Page 15 of Mila: The Godfather

Message from C

Mila,

What made you smile today? - C

Lonely Castle

MILA

“You’re a queen, Mila. Never forget it.” – A

“And the princess fell in love with the frog…” I whisper aloud to the dark, closing the book, wondering how could a pretty princess fall in love with an amphibian? That makes zero sense to me. A dog? I could see that happening. Cats, too. They’re pretty darn cute, but a slimy, ugly frog? That’s strange.

But I guess I shouldn’t judge.

Strange would be my middle name if my father had a say now.

Oddly, he gave me my name.

Mila Areya.

He chose it before he realized I came ’defective’.

His words. Not mine.

I have been a disappointment to him way before he was made aware of my developmental disorder. Asperger’s syndrome.

He gave up on me the moment he was told I was another girl and not the heir he was expecting. The boy he still to this day longs for.

He even told me so on many instances.

Thoughts of my father make me sad, and I don’t want to feel sad. Not today. So I try to think of happy things instead.

Tapping my chest three times, I think of the color blue, Cactaceae, chubby puppies, and my sisters.

That instantly does the trick because my mood brightens enough for me to forget all about my neglectful and cruel father for a little while.

Thoughts of my sisters make me start to contemplate the idea of sneaking out in search of them. They haven’t been to see me all day, which is odd since they sneak in a visit once or twice a day when they know no one is around to stop them or punish them.

Putting the fairytale book down, the same one my sister Arianna gave me once for my birthday, I get off the floor and make my way outside my room in search of them. It’s very late. I should be in bed by now, and I know better than to leave my room, but I miss them.

I am lonely, and I’m cold.

I don’t like the cold.

Father is cold and cruel.

He enjoys making me cry, and so do the men that work for him. He won’t like it if he finds out, but there’s a funny feeling in my stomach, and I always follow my gut. It usually never fails me.

When I’m almost to the first step of the stairs that lead down to the main entrance, shaky hands grab my shoulders, halting my steps.

Uh-oh.

I’ve been caught.

Dread coils in my belly, and my breath gets caught in my throat.

“What are you doing, stelina?!” I release the breath I’ve been holding and instantly feel better, knowing that it is my sister, Kadra, and not one of my father’s mean friends. “You can’t leave your room without one of us. You know this…”

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