Chapter 41: Not Perfect

< Shirley >
"Thank you, Mr. Evans." I thanked the Professor of the academy of Jiu-jitsu.
"We are hoping to see you tomorrow at seven in the evening, sharp," the brown-haired man said with a kind smile, and I nodded.
Mr. Evans called a student and instructed him to show me around. Then he went away. He was a busy man after all.
After a lot of thinking and researching, I decided to learn Jiu-jitsu. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu was supposed to be the easiest martial art. It could be learned within less than 18 months which was a lot less than other martial arts.
This self-defense would improve my flexibility, physical strength, reflex, and concentration as well. I didn't want to leave any stones unturned while I was trying to improve myself.
I had four classes a week, two hours each. As my office shift would end at six in the evening then seven would be ideal for me. Then I could go home and chill till morning and then, repeat the cycle.
"What is your name, Miss?" the student, who was asked by Mr. Evans to show me around, questioned me.
"It's Shirley. What is your name?"
"I am Kyle. It is nice to meet you." He smiled. Kyle seemed like a nice guy. He was a little bit younger than me. He had jet black hair and honey-brown eyes.
I mumbled, "Same here."
Kyle showed me around the academy. I and Kyle talked with each other while looking around. Apparently, Kyle was a fourth-year university student. We were also in the same batch. Something told me that we were going to be great friends.
Putting all of this aside, I felt so complete. I felt like my life was meaningful now. I was not wasting away my life.
But then again, I had to start working hard from now on. The office would start from Monday and it was Friday today. I was planning for a reunion with my friends tomorrow, which would be a nice idea.
I also needed to have a conversation with my dad about something very important.
I just hope he agrees with my demand.
————
I was pacing back and forth in the living room, waiting for my dad's arrival. Mom was making some strawberry pancakes for me, and I was also waiting to taste those delicious pancakes.
Adrian was playing games on his phone, sitting on the couch. He was also waiting to attack over the pancakes, maybe he returned home just to fight with me.
"Can you sit down already?" Adrian asked, getting annoyed with my pacing around.
"I am not bothering you so shut your mouth and concentrate on your game, Ady," I snapped, glaring at him.
He rolled his eyes in return.
It was Saturday evening so Adrian came back early from the office instead of going to his apartment, and dad was coming back from California today. My mom came back in the morning from Italy, too. She had a fashion show to attend there so she was really busy. Yet, she managed to get some free time for us. A mother was a mother after all. She always had time for her kids.
I was biting my nails in nervousness. Not because I wanted to break the news of my job but for something else I came here to demand from my parents.
"Pancakes are ready," Mom hollered from the kitchen.
Adrian jumped up from the couch in excitement and went to the kitchen to bring his portion of food. The aroma of the pancakes had spread all over the living room.
"Mom, can I have Shirley's portion too?" I heard Adrian say.
"Ady, I swear, if you lay a hand on my pancake, I'm gonna kill you!" I exclaimed with slight anger, putting my hands over my hips.
Mom had made the pancakes for me, for the good news of my job. She was really happy for me. She gifted me a pair of diamond earrings as well. They were really pretty, too. Adrian was going to make my favorite dinner tonight as he was an amazing cook.
I was yet to tell Dad about the news and I had something else in mind as well, and I was freaking out. What if he didn't agree? I never had a fight with him, either.
"Mhmm, smells so good. I'm going to devour your one at first," Adrian said, walking past me. He placed the plates of pancakes on the coffee table. He was going to stab my pancake with his fork before I snatched it away at that instant.
"Don't you dare touch my pancake, you brown-haired spinach," I mumbled and stuck out my tongue at him.
He just shrugged it off but he seemed to have noticed something. "Wow, that bracelet is pretty. I never saw it before," Adrian complimented and I glanced at the blue bracelet on my wrist that Dylan gifted me.
A smile made its way to my lips as I said to him, "Thanks."
"Creepy," he muttered.
I narrowed my eyes at him. As I was going to ruffle his hair, I stopped when I heard a familiar voice.
"I'm home."
My mood lightened up as soon as I heard my dad's voice. When I squealed, Adrian rolled his eyes. I and Mom greeted Dad.
Once Dad came back after freshening up, I sat beside him. Mom was sitting on his other side, waiting for me to break the news I was dying to share.
"Um, Dad, I've really good news for you," I started with a smile on my face.
"What is it?" he asked me, waiting for me to speak.
I let out, "Uh, I have been appointed as an assistant fashion designer of The Dreamweavers."
"Wow, that is great. I am proud of you, my princess. I am sure you are going to make me even prouder." He patted my head with a proud smile.
"Phew, finally," Adrian breathed out. 'Sis, come with me to my place since you are done breaking out the big news. I will make your favorite dinner there." Adrian huffed and got up to leave. He was already done eating his pancake, whereas I didn't even touch mine. He was always in a hurry to leave whenever Dad was present. I didn't get the reason for it.
"Dad, I am planning to live alone on my own," I said in a go, closing my eyes.
Pindrop silence filled the room. I opened my eyes only to see everyone gaping at me.
"What? Are you kidding? You would never be allowed." Adrian laughed out. It was more like a mocking laugh.
