Page 10 of Teach Me How To Fly

At first, I didn’t resist the rule nor did I question it, but as I grew up, it seemed strange to me that he kept me locked in here. I wondered why it was me who had to stay in the house and not Katya, who was younger.

He left the room and I could finally breathe normally.

I felt the tears falling on my face, but I didn’t let them roll on my cheeks. I didn’t want to cry. I needed to become stronger.

It came so naturally for me to be sensitive to anything around me, but not anymore. I needed to change for my own good, and being too emotional wasn’t good for me. It was clear as I watched the blood pour out of Maksen’s leg, while his face remained straight. That was the only proof I needed to know that I was too weak for them, for him. I was such an easy target for Katya too.

I sat back down on the bench and grabbed my sketchbook, trying to continue the drawing I started. However, with every line I made on the paper, I noticed that everything I had in mind disappeared and it became just an empty cold void I had to accept.

I haven't seen Maksen in two weeks.

My father turned out to be the worst person I knew, and Katya continued to make fun of me every time she got the opportunity.

I wasn’t pitying myself, because I was used to this life, but now it felt like a light came above me and made me realize what I truly wanted. I shouldn’t have settled for less.

But at the same time, there was nothing I could do to escape the situation I was in. I just had to accept it.

I took in a deep breath and stood up, making my way to the kitchen. Sitting alone with my thoughts wasn’t going to do me any good, so I had to do something.

As I was stepping down the stairs, I heard my sister laughing at her phone. Sometimes, I was so envious of her that she had my father’s consent on everything she wanted to do, while I had to obey his orders and be that little cute lamb he wanted me to be.

She could get out of the house, party in the fanciest clubs of New York, and attend a normal school. The only thing that pissed me off was that she was the younger sister and yet she was the one who could do everything she wanted.

I hissed between my lips and tried not to fuel the anger inside me even more.

A smile crept onto my face as I entered the kitchen and saw Olivia cooking something that hit my senses instantly.

“Miss Annalise! What a wonderful surprise to see you out of your room,” she burst out in a tone full of happiness. “Come on, tell me that my food made you get out of there.”

“The smell really hit my senses, so I admit that it was one of the reasons why I came down here.” I giggled and she gave me an affectionate smile.

She had always been so good to me, almost felt like my second mom and I knew she understood me. I wish I could’ve talked to her about anything that was on my mind — for example, telling her how I didn’t know who my father was anymore. But I couldn’t open up to her entirely. She had her own problems to face, she didn’t need more.

“What did you cook?”

“I’m cooking some veggies with salmon and sweet potato puree.”

“I’m starving already!” I quickly replied and massaged my tummy.

“It won’t take long,” she replied as she continued to stir the vegetables in the pan.

“Did my father leave already?”

“Yes. He left about fifteen minutes ago. He was in a total rush.”

“Oh, I see. I’m glad he did.” I sighed, resting my head on my palms.

I felt a strange feeling of peace now that he was gone. And it made me feel relieved that I wasn’t going to see him for a week.

I wondered where he always went every week even when he was leaving with Maksen too. I knew they were involved in illegal activities, but I didn’t know precisely in what.

“I don’t want to upset you or anything, but do you know anything about Maksen?” she asked me with a concerned look on her face.

She knew about what happened. She must’ve been cleaning his blood off our floors and carpet for several hours after he entered the house. But it seemed as if she tried to hide it from me so I played along.

“No, I don’t,” I replied.

“Maybe he’ll come visit us soon,”

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