After Dark

The sun was setting. People were rushing, rushing to get home. 

To people who they haven't seen for the past 8 hours.

Some rushing back to the kids waiting for them at home. And others rushing back to their spouses at home.

Some to their friends who lived with them. Friends like families.

They were all rushing back to people who loved and cared for them.

A family who would welcome them back home with open hands and smiles and probably would have a dinner set for them.

But I?

Nah, I'm not that lucky. 

Well it's not a surprise, I've always had bad lucks. The people around me have always made it their job to remind me that I'm a bad luck.

Even my own mother died after my birth, I guess my bad luck affected her too.

She should have just aborted me.

My father tells me that every time he has the chance to. He thinks I'm the cause of her death.

Maya

That was my mother's name. She asked my father to name me that before she passed away. 

Poor her.

If only she knew what an excuse of a child she gave birth to she'd have preferred to name a dog her name. 

Not me.

Taking out my watch I saw that the time was 8:00pm. Two hours past dinner time.

Liza and her kids would be done eating by now and would have been getting ready to settle for the day.

Liza is my step mother, like in the Cinderella's tale she's just as wicked to me and spoils her already rotten children. And unlike in Cinderella's tale my own father treats them better than me. He treats them like they're his own child. And also unlike in Cinderella's tale I have no happy ending. 

Cinderella was beautiful, I'm not. 

The only people that hated her was her step mother and sisters but in my own case the whole world hates me. 

It's me against the whole world. Even people I don't know look at me like I murdered their children.

I've never had any friend. Not that I try anyways. I've always preferred the company of animals to humans. 

My life hasn't always been like this don't get me wrong. I had happy times but that was a long ago.

When I still lived with my grandma. 

Well...when I said nobody liked me I didn't actually mean it like that...it was an hyperbole because my grandma really loves me. 

She is my paternal grandmother and she loved my mother and took her as her own child. That is before she died.

I lived with her for the first 7 years of my life while my dad was recovering from my mother's death.

I still remember the day he came to take me.

Granny had women me up early that day and told me to get ready for a surprise. After waiting for hours for the great surprise I had heard a knock at the front door.

I opened it to see my dad smiling at me.

The following conversation had taken place between my dad and granny.

Granny: (whispering) will she be good to her?

Dad: oh yes, Liza is a good woman. In fact she and her children can't wait to meet her. 

Granny: Are you sure about that?

Dad: yes mom, you worry too much.

He had pecked her and took my hands. I didn't know what they were talking about but I had a bad feeling about it.

My grandma had pecked me and said.

'Whatever happens always know I love you. And if things become too hard for you just know your mother is there watching it all'.

My dad had carried me and deposited me in his car. Then he entered and drove off. 

I remember looking at my granny waving to me through the rear mirror. 

I had thought. 'Well it's not like this is the last time I'll see her. I'll always come to visit'.

If only I'd known.

My dad had stopped at a flower shop and told me to pick a flower to give to my sisters when we got home. 

I had gladly picked roses. Happy at the fact that I was gonna have sisters whom I thought would love me.

When we got home I immediately loved the house. It was a bungalow and it had a beautiful garden at the front. A dog which I later knew to be Roddy was wriggling its tail and jumping at my dad.

Then I saw her. She gave me a smile which I thought was warm but soon figured was a fake smile.

'Welcome home Maya, your sisters can't wait to see you'.

'Oh, yeah comes Sophie'.

'Sophie come greet your sister'. 

She was standing at the last stair and looking at me with a blank face.

Then she smiled and made her way towards me. 

'Welcome home--sister'. She had made the word 'sister' sound the same as 'intruder'.

'Thanks'.

'Where is Sadie, Sophie?'. My dad asked.

'She's up in her room'.

'Sadie? Come on down here to greet your sister'. 

'Coming'. She had grumbled.

Then she had appeared in her glorious fake form.

She had dyed her hair blonde and even did makeup. At what age again? Six.

Yes, I am older than her with a year just as Sophie is older than me with a year.

She had scowled at me. 'She's ugly'. Then she turned back and ran off.

'Sadie? What's wrong with you? Come back here right now'. 

'Nooo'.

Liza had sighed. 'I'm so sorry Maya she's probably in a sour mood'.

Sophie snorted. 'She's always like that'. 

Liza had thrown her a cold look. 'Come on, Maya let's see your room'.

She had led me upstairs and we entered into the room. The room was beautiful but unlike my former room at Granny's house it was.....dusty....

Very dusty.

She had acted surprised. 'Omg! I didn't know that the maids didn't clean it up--i'm sorry but you'll have to clean it up yourself. You won't mind right?'.

'Uhm--it's fine I'll clean it up right away'.

'Well-it's not like you have a choice'. She murmured and moved to go out of the room'.

Then she turned. 'We won't be expecting you for dinner, after all you won't be done by then'. Then she shut the door.

I had sighed and got to work. 

Back to the present.

I looking at my watch again, I saw that the time was 10:05pm they should all be asleep or in their various room by now. I stood up from the roadside bench which I always sat on.

I took a cab and it dropped me off at home.

The lights were off already so I took out my phone and switched the lights on. I had just made my way to the top of the stairs when I heard someone clear their throat.

Bursted.

I looked up to see Liza. 'Err- hi'.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

'Did they accept you this time?'.

'N-no'.

'Of course, who would want someone like you to work for him. Just get your annoying self away from me'. She dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

Wow, she's in a good mood today...lucky me.

I entered my room which has been my safe haven for 15 years.

I quickly had my bath and wore my pyjamas. I laid down on the bed not feeling sleepy. 

Another unsuccessful attempt at getting a decent job. It seems accountancy isn't meant for me. Maybe I should start looking for another job. Maybe I'll see a vacancy for the job of a cook.

I doubt it though. Everything in the world is always against me...except the bad things of course.