The sound of bird sweetly chirping woke up Adrianna. She slowly bashed her lashes with a soft yawn , her hair tousled into a cute mess , her lips slowly stretched into a little smile as she stared at the intruder by her window.
The bird slowly chirp again , this time pecking it's beak on the window rails .
" Hey foxy." Adrianna mumbled as she settled closer staring at the bed in the eye. The bird didn't flinch instead it cooed making her to chuckle slowly. " Hungry ?" She took a grain of rice and spreads it out for Foxy who ate it hungrily.
" I am so jealous of you." Adrianna whispered softly , she gently brush Foxy wings , the bird didn't budge it's main concentration was eating the grains of rice.
" You are so free . A free bird ." Adrianna mumbled tearfully , she hurriedly cleared her throat.
" Unlike someone who is confined in the attic with no images of anywhere else except from her little town. But,.. You can fly. Isn't that great ." The bird pecked it's beak against Adrianna wrist as it's way of consoling her.
" I wish I was a bird. " A low whisper escaped from Adrianna lips as she hugged her cold knees to her chest .
" Happy death day to me ." Adrianna wept silently , tears brimming on her face as cold breeze blew into the room.
If you are mistaken, today it's her birthday but a death day to Adrianna because her dreams, her hopes and future and including Adrianna died along with her parents ten years ago.
The attic turned colder, Adrianna wrapped the torn and thattered shawl around her little body. Winter is slowly approaching and it's going to be colder in here. It's always cold in the attic anyways. Adrianna would cry during snowy days but Clarice refused to give her another room or finish building the roof top. Adrianna thinks Aunt Clarice left the rooftop that way to torture her. The walls of the room suddenly became colder, Adrianna put on her gloves rubbing her hands. She wrapped the shawl around herself and watched Foxy flew away.
" They all leave at the end." Adrianna sadly muttered as Foxy flew away. Well the bird has been her friend for 10 days. Adrianna found it by the window with broken legs so she took it in nurturing it's health back. Days after days she couldn't help but feel attached to the bird so she named it Foxy because of it's unkempt wings and she can't believe it was time to say Goodbye.
Though she predicted it two days ago when it started limping and flying slowly across the room , today Adrianna had guessed it's leg had healed and it flew off without a good bye. It made her felt nostalgic a bit , her eyes slowly teared up and she shut her eyes lid tightly burying her head into the her tattered duvet.
Adrianna tried to fall asleep but her eyes were cleared , she groaned inwardly kicking her feet at the beep of her alarm. It was six on dot.
" Another stressful day." Adrianna mumbled with a sigh. She dragged her feet down to the bathroom washing her face and she took a quick shower . Adrianna felt grease on her hair, another sigh emitted from her lips as she touched her greasy hair now smelling with fish. She was living so poor that she couldn't even afford a shampoo. Adrianna brushed her hair against itself washing it with a small bucket of water . After a while, she came out with slow towel warped against her smooth delicate cream skin . Adrianna hurriedly dressed .
" Seriously I couldn't believe I got scammed!!!!" Clarice furiously yelled and it echoed through the walls of the house , her wild pace followed.
Adrianna bit her lips straining her ears. If she was hearing right did her aunt just got scammed . By who and how much precisely.
It doesn't matter. Serves her right! Her subconsciousness jeered with a little scoff.
" What am I supposed to do Jane. It was...." Clarice voice toned to a low whisper , her eyes darted across the room and she didn't see Adrianna hiding behind the stairs with her eyes gleaming with inquisitiveness.
" From the loan shark." Clarice whispered with a tremble fervor and she slumped tiredly on the chair rest.
Adrianna swallowed her gasp with her widened eyes. Wait loan shark! Is Aunt Clarice crazy! Why would she borrow money from loan shark to start a business. Everyone in this town are practically afraid , terrified and horrified of the loan shark. They were so brutal in collecting their money and sometimes can be super manipulative.
" It was the fastest option Jane. The bank couldn't lend me 2 million Euros . I thought it was the right decision to make . ". Aunt Clarice retorted sharply .
" I know . !" Clarice snapped " It was meant to turn out great it Donald wasn't a thief and a scammer. I swear I would make him pay. I will find that son of a bitch wherever he is hiding and make him cough out my money!" Clarice swore angrily with wild paces around the room.
" So what? What am I going to do? ." Clarice threw her hands over her head dejectedly "Shou..."
Adrianna foot steps gave her out as her feet leaned against a damaged stair and it made a loud screeching noise which made Clarice turning back with a sharp glare on her face. Adrianna hurriedly adjusted her dress trying to look natural. If Aunt Clarice knew that she was eavesdropping on her conversation , she would probably skin her alive and transfer her multiple aggression towards her .
" Good morning Aunt." Adrianna mumbled with a respectful bow clinging onto her small purse.
As expected Clarice cut her off with a loud hiss and a disdainful expression on her face " Tell me what's so good about this morning!" She snapped eyeing Adrianna angrily , she walked past her pushing her away harshly.
Adrianna staggered and fell bruising her knees. Nevertheless Clarice muttered some incoherent curse words directed at Adrianna." Useless nicompoo." Clarice cursed.
" I am leaving . " Adrianna announced quietly and hurried to the door. She can't afford to be late to work. Her eyes searched around for Stacey. Adrianna did a rough guess that Stacey is still up snoring away in her room .
" Dont forget what today is?" Clarice harsh voice halted Adrianna steps " i need to bring every penny back home. After all I have been feeding and clothing you for all these years. Isn't it time to repay that effort of mine.." Clarice sneered blowing out her gum loudly and irritatedly to Adrianna ears.
" Yes Aunt." Nevertheless Adrianna replied feebly , she bowed deeply at Clarice before walking out of the room.
