Chapter 24

Hurdles of the past may affect you in future...

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 "Don't go! Don't do this! Don't go please! Don't go!" A sound erupted beamingly in my ears. And my eyes flew open that was my alarm clock; I was covered in all-over sweat. Again that dream, I saw that dream! Why it is not clear? What was the reason for it! If only my, childhood hadn't had in the blur then I must recall it.

Sighing, I got up from my bed. Three days passed since, the completion of the second round, yet I still don't believe that I won that round. I was a little bit overwhelmed by the results of that round; hardly believing in it. Though I gave my best, at the last that song I sung was not good for Mr Bennett's reputation. Ha! Thank god! He didn't know about it. It means this time luck was on my side. However, why I'm talking about luck? This is an excellent question to be arising on, so here let's start with the information of the third round! Yes, the third round is going to be based on academics. Yes. You heard right! We will have to give a written test; based on our knowledge of studies; whatever we studied in our school life so far. That will carry the burden of hundred marks. Ever you wonder what these hundred marks will do with your life. How can it make a huge difference in your life? If not! Then we belong to the same categories of life! Now, I know this is the do, or die situation. I know my power of academics is good very good, but still, when you have that much pressure on your head, simple things look complicated rather than easygoing things.

Nevertheless, Veronica and Cole were going to be in the third round. Oh! One more person I know is also going to be in the third round, and that is Nathan.

I didn't see his performance, but I heard about it, and what I heard was excellence. He played the drums in his performance. I wish I was able to see it. If only I was not gotten stuck in the janitor's room. HA! That person who did a prank on me still has no idea that if one day I'll catch him or her, I'll make him/her regret it.

But how long it would take to find out? That I don't know. One thing I never forget in my life is Veronica's reaction! When the result was announced, and my name was got called- her reaction was priceless! As she had seen a ghost with her naked eyes, by the way it looked like she was more curious about my result rather than her. Ah! What a blissful moment that was! Yeah, her reaction kind of caught me off guard, but Cole's reaction was on the extreme level of awkwardness. Yes, he smiled when my name was announced, though it looked like a calculated smile, as he don't want to show his true emotions on his face. Nevertheless, Dylan reacted like an idiot! Why? Because he remarked that If Cole gets a title then he will snatch away the trophy from him, and if I won then he will also snatch mine. As that is going to happen? Well, can it?

You know. You can!

Just to make things fun, I asked him, "If veronica won then? What will you do?" for that question, he replied, "It is not going to happen! But if it happened, unfortunately then he'll shout on top of the school building that the middle-aged bald man sucks, and will never get fucks " I just hope he was joking about it.

Nevertheless, the whole trauma of everything makes me exhausted, yet here I'm seated at one of the couches which was ahead of the television, quickly I rested my legs on the medium-sized coffee table which was placed between the television and couches. This whole competition thing makes me nuts from the last few days, everything is so buckled up, yet devastating like a new chapter of life which came across as giving me a surprise.

HA! I sighed. Again; just one more step then everything will be back to its original place. I started flipping channels to channels through remote television, but nothing got my attention of mine. How come I didn't notice that I almost live all alone! My mother always got stuck in her work. And sibling word doesn't belong in my dictionary; not in blood-related. And my father? Well, what should I say to him? Dad or David Parker?

It doesn't matter.

Yup! It doesn't matter! When it had didn't mattered before then it will not matter now! Especially at this time, but still, he will always remain, my father, whether he abandoned us years ago, and cheated on mom. If only he didn't do that well all will be living here, as family and enjoying every blissful moment about life. But that was only possible in dreams of nights when there will be only dark outside; no other exact opportunity or source of anything that will happen in real life.

A tear started rolling down my cheeks flawlessly, without giving me any source of information that they are going to spill out from the corner of my eyes.

Great just great! Now, I'm crying. HA! And that is not that bad, what worse than that is for whom I'm crying? I'm an idiot!

Shut up!

I quickly wiped back my tears, and I tried to smile to reassure myself that I don't need my father! If he didn't care about his daughter!

My stomach started growling, making noises, and yelling whoa! Dude, I'm dying here and what you are doing making soap opera scenes. Give me food! Otherwise, I'll faint you.

I took out my cell phone from my pocket, "here, take my orders give me two large-sized pepperoni pizzas with a big bottle of coke, as soon as possible.''

Are you sure? Do you want to eat that much?

Yes. Pretty much in fact! Now don't make me come inside and beat the shit out of you.

Do you want to punch yourself? If yes, then be my guest.

Crap! I mentally slapped myself. I am becoming weird day by day! Holy Crap! Something is wrong with me. I need ice that will help in my situation. I again redialed that number," add two tubs of butterscotch into my order! And make it ASAP!''