"No way, dear," Mom said politely,
"It is impossible. Why do you want to leave alone? Do you not like it here? What is wrong with living with your parents?" Dad asked in disbelief.
"Why not, Dad? I want to be independent. I want to know how it feels to live on my own. I have lived in a dorm but I want to experience how it feels to be totally on my own. I don't want to be a burden on you guys anymore. I have a suitable job now as well. I really want to live near my office," I tried to explain, which seemed futile.
"Well, you can forget about that, Shirley. Dad is never going to allow you. What makes you think he will allow you? Oh, but wait, he might allow you. You are his little princess, after all," Adrian taunted. I didn't fail to notice the bitterness in his voice. The familiar bitterness he had whenever he mentioned Dad.
"No, he is going to allow me because I want to be independent, not because I am his princess. Right, Dad?" I flashed my puppy eyes at him.
"No. It could be dangerous. What if some burglars get into your apartment? What will you do then?" questioned Dad.
"Don't worry. I will handle them. I will always lock my doors properly. So please, Dad? I want to experience something new. Dad, please? Won't you support me, you cute daughter?"
"But—"
"I promise that I will keep in contact. I will take care of myself," I assured him.
"Yet—"
"Please, Dad? This is the last thing I will ever want from you. I promise."
"Okay," my dad finally gave up and sighed.
"Yay!" I engulfed him in a bear hug.
Well, that was easy.
Just then I heard someone laugh. Adrian was laughing like a maniac.
"You amuse me, Dad." The amount of bitterness in his words threw a bucket of cold water on me. He stopped laughing and looked at Dad with resentful eyes. "Just answer my one question; why didn't you let me stay alone back then when I told you?"
I was shocked at his question. I actually didn't witness what had happened that day. Mom had told me. It was a big argument between Dad and Adrian about Adrian desperately wanting to live alone when he was in the last year of his university. But Dad didn't allow it for some reason, which cost his girlfriend's life. In anger, he left home with nothing. That's why he didn't even collaborate with Dad's business and built his own business.
"That was for your own safety, Adrian," Dad tried to explain.
"Try coming up with some better excuse. I have had enough of this crap. Just stay with your daughter and leave me alone," he spat out and stormed out of the house.
I got up to follow him but Dad stopped me, saying, "Don't go. He is just too short-tempered."
How could he say that? Did he have no idea that Ady was a very calm person? He and short-tempered? No way!
"I have to," I said to Dad and went to follow Adrian. He was in the garden, standing at a place to gaze at the beautiful stars.
"What do you want?" Adrian asked rudely, sensing that I was behind him.
"Ady, I know that—"
"Do you even know anything?" he snapped at me.
"Um, I didn't witness it but Mom told me."
"Mom told you? Don't make me laugh, Shirley. Mom altered the story which would favor Dad." I looked down at the floor. I knew he was right. He continued speaking, "Because of his one decision, I lost the person I loved. I couldn't protect her because of him."
"But he did it for your safety. You know that some people were trying—"
"So what if someone was trying to kill her? I was supposed to protect her. Because of his arrogance, he made me stay at home when I wanted to live somewhere else with her, Shirley."
Tears were welling up in my eyes but I controlled them. "You were an adult. Why didn't you just leave on your own like you did after she died?" I inquired.
"Mom made me swear on her life. How could I disobey that? After all, she was the person I looked up to my whole life. But that was a wrong choice. When I was forced to attend a party of Dad's business partner, my Ava was getting brutally murdered."
"Ady... I understand your pain." I again said the wrong thing and tried to comfort him by trying to touch his shoulder but he shoved my hand away. A single tear fell from my eye at the rejection.
"You understand my pain? That is the worst joke ever! Do you even understand what pain truly is? How would you know? You were brought up as a princess, whereas I was groomed to take over Dad's business. You were the apple of their eyes and I was a tool for business," he yelled at me.
Tears kept falling from my eyes. I gulped down my saliva through my dry throat. He had many complaints, I knew that. Yet, the bitter truth hurts...
"What did I ever get in my life?" he asked in a timid voice, hiding his face in his palms. I heard him sob. He was crying. "What did Ava do to deserve such a painful death? What did I do to deserve all of this?" he murmured.
I put my palm over my mouth to restrain a gasp from escaping. Hot tears rolled down my eyes. This was how my family truly was. I deemed it to be perfect, more like I wanted it to be perfect. But it was broken. It was shattered like broken glass.
I just never noticed. I was too lost in my own world to ever notice the crack in my family's foundation. I ran out of the garden, leaving him alone.
I kept running until I reached near my car. I randomly got into one of the cars and drove off. I pressed the accelerator hard, increasing the speed. I knew I had to pay a fine for crossing the speed limits on residential roads. But who cared?
Even though I was driving, tears kept rolling my cheeks. I was such a horrible person. I have been blind my entire life. I never noticed anyone's pain.
"I don't deserve to be called a sister," I sobbed, turning the steering wheel recklessly.
My family... I thought it was perfect. A protective dad, a loving mom, and an annoying brother...but boy, was I wrong!
I never noticed the over-protectiveness of my father, the compelled behavior of my mother, and the pain behind my brother's smile. They were perfect, but I wasn't.
What did I ever do for them?
Nothing. The answer to my question was, nothing.