Elana.
"Where are you coming from?"
I turned around quickly and saw my dad sitting on one of the living room sofas.
My heart immediately dropped to my stomach. Was he waiting for me? I'm in big trouble.
I walked to the living area and at the other end of the room Efanell sat staring at me waiting for my reply.
"Good evening Father," I greeted, looking at Efanell, I nodded a greeting "Efanell."
"I said where are you coming from, you fool?!" He asked, raising his voice.
"Father," Efanell said, trying to calm him down.
I just stared at the man, excuse of a father, am I supposed to be scared of him?
I wish he'd died in place of mother.
"Where are you coming from Elana?" Efanell asked, sounding more concerned than the man who I came out of.
I sought deep for an excuse then I remembered my original plan. "I was at the lakeside," I lied.
"It's almost 7 pm, Elana, what were you doing at the lakeside and who were you with?" He asked, crossing his arms.
I dropped my hands by my side and raised my chin a bit to make my excuse more believable. "I was reading a book and by myself. I slept off and woke up when it started to drizzle."
I think that should be believable enough. Efanell looked like he was having it and just as I was about to leave, my father made a 'clever' observation.
"Where is the book?" He asked, sitting up in his spot.
"Huh?" I replied, acting confused.
"Don't play dumb with me, the book you were reading where is it? I mean you couldn't have been reading nothing," he stated.
Well true but that's something I hadn't thought about.
"It fell in the lake," I lied. I heard Efanell snort and was about to laugh myself but I held it.
Father on the other hand wasn't having my excuse. He stood up and approached me, looking furious.
I took a step back for my safety.
"You're a blatant liar. I keep thanking the moon goddess your mother isn't alive to witness the shame you bring upon this family," he said.
Why? Why does he choose to hurt me verbally like this? What did I ever do?
But he's right. I am bringing much shame upon my family and even secretly bringing a much bigger shame.
"You were probably out sleeping around with pack members again. No wonder your lovers keep rejecting you," he said. This one hurt in a place I didn't even know I could be hurt in.
Tears made their way up my eyes and down my cheeks. I couldn't hold them in much longer and I just began to cry.
I've had enough of this. "Well, maybe Mum left us because she couldn't stand you. I wish you died instead!" I said through my sobbing.
Efanell's eyes widened in shock and so did fathers. But his expression quickly changed from shock to beast-like.
He took a furious step towards me and grabbed my neck. Efanell rushed over to us and pushed him away.
"Father calm down!" He said.
He tried to hurt me..physically.
He grabbed my neck, he was going to strangle me. Who knows what would've happened if Efanell wasn't around?
What I said was provoking. I agree. But it doesn't measure up to the brutality of the things he's said to me.
I wiped the tears that kept forming in my eyes and ran up the stairs to my room.
I got the key out of the spot where I hid it, entered my room, and shut the door behind me locking it.
I hate this house. I hate my father. I hate my life.
I kept thinking of how much of a nightmare my life was and couldn't stop weeping.
I curled up on my floor and continued to cry.
I wish I could disappear.
******
I woke up feeling drained and sick.
I checked the wall clock in my room and it was minutes past 1 am.
I had fallen asleep on my room floor while crying. I don't remember dreaming, I just woke up and realized I had slept.
I got up from the floor and went into my closet to pick out a change of clothes. Got tired of wearing this sundress, plus it was due for a change.
I picked out a small nightwear dress and went into the bathroom for a relaxing bath.
I filled the bathtub with warm water and climbed into it. Letting myself soak in the pool of water.
My mind wandered to various thoughts.
But most especially Alpha Alex..or Alex rather. It seems so bizarre to refer to an older man by his name.
After I was sure my mind was relaxed, I got out of the tub, used a towel to dry up my body, and wrapped one around my chest.
I sat by the sink and looked at myself in the mirror above it. There were faint marks on my body from my time spent with Alex.
And one on my knee from when I fell whilst running away from the stalker.
Remembering the stalker I got up from where I sat and rushed over to the window. Opening the curtain slowly I looked out.
I let out a sigh of relief when I saw no one there. I went back into the bathroom, applied some lotion, and wore my nightie.
I got into bed and snuggled in my duvet. But I couldn't sleep. I'm not sure if it's because I had already slept early or that I was paranoid about the open window.
Not willing to take any chances, I got out of bed and went to shut the windows.
As I reached up to shut the window by the desk I noticed something by the tree again.
It was a figure. The same person from before.
The hairs on my body stood as I watched the person, frozen in my spot out of fear I couldn't move.
They help a pink tulip again, picking out the petals one by one.
Slowly I shut the window, but the person still stood looking at me. What do they want?
I closed the curtains and ran to Efanell's room to tell him about this stalker. It's high time I let someone know before something happens to me.
I knocked on the door lightly so I wouldn't wake father up. I heard grumbles but no answer.
I knocked again, "Efanell?" I called out.
"Elana, what do you want?" He asked, sounding very irritated.
"Fanell there's someone by my window," I said. I got goosebumps as I thought about it.
I heard shuffling in the room and the door swung open. "What do you mean there's someone by your window? You're only being paranoid, Go back to bed," he said, looking down at me.
I'm not being paranoid, I know what I saw.
"Efanell you have to believe me. You remember when you walked in on me staring out the window? That's what I was looking at and they're back again," I whispered audibly.
"Fine, I'll go check," he said. He passed by me and entered my room, I followed right behind.
Tension built inside of me as he got closer to the window and opened the curtains. He stared out for a minute and closed the curtains.
"Did you see them?" I asked curiously.
"No Lana, there's no one there. You're just paranoid, go back to sleep," he said and left the room.
What does he mean there's no one there? I know what I saw!
I rushed over to the window and yanked the curtain open. There was no one there…
Maybe I was imagining things?