***

"Coming!" I shouted. As I make my way towards the door. My dinner has arisen finally! I opened the door which is opened by with a sudden sound of a click.

Ok! So feast is here. Time to attack! I don't care if I put on weight or anything like that. Today I'll eat all of this. Though it didn't eat this now, then it will get wasted. And yeah! I don't like to waste my food. Not in a billion dreams. Huh! Time to start eating all these delicious things, which are only the best things in my life! Right now!

I attacked food as I have never eaten before. Though if I think about it; it can be partly true! This whole competition thing has loosed my appetite. Nevertheless, everything is going to be back to normal soon. HA! Just two more days, then Cross River High will get its Student of Year, and school will be going to again normal like it was before.

Really?

Yup, of course! I mean what worse can happen now. All the dilemmas of pressure, fighting, and cutting each other throats will be going to end soon.

Let's see.

Oh, everything will be fine! Don't need to overreact, because it's time to attack food. One by one I finished everything! Well, I was stupid if I thought that I could eat this much, my stomach is full! Like on high level full. I don't even have a space for a single drop of water, yet I enjoyed it. It was not that much worse. I just need to walk for some time that will manage my situation. I know I sound diplomatic, but tomorrow is the third round, the written test. And I don't want to poison my stomach! It would be better if I start walking now!

I stood up and started roaming around my whole house! It is not that big, but it's also not that much small, so it can help me in my situation.

I only completed one round of the whole house when my cell phone beat me up. It was continually ringing and ringing, and the worst part is that I forget it on the Coffee table, so I had to run from the backside of the house into the living area.

My heart was continuously pondering, due to the sudden movements of my legs. Finally! I reached here on time, and picked it up before it got cut, "Amanda Parker where was you? Don't tell me you have been studying!'' Vass complained from the other side of the cell phone.

Why would I be studying? When I already had studied everything! "That thing I already did! Vanessa Frazier." I mumble while smirking.

"Shut up!" she uttered while chuckling, oh I can see from my third eye that she has gotten completely red now. And I started chuckling too, before I could say anything she beat me up, "you need to be laid," and I can tell her smirk was on her face.

Do I need to be laid?

Ummm Maybe!

I facepalmed myself," That will I do definitely, but after your marriage!'' What? This is the best comeback I could ever think of at this moment. She was silent first then again, "Deal it is then! The day I'll marry, you will get laid!'' oh I can feel her smirk with her mischievous looks in her eyes.

Nevertheless, it is not a bad deal," deal it is then." I accepted." We did our future planning now listen to me first, Tomorrow is a party!'' she whispered. Ok! Party and I? we don't go to the same place sanely! That thing I know definitely about that whole scenario. Whatsoever, Isn't tomorrow is the third round? "Wait! But tomorrow is the final round of that competition! Don't you remember?" I asked in a hushed tone. "Silly! Party is going to be held in the evening, and the third round will be going to be held on in the morning.'' Now! I'm seriously stupid. Off course it will be going on stage in the evening, I mean the whole party will start in the evening. But why? This party came on the scene. Well, forget about why? The most important question on the earth is how? It came on the scene! "Why? When? How? This party thing came in the scene." I demanded to know. "geez! Relax one question at one time! So this is going to hold because of the finish of that stupid competition! I mean our school's student's life became hectic because of this. That's why they want something to change their mind and enjoy. You know all teenage things. besides, the day after tomorrow is the day of the results, everyone will be worried about it, and they will become mad for the dilemma of it and they will fluster themselves then they want to drink and drink and drink! Well, that's not the worst thing! Soon, all the drinks from the market will be finished! So they will start drinking blood, and just the slight drop of it make us vampire. You know! Right we are going to become vampires. That bloody fucking vamp fucks with each other's blood" what? Ewe! Fucks with blood. My friend has completely lost her mind, and this is the shittiest thing I have ever heard. She was breathing hard, as she has said all this nonsense in one breath. "First of all I am not going to become a vampire but you will definitely if you keep watching some nonsense shows. And you want to get drunk? Aren't you?" I asked with a smirk. "Shhh! And listen to your mother tomorrow evening is a party, you are coming! And yes. I want you to come in a simple dress, not in pants and shirts. I'll pick you up tomorrow at six in the evening. You know right tomorrow other than the participants of the competition can't come to school. That's why I'm telling you all this right now! By the way, don't miss me much.'' And without hearing my reply she cut off the line.