Well , ever since she have graduated from highschool she couldn't go to college because of the high fees and because Aunt Clarice wasn't ready to support .
Even colleges she applied for scholarship all declined her, it wasn't like she wasn't smart enough , so she is working her butt to save and give Aunt Clarice so money , and now it seems Aunt Clarice got duped and scammed so at any time soon , Adrianna is a hundred percent sure Aunt Clarice is going to show her more hell .
As Adrianna scrambled down the stairs , she almost bruised her knees but an arm encircled her waist slowly and her heart skipped a beat , no two as she saw her pair of eyes staring down at her. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw a familiar face staring at her. Jones ! She gasped surprisedly slapping his hands away from her waist. She stared at Jones whose face now wore a displeased frown .
" Why did I bother anyways." Jones spat irritatedly and did the most brute action. He pulled Adrianna to his chest and pushed her down the stairs that she had intended to fall on.
Adrianna yelped as she rolled down the stairs , her stomach butted the ground with force and she whimpered painfully as she fell flat on her face .
Jones watched all this with a cruel smile and walked into the house " Aunt Clarice. Is Stacey home?" Jones asked politely , a complete version of the action he just displayed . towards Adrianna.
" Oh Jones , come in.. " Clarice welcome softly.
" Stacey!" Aunt Clarice yelled loudly with her high pitched voice soon dissapating into fits of laughter as Jones whispered some funny jokes in arrival for Stacey .
Adrianna whimpered tearfully as she limped towards the bus station , with anger growing up into her chest. She quietly waited for the bus with her fists clenched . Passerby rushing to the bus . Adrianna rushed along but someone pushed her aside and she ended up scrapping her knees again.
A low groan escaped Adrianna lips as she shut her eyes tightly to prevent the tears from falling out . The bus drove off and the passerby went on unconcerned . Here in Greenville, everyone minded their business and beside even though the town was very small , not many people are familiar with Adrianna since she was an autistic person. She hated crowd especially the stares boring into her body from unfamiliar gazes.
Adrianna sat beside the bench and she stared at her bruised knees , blood slowly oozed out from the wound. A cry tore from her lips as she tried to stand up .
" Ouch." Adrianna whimpered tearfully holding her knees, she tore from her skirt and she tied the knee tightly. A gruttal groan escaped from Adrianna lips , she shut her eyes with a soft sigh.
Another bus arrived . The passerby hurriedly moved into the bus with shoulder brushing against themselves. It's always like this , because this is the cheapest bus before the private ones comes in.
Adrianna limped towards the bus and got in before it could close . She slowly bowed as she walked in sliding in coins and sat just beside the window, she layed her head on the chair rest withering in pain. Her stomach churned wildly and she stared at the look of the bus occupants. Some stared nonchalantly and others started with a little smile.
Adrianna bit her lips embarrassed. Well it's not her first time eating without sleeping and it was the same thing that happened yesterday. Aunt Clarice starved her because she didn't get the door for Stacey who came home at 9PM. Adrianna was in the kitchen slowly watching the food and wandering in her thoughts , she had no idea of Stacey knocking due to the heavy rainfall. When she heard a yell, her eyes snapped open and she rushed to open the door only to be welcomed with a hard slap on the face by Stacey. As if it wasn't enough, Stacey cried that she - Adrianna had done in on purpose in retaliation for Stacey using her rag she called a clothing to clean the mess she had made.
Clarice yelled furiously at Adrianna , insulted her late parents and even cursed them for bringing out someone as stupid , as wretched as Adrianna. There was nothing Clarice didn't use to describe Adrianna. Soon she kicked her to the attic and banned her from going to the kitchen for food which her - Adrianna prepared for the family with her last strength in every fibre of her body.
Adrianna stomach churned again and this time painfully. It felt like something was eating her stomach deeply. Adrianna faked a smile at the uninterested look of the passerby. She held her stomach tightly and slowly closed her eye lid .
" Miss." She felt a harsh tap on her shoulder but she didn't budge " Miss!" The voice snapped impatient pulling a sleepy Adrianna up to her feet.
" Nazareth!" Adrianna gasped loudly as she stared at the wide eyed conductor whose eyes was now gleaming with something familiar. Something she witnessed all the time.
The bus driver slowly smiled , his brownish dirty teeth almost made her puke. Adrianna slowly bowed and strutted away but got pulled back by the hair " Why are you in such hurry." The bus driver said grimly and slowly shut the door.
" Please let me go." A soft whimper escaped from Adrianna lips and it made the bus driver grin to widen.
" You look hungry." His hands gripped her breasts " How about some trade and barter champ. I give you money and you satisfy me, right now. Right here, on the bus." He whispered with his bad breathe entering into her nose. Adrianna sucked in holding her breath .
" Please let me go. I am not a slut." She pleaded softly but the bus driver didn't listen , he ran his flighty hand across her face and her eyes slowly teared up .
" Come on. Don't be shy. I will pay you good and if I am well satisfied , I will always call you to warm my bed. Uh champ." The bus driver grinned arrogantly .
Adrianna fists slowly balled as she felt a pair of hand gripping her breasts fondling it harshly. Her gaze landed on a bottle. An empty alcohol bottle. She slowly took it allowing the man to rub his fingers along her thighs. Then she broke the bottle on his head while sobbing.
" Screw you little bitch!" The bus driver snarled angrily pulling Adrianna, but she bit his arms, her fingers desperately unlocking the bus door . Adrianna whimpered as he gripped onto her hair. The door was unlocked after some seconds of struggle .
Adrianna flee out running with her eyes never darting back. She ran and ran till she was exasperated and slowly fell asleep she arrived at her workplace. It was a restaurant. McDonald's, it pays well but transportation took a quarter of the money and Clarice took the other half leaving her with almost nothing.