The sunlight flooded through my curtains, blinding my barely opened eyes. However my alarm hasn't gone off yet, and the sun can't FORCE me to get up so-
"Hayami!!! Wake up!! You're gonna be late for school!!"
Impossible. I set my alarm. I snatch my phone off my desk from my bed and go into my clock app. No alarms set. I must've forgot to set it again...Lucky for me, my mom is my personal alarm clock if I by chance forget to set one.
"Hayami!! Did you hear me?!!!"
I roll onto my back and let out a mumble "Yes mom, I heard you."
Within seconds her head popped into my doorframe wearing a high up ponytail and a smile.
"Good! I don't want you to be late! Don't forget to take your medicine!!"
As quick as she appeared she was gone. I could hear her down the hall whistling a happy tune.
A frown crossed my face as I pulled myself out of bed. Another day, same rituals.
My room is a bright blue with different posters and letters on the wall. On one side, letters laid out neatly across the wall spell "Hayami". On the other side spells "Read", right by my bookshelves of course. And every day when I got up, I liked to read these letters, to remind myself where I am, and to remind myself of my goal.
To get out of here...I hate this house. I am 15 years old, so I have a plan to do this quicker. I'm not waiting till I'm 18. But first, I have to tackle this morning.
I walk into the kitchen in my normal attire. My frog hoodie, some leggings, and my boots that went up to my knees.
My mother looks at me with an odd stare.
"Well go on! You can't forget to take your meds! After you take them I'll drive you to school!"
My hands started sweating. My heart almost beat right out of my chest. I knew what she was trying to do to me. There's poison in those pills and if it gets in my system I'll die. I know her tricks. But she sits there with a smile on her face, blocking the door waiting for me. She wasn't going to turn around until I took my medicine.
I shakily take the two pills she laid out for me on the table and put them in my mouth. I slip them under my tongue, classic trick, and she looks at me like she suspects nothing.
"Thank you Hayami, I'm proud of you, you've been handling this well."
I know she lies, but I nod my head in gratitude.
She turns around and walks outside, holding the door open for me.
As she's locking the door to the house with her back turned towards me, I quickly spit the pills in the grass. After, I stand idly like I'm waiting for her to unlock the car door.
She does so and we get in. It's not a long drive to school. But mom won't let me drive anywhere. She says I'm not old enough. I think she just wants to control me.
As we're driving I make a list of reasons why I want to escape the house.
1.) My mom's trying to poison me
2.) I'm trapped here against my will
3.) I'm not allowed to go out. EVER.
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4.) I'm not allowed to drive
We pull up to the school. I say goodbye to my mother quickly and walk inside. Instead of reviewing the old list of why I want to leave, today is the day I review the revised plan to make it happen. I've packed some clothes in my bookbag along with some other things. I've been acquiring skills that will finally able me to escape!
Step One: Go to work
Step Two: Don't go home (I told my mother I get off at 3 am today, It's a Friday so she bought it. I get off at 9pm)
Step Three: Find a place to sleep, shouldn't be too hard. I have money for a hotel. But I think spending it on food and water is more important.
Step Four: Never return home.
I get to school 10 minutes early every day. Most of the time I use my free time of 10 minutes to nap, or read. I have a couple friends. Occasionally I talk to them.
Today however, I was going to use my ten minutes to check in with them, before I wouldn't return here.
My eyes scan the hallway I've found myself in. I quickly find my friend group. It's not hard to miss them. There's Anna, Shuko, Alex, and Basil. Anna is always dressed in a dress of some sort, and her hair is always in two braids. Shuko is always dressed in black, chains, and a beanie. Alex wears random, normal stuff every day, he's just loud, so he's easily recognizable by his voice, and Basil has bright blue hair and a nose piercing.
As I approach my group I can hear Alex's voice over everyone else's. He's waving his hands around as I walk towards him, yelling about something funny his sister said. Everyone was smiling and laughing as Alex kept talking. Eventually I found myself between Basil and Anna, now standing in this little circle we've formed.
"Hello Hayami! How is your day today?" Anna turned to me.
Alex immediately stopped talking and looked directly at me, smiling.
"Good. I've come here to say goodbye."
All my friends suddenly inverted their circle to stare directly at me, their smiles were gone now. Their talking started to overlap each other, but essentially they all were asking the same question. "Why?"
"My mom is trying to poison me!"
They exchanged worried glances as Shuko, who is usually quiet like me, piped up.
"Hayami. Have you been taking your meds..?"
Anna and Basil's brows' furrowed as they glared at Shuko.
Shuko visibly started to get nervous and started shaking.
Shuko has been my friend since elementary school. He used to go be a girl, but he told me at the beginning of this year that he wasn't so sure anymore. After that, he cut his hair short, wore a binder and changed his style into the Shuko I now know and love. Shukos always had mild anxiety but he's always been able to manage it so he never took any medicine for it. However it was affecting him now, as a drop of sweat rolled out from under his beanie onto the side of his face.
"W-we all know that Hayami takes meds, I just want to help, I don't see why we can't talk about it"
Basil's expression softened but Anna's stayed angry.
Basil was the first to take a deep breath.
"Medicine or not, this is important. None of us want to lose you. We care so much about you, Hayami. Why are you saying goodbye? Did something happen?"
I started to get frustrated. I didn't need all these emotions to hold me back.
"I told you, my mom is trying to poison me."
Alex crossed his arms with a worried expression on his face.
"How?"
"Through my meds, they'll kill me if they get into my system."
Shuko put his hand on my shoulder.
"Hayami you've been on medicine since we were kids. What happened?"
The bell interrupted the conversation, and all of the children except Hayami looked panicked.
"Hayami, we're talking about this later" Anna remarked.
"Yeah, we're really worried about you" Alex gave me a hug, then stepped away.
"C'mon" Shuko intervened. "I'll walk you to class."
The school day went by fast. The same boring classes, it felt like a long day. The only exciting part was that I saw my mom's car drive past the school. My heart dropped every time I saw her car. Even though I knew there was no way she could be here, I couldn't shake the feeling that she knew what I was going to do.
The last period of the day came slowly. I watched the clock tick by every minute until finally, it was time to leave.
The bell invaded my ear drums as I raced out of the building. I wanted to go to work, one last time. My heart raced with excitement as I dashed down the sidewalk. I know Anna said we'd talk later, but I was finally free. Almost. Just work then I'm free. Forever.
I walk all the way to Pizza Hut, uniform in my bag.
It's about a 30 minute walk, but my boss knows I walk from school and she's okay with it as long as I show up.
I'm scheduled to work with Lawson and Yuri today. Lawson is one year older than me, and Yuri is 3 years older than me. Lawson is emancipated, he lives by himself, how nice. Yuri lives with her parents and she's going to a really good college next year. She seems so happy.
The bell rings as I walk into Pizza Hut. In less than 5 minutes my hair is put up and I'm in my uniform.
I shove my bag behind the counter and begin taking orders.