.
Luna: “Thank you.”
But he didn't leave.
Instead, he moved closer.
I noticed immediately.
The smile on my face disappeared.
Stepfather: “You really are growing up.”
Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist.
I took a step backward.
Luna: “Okay…”
He took another step.
I looked at the door.
Then at him.
Suddenly, I understood exactly what was happening.
The way he was looking at me.
The reason he had come into my room.
My stomach turned.
Luna: “Please leave my room.”
He didn't move.
Stepfather: “Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
Luna: “I said leave.”
He stepped closer.
That was enough.
My hand reached for the first thing beside me.
I grabbed it and swung.
BANG!
He stumbled backward.
Stepfather: “What the hell?!”
My heart was racing.
Then I heard footsteps.
Fast.
Coming toward my room.
Mum: “What happened?!”
The door flew open.
Mum stood there.
Her eyes moved from my stepfather...
To me...
Then to the object in my hand.
Mum: “Luna! What did you do?!”
I immediately dropped it.
Luna: “Mum, wait—”
SMACK.
The slap came before I could finish.
Everything went quiet.
My cheek burned.
I stared at her.
She stared back at me.
And then—
Something inside me snapped.
A scream came out of me before I could stop it.
Luna: “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”
Mum froze.
My stepfather went silent.
Tears filled my eyes.
Mum: “Luna—”
Luna: “NO!”
My voice cracked.
Luna: “You didn't even ask me what happened!”
Mum: “I heard a loud noise and walked in to see you standing there with something in your hand!”
Luna: “Because HE came into my room!”
I pointed at my stepfather.
He immediately looked uncomfortable.
Stepfather: “Luna, that's enough.”
I turned toward him.
Luna: “Don't tell me what's enough!”
My voice was getting louder.
I couldn't stop anymore.
Years of everything I'd swallowed were coming out.
Luna: “I won an award today!”
Mum stared at me.
Luna: “I came home happy! I was actually happy!”
My voice broke.
Luna: “And you couldn't even say congratulations!”
Mum: “Keep your voice down.”
I laughed through my tears.
Luna: “Keep my voice down?! That's all you ever tell me!”
I wiped my face.
Luna: “I won a Prefect Award and you told me I didn't become president!”
Mum's face hardened.
Mum: “Don't you dare raise your voice at me.”
Luna: “Then stop giving me reasons to scream!”
Silence.
My chest was heaving.
I looked at her.
Really looked at her.
And suddenly, I didn't care anymore.
Not about the punishment.
Not about what she'd say.
Not even about whether she'd believe me.
Luna: “I'm tired.”
My voice came out smaller this time.
Luna: “I'm so tired of everything always being my fault.”
Mum didn't answer.
Luna: “I'm tired of the way you look at me like you hate me.”
Her expression changed for just a second.
I saw it.
But I kept going.
Luna: “I'm tired of coming home and feeling like I shouldn't even be here.”
My tears wouldn't stop.
Luna: “And I'm tired of you never listening to me!”
I grabbed my bag from the bed.
I didn't wait for Mum to tell me to leave.
I didn't wait for my stepfather to say anything.
I ran.
Down the stairs.
Past the living room.
Straight through the front door.
Mum: “Luna!”
I kept running.
I didn't turn around.
Because if I stopped...
I knew I'd fall apart.
- Writer
