Chapter 1 A Mistake
MILLER’S HOME, LOS ANGELES.
Darby curled herself up into the duvet trying hard to block out the noise from the living room. It would have been fair if her room was upstairs, at least she wouldn't get subjected to the happy family moment ongoing outside her room. Sitting up, she slammed her hands on the bed in frustration and tears pricked at her eyes as the rest of the family howled in laughter.
Moments like this are when Darby wished she had other alternative of belonging somewhere. Even if the affection is as little as the crumbs of bread, she would gladly hold on to it like life itself. Laying back, she placed her head on her folded arms and let the tears fall freely. Her belly growled hungrily. If she knows what was good for herself, she would have to wait for everyone to leave before stepping out.
After what seems like forever, the noise quiet down and obviously signifies the retirement of the family into their various rooms. A small smile appeared on her lips at the thought of filling up her belly. Her mind sifted through different draws of thoughts as she stepped out of the room.
For the past eighteen years of her life, she has had to put up with being the bad egg of the family. Sometimes Darby wondered if anyone of her parents has ever stopped to think logically of their awful actions towards her. It was their mistake that brought her to life, but they are both so petty and think it was best if she takes all the blame. It was their fault that her life has been filled with many days of sorrows than happy times, not even as a child. Her best times are spent locked up in the closet fighting off the dark demons in her heart.
Tiptoeing into the kitchen, she halted her thoughts to sit down and chew on the left over burger that would definitely get disposed the next day. In the Miller's home, only the most irrelevant kind of people like Darby eat every other person's left over. Chewing with relish, she hummed in delight while staring at the dimly lit wall of the kitchen.
The lights came on all of a sudden causing her to fall hard on her butt due to the violent jolt. Darby blinked rapidly while trying to adjust her eyes to the bright light. "Mom?" She whispered, standing up while still guarding her half eaten burger. "You scared me."
Emma kissed her teeth in irritation as she made her way to the fridge. She refused to look towards her first fruit that reminded her of the most horrifying mistake she has ever made in her entire life. Opening up the fridge, she brought out a bottle of water and made her way back out of the kitchen.
"My birthday!" Darby called out causing Emma to pause in her tracks. "My birthday was two days ago. I clocked eighteen and I thought even if no one remembers you would."
Emma turned to look at her with a cold expression. "I don't care." She blurted.
"Why won't you? Why exactly are you always so cold to me? It has been eighteen years, even if you haven't forgiven yourself, shouldn't you at least spare me the hate?" Darby asked the same question she has been asking for a couple of years now.
Emma slammed the bottle in her hand on the table, her eyes harbored so much darkness in them as she glared at Darby. "It's your fault that you refused to die when I tried hard to get rid of you. It's your fault for living up to this age. You are the reason I can't enjoy my marriage with the man I love. Seeing your face everyday makes me feel so disgusted. You are a reminder of my dark past and I wish so bad that you never existed!"
Darby's lips shook hard as the tears rolled down her eyes. “Were you raped? No. Didn't you enjoy every moment? I guess you did. Did you forget your identity when you were being fucked? I guess not. So why are you—“ She didn't get to finish her last sentence as a thunderous slap landed on her cheeks courtesy of her mother.
"You bitch! How dare you judge me? You are nothing but filth and I hope you rot! I will never forgive you for coming into my life. Never!" Emma screamed before storming out of the kitchen.
Holding onto the affected area, Darby's legs wobbled and she fell to the ground. Biting hard on her knuckle to keep her crying voice in and her shoulder shuddered from the heavy tears. It was hopeless trying to seek love from her mother but still understandable if her intended father chose not to love her. And why is that? She is a product of her mother's infidelity and no man will be able to take that.
Darby knew it would have been best if she never existed cause it would have saved her from the continuous heart break and rejection. Due to the absence of her father while he served in the military years back before his retirement, Emma had gotten involved with another man to fulfill her sexual desire. Things went haywire when she got pregnant few weeks after Noah's final return from the base. She and Noah knew there was no way the child was his. Emma was already two months gone when her husband had only arrived three weeks earlier.
From Emma's lamentation, Darby knew she had done her very best to abort her fetus but it seemed like an impossible mission. Having no other choice but to birth her, the two adults decided it would be best to spend the rest of their lives hating on the innocent child. Darby has had to suffer neglect from her parents for years. She had thought things would be different with the birth of her sister, Abigail two years later, but it only got worse. Poor Darby grew up to witness what affection truly means and knowing both of her parents are actually capable of loving.
Sometimes she wished she had enough courage to run far away and never return. But considering how tough the streets of Los Angele is, she wouldn't last a day on her own. But then, there has to be hope somehow. All she needed was to find someone or anyone willing to love her and all of her worries would fade into thin air. She wouldn't have to think about her unloving family and live the fairytale life just like Cinderella.
Fueling herself with hope, Darby stood up and dusted her butt. The burger no longer tasted nice, so she dumped it into the trash can and drank enough water before walking out of the kitchen. Tomorrow was another school day which means her frustrating night would be over in few hours.
For every high schooler school was a nightmare. But for Darby it was the best place to be, the only place she gets to feed her eyes on the man of her dreams and she heads to school everyday with the hope of getting close to him. Many times she has daydreamed of moments they would share and how beautiful their kids would look. That’s how much Leo Robin makes her head spin with his perfect athlete tanned body with strong arms that would definitely make her feel safe. To cap it all, he has the most mesmerizing face Darby has ever seen. None of her classmates comes close to how good looking Leo is.
Even though there are several other girls who suit him perfectly, Darby hoped she would one day meet her fairy godmother who would send her off to a ball to meet her prince charming. The only difference would be that she wouldn't have to own a glass slippers to be found, she would readily make herself available.
And with that on her mind, Darby laid down to sleep, a smile spreading out on her face as she envisioned herself kissing Leo passionately.