"He only ignored me for two days or so and my heart felt as if it was gonna burst out from my chest...," Joanna trailed off, her right hand clutching her chest.
"And this is the exact thing I did to him all these years. I wonder how he was able to survive through these years and still managed to put a smile on my face every time we met," She mumbled.
When she recalled the different occasions she had ignored him, her heart hurt as if she was gonna die from the pain.
Her grip on her chest became tighter.
"J-J-Joanna now that you know exactly how it feels, never must you treat him so unfairly ever again," She exhaled deeply to ease the pains that threatened to suffocate her to death.
Joanna stayed in this position for a long time. She drifted to sleep without taking off her shoes and clothes or freshening up.
Joanna woke up the next day feeling no better from the previous day but she tried her best to cheer herself up.
She went about her daily routine as if nothing happened. Since she was forbidden from entering the kitchen, she went back to her room when she was done with her chores.
An hour later, she came out of her room and was stunned to see Anthony in his uniform standing in front of her room.
"Little rice ball, what happened?" She asked the boy whose face glowed so brightly even though it was morning.
"If you needed my help you could have just walked in so...,"
"I got here just now Big Sis," Anthony replied.
Joanna forced on a smile as she bent to hold his hand. "If you need help with your assignments or any other thing I still have a bit of time to spare so let's go," She informed him.
She tried to lead him into her room but he didn't move a muscle.
"What's it?" She gazed at his face as she waited for his reply.
"I did my assignments last night and I don't need any of Big Sis' help yet," He responded, his voice low.
"Today is Sister Laura's birthday party. You are coming, right?" He asked out of the blue.
Silence erupted the instant he asked that question. Joanna already had an answer but she didn't know the perfect way to say it so Anthony won't get hurt.
"If you don't have an outfit I can ask Father to...,"
"I am sorry Little rice ball but you will have to attend Laura's birthday this year without me," Joanna found the courage to break the news at last.
"But why?" He demanded, displeasure evident on his face.
"Because I still have to go to the cafe after classes today...," Joanna let her words linger.
She lifted her right hand and patted his well-styled hair.
"Moreover, I don't think your mother, grandma and Laura would be happy to see me there...,"
"But you are family too, aren't you?" He asked meekly.
"Family?" Joanna chuckled, and her hands stopped moving on Anthony's hair.
"Everyone in this house sees me as a servant. I bet you are the only one who thinks of me as family," She replied.
"But...,"
"Go and get your things. I will take you to school today to make up for my absence later on," She smiled and ruffled his hair slightly.
Joanna stood and watched the unhappy boy walk away.
Yes, she would be able to meet up with the party even after work hours but she just didn't want to go there and get her mood ruined by a bunch of annoying fellows.
When he was out of sight she made her way towards the stairs and there she saw her father at the foot of the stairs.
The man was fully dressed and ready to leave for work.
[Doesn't he always leave home early so what is he still doing here... And why does it looks like he is waiting for me?]
Joanna gazed at the man whom their eyes happened to lock at that moment.
"Whatever!" Joanna shrugged her shoulders. She descended the stairs notwithstanding his presence.
"I want you at the party tonight," His cold voice made Joanna pause in her tracks. She lifted her head and stared at the man who was now standing three steps away from her.
"Whether or not you like it you must show up at the party. You can't give people a reason to talk about our family by being absent at your elder sister's birthday party...,"
"To you, the family's reputation and your sense of pride will always come first above everything including your daughter's happiness right?" She questioned, her face deprived of any emotions.
She walked a step forward. "Even though you know that I will be everyone's subject of ridicule, you don't give a damn as far as...,"
"Joanna Anderson...,"
"There is no need to call me to order. I understood the message well," She whispered.
Because he had an important appointment that morning Mr Anderson ignored his daughter's rudeness.
The last thing he wanted was to lose his temper just before the meeting.
"If you don't have appropriate outfits for the party I will ask your Mum to order one for you...,"
"You mean stepmother," Joanna corrected in a stern voice.
"Make it clear in case anyone who overhears it thinks that my mother has come back from the dead," She added fiercely.
Mr Anderson stared at her eyes and to his dismay, there was no fear in them.
She was so rude to him and wasn't afraid of the consequences.
That was not something his daughter would have done.
At that instant, he missed that respected, well-behaved and timid girl in the past.
[Is what her mother said that she is possessed correct?... Is that why she is acting like a different person?...]
"Also, I won't accept your help. Even if the clothes I have are rags that is exactly what I will put on to the party," She declared and walked past him.
...
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