The Journal of L.V

January - Sunday

16/01/2020

Dearest Journal, I used to like Sundays.

Sundays used to be the one day of the week where it was just my mother and I.

We would spend the afternoon cooking food, eating whatever was available and watching dramas on the TV.

I loved Sundays, because it was the one day where Mother was not stressed or unhappy.

Mother would smile genuinely on Sundays.

Mother and I would spend hours talking honestly about casual things or about her life as a rebellious teen (let me tell you, those stories are wild!).

Now, Sundays are the days I dread most.

The reason being, that David would be home all day and he would try to get us all to bond with each other.

And by bonding, I mean he would just drag all of us to whatever place his daughters liked and then force me to say something personal.

The day often ended up with Mother disappearing for a bit, my step-monsters forcing me to do stuff I didn't want to do, and David blaming me for 'not encouraging the family spirit'.

Sundays had many names in our house these days:

David calls it 'Family Day'

Mother just calls it Sunday (to David's chagrin).

The rest of us girls call it 'Satan's Field Day'

I wonder what Sunday at Father's house is like?

Now, Journal, today was like every other Sunday.

David had woken everyone up at an ungodly hour (once, he even woke us up at four am).

He made us eat his strawberry pancakes for breakfast with guava fruit juice (two flavors that should not be mixed. Ever.)

He told us that we would be going ice-skating and then we would go watch a hockey game.

Odette had groaned while Klara had let out a shout of joy.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, Klara plays hockey and loves the sport.

Personally, I think she just likes the fact that she can smash people against a wall and use a stick without getting scolded.

She's really good though.

Odette had not looked even the least bit excited.

"Papa," She had said, "Can I at least invite Jacques? He likes ice-skating."

I had hastily asked whether Jeremy could join us as well, but David's face turned red with anger.

"This is a family day!" David had shouted, "Those two are not family! Honestly, you have no sense of family! I see you would rather run around like the uncaring filth you are, huh?!"

Odette had turned pale at David's outburst, as if she had seen him like this before and it had not been pretty.

Mother had looked shocked and conflicted, like she wanted to calm him down, but also wanted to scold him for yelling at Odette and I like that.

Even Klara had seemed to be on edge when her father had shouted.

Personally, I was more angry than shocked.

I had a feeling that David was a control freak, but I never really thought he would have such outburst like that. At his own child nonetheless.

David then demanded an apology from Odette and I.

The nerve!

Odette had apologized immediately, while I had taken a second to calm myself before I apologized.

David had narrowed his eyes at me, but accepted both of our apologies nonetheless.

David had then put on his fake smile and declared that we should finish eating quickly so that we could spend a whole day of fun together.

I had to put my butter knife down before I threw it at him.

Later on, I noticed that Odette had not eaten the rest of her breakfast, instead she gave it to Klara.

The ice-rink was not as full as it usually was, which I supposed made sense.

It was a Sunday, people went to worship or stayed at home to sleep in on Sundays.

There were still plenty of teenagers though.

Oh yes, Sundays were also the days that teens in liberal homes were allowed to roam free while their parents rested after a long week of work.

Unfortunately, one of those teens happened to be West.

I had spotted his spiky blonde hair from the bench where I laced up my skates.

I kept my head down and tried my best not to be seen.

Odette had picked up on my behavior and had asked who I was hiding from.

I had not answered her in case she decided to get West's attention.

Odette had rolled her eyes and had seemed to let the subject go.

Or so I had thought.

As soon as my skates were secured and my blade protectors were off, Odette had taken me by the hand and dragged me onto the ice.

Klara had been busy speed skating somewhere.

 West had remained on the other side of the rink, thankfully.

Odette had smirked at me and then she had asked whether I had seen Jeremy at the rink.

I had replied with a no.

Odette had clicked her tongue, but kept leading me on the ice.

Maybe it had been my imagination, but to me, Odette had looked sad.

I didn't want her to break down there with all those people watching, so I decided to do something I rarely ever did.

I made conversation.

I had asked her who Jacques was and she had smiled so widely I had to squint at the brightness of it.

Odette had replied that Jacques was a guy in her Biology class.

Apparently, they had gotten to know each other over a project and now they were good friends.

Odette had said that she had biggest crush on him, but she was too afraid to ruin their relationship if he didn't feel the same.

And then she asked me what I think she should do.

Now Journal, you can only imagine my surprise at not only the fact that Odette, an older, much more feminine women (not to mention a fellow step-monster) had asked for my advice, but she had also asked for my romantic advice.

Now if you have not guessed this already, I do not know much about romance besides what I've seen in romantic comedies or dramas.

I have never even had a crush on anyone in my life.

So I had no idea what to give to her as advice.

Fortunately, I didn't need to give her any.

Unfortunately, the only reason I didn't need to was because West had barreled into me at full speed which sent me face-planting onto the ice.

Immediately, unbearable pain had flared up in my nose and left hand.

I quickly stood up so as not to get sliced by the blades of other people's ice-skates.

I heard yelling and turned to see Odette shouting at West.

West had been stunned into silence.

Odette had then turned, took a hold of my uninjured hand and dragged me off the ice.

Once off the ice, Odette told me to sit at a nearby bench while she got me some first aid stuff.

A few minutes later, Odette had been busy wrapping my left wrist.

She had also given me an ice pack to press to my nose.

When she was done, she sat next to me on the bench and stayed silent.

"Why do you care about me all of a sudden?" I had asked her.

It seemed like a legitimate question.

Ever since we had first met, Odette had only been either indifferent or disgusted by my existence.

So yes, I had reason to ask that question.

Odette had smiled sadly, "Because Papa treats you the same way that he treats me. I think we should stick together now that I know."

I had blinked at her when she had said that.

David treated her horribly?

At first I had a hard time believing that.

But as I looked at her, as I saw the the tears slide down her cheeks, I could not help but believe her.

In the end, Odette had taken me home since I had been injured.

David had not been pleased, but he could die in a hole for all I care.

Odette and I had spent the rest of the day at home.

We ate a lot of snacks and watched a lot of romantic comedies (to my chagrin).

 Odette had done most of the talking.

She talked about Jacques, about her classes, about pretty much everything.

It had been nice, though a bit awkward.

Journal, I am concerned.

David treats me so horribly and apparently he treats his eldest daughter the same way.

Does he treat all of his daughters so horribly?

Is he the reason that his daughters turned out so horrible?

If so, then he must be The Devil.

This brings a whole new meaning to the 'Satan's Field Day'.

-L.V  

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