Ok. It's just a party! It's not going to be like last time right? Anyways, the whole problem created at that time is the mask thing and of course the sweet little me. But this time it's going to be different and not everyone going to give me curious glances; well I don't care about them now! But still, I am the finalist of the competition, and that party is going to hold because of this whole thing. So, I have every right to go on there. Besides, it will change my mood and helps to relax before the whole trauma of the results of the competition. Above all, mom is not here, otherwise, she will kill me but she's not here. The last sign of me going to a party is; I'm tired of living alone. It will help me to change my mood.

Yes. I'm going now. I only need to find a dress.

What about Cole?

What about him?

He's also going to be there!

Then let him be. My life is not focused on him! And yes. I don't care about his presence. Besides I need to find a dress like now. So I'm going to focus on that.

Keep saying that!

Oh! Not again! Don't need to exaggerate! Let me focus on finding a suitable dress for the party. So where should I go? Should I go shopping outside? That thought of mine quickly swept away as fast as it came, I'm not in any kind of mood to go shopping; besides I don't even know anything about the whole shopping thing! It would be better if I found anything perhaps suitable in my house.

Mom's room!

Oh yes. I almost forget about it. Mom has a full suitcase of dresses, and she is not here so I can use them. Besides I have never seen mom wear anything from it. Yep. Yep. Yep. Problem solved.

I hurried to go to mom's room which was another side of my room; her room is way much bigger than mine, though she hardly lives here, still, everything is so full furnished here, one might think that she practically does everything by herself!

However, I sceptically managed to take my footsteps near her cupboard, HA! I know that I'm a little dramatic here, but can you blame me? She always said that in fact, she ordered that; don't go near her room everything was in professional stuff there. And I have a very notorious habit of never placing things in their original place.

However, I need to be quick. Without thinking anything else, I opened the cupboard of my mother's wardrobe, but nothing fancy there! 'Where were those dresses?' I mumbled to myself.

Shit! They were in the suitcase which is placed on the cupboard. Yes, that suitcase was here I only need to take it from its place. I grabbed one of the stools which were stood proudly near the window and placed it near the cupboard. Then I stood above it and grabbed that suitcase which held many dresses.

'Uff!' I flicked sweat which was formed on my forehead. Finally! I opened that suitcase, and the whole wardrobe of every girl's dream opened in front of me. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating! Nevertheless, I took out one by one dress from the suitcase; in a search of finding one simple dress.

Dresses went by went, but nothing is simple in there, they are high classed and elegant, not made up for a teenage party. Still, I didn't lose hope, and finally, I got a perfect dress for me, which was resting on the corner side of a suitcase in a folded state.

That dress which completely changed my mood is something else! I mean it is a mustard colour dress that would be reaching on my knees, strapless, and a neck design anyone would die for! Yes. Everything is settled now.

I tried to place that suitcase where it was situated before; but I misbalanced it and it collided with the end side of the cupboard, the whole cupboard was buzzed like a tornado. Thank god that suitcase didn't open; otherwise, I need to readjust everything. I quickly grabbed it again and placed it in its place. The whole thing was a mess! Some envelopes from the cupboard had been landed on the floor.

'Here we go again!' I muttered while stomping on my foot exasperatedly.

I picked up those envelopes one by one, but hey there was something in there, in fact on the floor also! Maybe they are pictures, yep definitely pictures. I picked one of them from the floor the slightest touch of it made my hands cold.

And what was there in the photograph?

Me! Small little me in an orange frock, my small fingers tightly lingered on my dad's hand.

'Dad' I whispered. I couldn't breathe, I was choking not because of hatred, and in fact, it is for emotions that were welled up inside me.

This was the first time I'd seen his picture with me. I can't remember him by his face; I got to know it by the backside of the photograph where DAVID PARKER was written.

I have the same eyes as him, blue eyes; ocean blue eyes. However, he looked young and happy carefree! As he had everything with him!

Then why did he leave? Why did he leave you? Why did he abandon you? Why did he cheat on your mother?

Why? I don't know. It's just I don't know these questions have never occurred in my mind! But I'll do something in future to know the reasons for it.

I took the second photograph; then again me with dad, but hey there was someone also in that picture, a boy of my age. Who is he?

Why I can't remember all this?

Simple! You were very small back then when it all happened.

Yeah. I was four years old at that time. That's why my childhood is in a blur.

It is really difficult to have a normal life? To have a normal family? Or to live happily? The only thing I wish for is a family in which everyone will be happy. But not every wish is commanded, and things happen according to time, fate, whatever.

It's past midnight! You should sleep, tomorrow is the final day of crushing each other throats.

***

"WELCOME TO THE STUDENT OF THE YEAR COMPETITION!"

"ARE YOU READY? TO BE ON TOP! TO BE ON NUMBER ONE! THEN LET'S START THE LAST ROUND HERE."

"AND YOUR TIME STARTS NOW!"

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