Music recommendation: Moral of the story - Ashe
Avery's pov
It was soft and relaxing, I stretched and snuggled. It was at that moment that my eyes snapped open.
I was on a bed. In my parents' house.
"How did I get here?"
I rose up from the bed as my eyes scanned the room. My room was still the same. It was always left untouched, and this time wasn't any different.
My windows were opened, which allowed the sunlight to seep in. My wardrobe was close to it. Standing up, I walked to the wardrobe.
I stared at them with a conflicted expression. My clothes were there, neatly arranged. I had clothes for boys in there, and I only ever wore them when I was in the house, which wasn't a lot of time. Every year, we were allowed to leave the temple three times. Each of those times were the only times I ever wore boyish clothes, but I never felt comfortable in them. Perhaps because I always wore female dresses, they felt weird on me.
I was looking forward to getting used to wearing the clothes in my wardrobe, but now...
"Avery!"
It was my sister's voice. Myra was fifteen, and she already acted maturely. Well, it was to be expected since she would become the family head soon enough.
I closed the door to the wardrobe while she entered into my room.
Her auburn hair was plaited with hairpins accessorising them. She was pretty just like mother.
"Are you okay?" She asked, sitting on my bed.
I wasn't okay, but I couldn't say that.
I joined her on the bed in silence. We shared a moment of silence before she suddenly enveloped me in a hug.
I tried, I really tried, I tried so hard to keep it in.
My shoulders dropped in her embrace as tears slowly fell from my eyes. I made no sound. She made no sound. She just comforted me, and I let her comfort me.
It was hard to breathe ever since last night, like there was a huge boulder on my shoulders, she helped relieve the load.
"You know you can cry out, I won't judge if you end up sounding like a chicken."
"Stop..."
"I promise to zip my lips." She broke from the hug and used her hands to make a zipping gesture on her mouth.
"You're serious?"
"I'll only tell Aunt Lera. No one else will hear about it."
I gave her a look, and she chuckled immediately. Her laughter warmed my heart, and before I knew it, I was smiling.
"You know Aunty lera will mock me eternally for it."
"That's exactly why I'm going to tell her." She clarified.
I laughed, and a smile swept across her face.
"A smile looks better on you, big bro."
Taking my hands, she squeezed them lightly. "When you frown, you look like a wet monkey."
I hit my forehead with my palms. "Where the hell do you get these comparisons from?"
"My extremely genius mind. Come on, breakfast is ready, and mum made your favourite."
She stood up abruptly. "Last one to the table is a bag of cow dung!"
"Oh no, you don't!"
I followed her, tailing behind her.
...
In the end, I was the cow dung.
"You are aware you cheated, young lady?"
She tongued out in mockery, "No one said you had to play by the rules. Besides, there were no rules to begin with, which means you're just the dumb one." She sank back into her chair triumphantly.
"Myra, how many times have I told you not to tease your brother? We have to consider the hearts of weak boys like them." My mother commented, stifling a laugh.
"My love, are you implying I'm weak?" My father questioned, gripping his spoon tightly.
"Ease on the spoon, dad. You could crush them." I stared at the innocent spoon silently crying for its life.
"But, she called the boys in the house weak, I do all the heavy lifting!" He complained.
"I help out, you know?" My mother added. "Besides, you're not weak in making babies." She moved closer to my dad and pushed him lightly. He fell over.
"What do you say we try to make another baby again today." He questioned.
"I don't mind that at all."
My sister and I stared at both of them with disgust.
"You do know there are kids here, right?" Myra questioned, wearing a nasty look.
I nodded in agreement.
"Big brother, you have no idea how much I suffer every day from their overly and passionate show of love for each other."
My parents chuckled.
"When you're old enough, you'll understand what we feel."
A thought struck me. I was technically married, which meant I would need to have sex with my husband. My cheeks flushed immediately and I wasn't even considering the how.
"Big bro, why is your face red?" Myra questioned.
"Maybe your brother isn't as opposed to the idea as you think." My mother replied, even though she wasn't asked.
"That's it, I just want to have breakfast in peace. It's not so hard, you know?" I rolled my eyes.
My parents were snuggling, and I subconsciously smiled. Would I ever experience anything like this? Would I even live long enough to experience it?"
My face darkened, and again, tears threatened to spill.
Of course, they all noticed.
"Avery, I.." I stopped her from speaking.
I wouldn't let my situation dampen the mood we had this morning, and I wouldn't let my mother blame herself for anything happening.
She was already going through so much.
"It's okay, mum. I really just want to eat."
"Yeah, let's eat in peace. At this rate, it'll be noon before we eat breakfast." Myra commented, already digging into the rice in her presence.
We had breakfast joyfully, with Myra making weird remarks about the way I ate.
I missed them. I would miss them. I would miss all of them. They had a place to belong to, a safe haven. That was a pipe dream for me.
Although it was my favourite dish, it was hard to swallow, and my mother noticed it. Luckily, she pretended not to see it. She was a mind reader
.....
"I'll do the dishes." Myra offered. "I get to see Damien play ball without his shirt."
Typical Myra. She would only do things for her benefit.
I was sipping on pineapple juice when a question popped into my head.
"Mum, how did I get here? I don't remember anything."
"Oh, the king brought you here after you fainted."
There was a knock on the door.
"Speak of the devil.."