Chapter 4: Pretensions Over

"What was that? That looked so pretty."  I was playing with my music box that noon when Leanna barged in.  She always barges in and lately, it's been really irritating.  I tried ignoring  her and kept playing. 

The music box was one of the best things Mom left me.  My grandmother gave it to her, then Mom gave it to me. It's a dancing ballerina and a prince. Mom always told me stories about fairy tales and by just looking at it makes me dream of being that princess. From the corner of my eyes, I knew Leanna was staring at me.  Well, I didn't care.  She was probably just going to pester me, anyway. I wasn't in the mood.  Dealing with her these past few days has been exhausting. Why couldn't she leave me alone.

"Is it yours?" she asked.

"Yes," I reply obviously showing her I'm not in the mood to talk.

"It's pretty, but don't you think you're too old for this stuff?" she said, all sarcastic.

I rolled my eyes.  It stung, though.  So what if it's childish?  She acts like such a grown-up, all dressed up like a big girl at sixteen, but I know I'm way more mature than her. Now she's telling me, I'm childish? Then what about her? I tried to keep ignoring her but it seems she really intends to annoy me because she grabbed the music box, trying to get my attention.

"You're too old for this Gav. Let's throw this away." She mockingly said while giggling. 

I freaked out when she started waving it in the air trying to show me she has a wicked plan in throwing it so as a desperate response,  I snatched it from her.

"Don't you dare! This is important to me, Leanna!"

"Another important thing? Bet this was from your Mom," she sneered, laughing.

To my surprise, sh grabbed it again, and this time, without hesitation, she threw it with force.  Startled, I tried to catch it, but I hit her in the process.  But it's too late.  The music box shattered.

"You bitch! Why did you do that?!" I screamed in anger.  I didn't care about my words anymore.  I wanted to hurt her.  Tears welled up in my eyes. My hands are shaking as I pick up the broken pieces, the ballerina separated from her prince.  Out of anger, I glared at her and she still had the nerve to glare right back at me.

"You pushed and hurt me for that crap?" She angrily accused.

I couldn't believe it!  Now she still has the audacity to  blame me?  This was all her fault!

"This was from my Mom! It was important!  Are you that desperate for attention?!"  I didn't care anymore if  my words would hurt her feelings. I am mad. She deserved it.

"I was trying to be nice and get along with you!" she cried dramatically.

"Liar! You were trying to provoke me!"

"Now the real Gavriella revealed herself. I knew you weren't that kind and sweet."

"Shut up the hell up!" I snapped. I couldn't help but clench my fist in anger; I wanted to hurt her so bad.

"You know what's your problem? You are such a brat and childish it's so irritating me! You act sweet to me and my Mom, but the truth is you hate us. You want us out of this house, don't you? You're self-centered, bitch!"

"That's not true!" I was shocked by her revelation.  Is that what she thinks of me all along?

"You expect us to always understand you! You're so sensitive and emotional, and I'm so tired of pleasing you!"

"What's happening here?!" We both went silent when Chelsea stormed in. The woman must have heard us shouting and suspected we're arguing the reason she checked on us.

"What's happening here, Leanna? I'm talking to you!" Chelsea angrily asked.

"She pushed and hurt me, Mom!"

Oh God, she's impossible!

"I was trying to catch the music box," I explained. "It was an accident."

"You heard her, Leanna.  Gav did not mean it so now, apologize to her."

"No!  I won't! You always tell me to please Gav, to follow what Gav's wants, to not upset Gav! I'm sick and tired trying to please her all the time! I hate her, Mom!" I saw how Aunt  Chelsea got stunned with Leanna's words. The woman then went silent and  looked at me suspiciously.

"It was an accident, Leanna."

Leanna's words hit me hard.  I was right, she had been pretending all along. That she was getting along with me not because she wanted to, it's because Chelsea had told her to do so. I never thought Leanna thought of me that way. I knew myself better. I was not hurt because what she said is true, I was hurt and disappointed because I thought Leanna liked me and be could be sisters.  Now I know that if people show you kindness, you need to discern their sincerity first, as some people may not be genuine.

"Liar! You pushed me because of that stupid music box!"

"That's not true, Aunt Chelsea—"

"Stop it, Gav! Leanna's not a liar!"  Chelsea cut me off. I was surprised that in just one blink, it seemed like Leanna was now the one being favored, and I was the one being made to look like a liar.

"And I'm not a liar either, Aunt Chelsea!"

"Stop calling me Aunt for Pete's sake Gav! When will you learn to accept that I am your new Mom, now? It was an insult for me every time you call me Aunt!" Chelsea exasperatingly said.

"It's just that my real mom is the only one I can call Mom—"

"What did you just say? You're trying to say you cannot accept me as your father's wife is that it? Oh my god! Wait till Robert hears this!"  Her beautiful face contorted and it seems like she transformed into an evil villain in my eyes. I don't even understand why this is a big deal to her.

"No, please, that's not—"

"Stop it! I thought you accepted me and Leanna as a part of this family just like your father told me! You've disappointed me, Gav."  The woman's expression, though inscrutable, didn't look like she was disappointed.  Her gaze, however, felt intensely hostile, reminding me of how Leanna's dislike and hate me.  It seemed to me she harbors similar feelings. She'd been pretending too.

"No please Aunt Chelsea..." I tried to explain but it seems the woman refuses to hear my side.

"Shut up, brat! Wait till your father finds this out!"  Chelsea threatened then immediately stormed out.

I just sat there, crying.  Why she  couldn't  understand? She wasn't even giving me a chance to explain my part.

"See what you did? You made Mom upset too!" I heard Leanna sneered.

This was all her plan, I knew it!  I will not give her the satisfaction to succeed.  So I got up and immediately came out of the room and goes downstairs to look for Aunt Chelsea to explain. And when I saw her walking through the living room, I immediately followed her until I reached her.

"Aunt Chelsea, I'm sorry…"

"Go away, Gav. I can't face you right now." Her voice seems to restrain her anger.

"Aunt Chelsea—"

"I said stop calling me that! I'm not your aunt! Do you think I want to be your mom? You disgust me!" Her powerful and furious voice stunned me. 

This is the first time she shouted at me. She was not like this before especially when Dad is around. She had never spoken to me  this way before. Her usual sweet and  calm demeanor had always led me to believe she was incapable of such anger. Now, I was completely wrong.

Another fake.  Another act. How could a pretty face camouflage such an evil creature? Oh god, why did Dad bring these people into our lives?

"I never thought you could say that Aunt Chelsea." I retorted back defining the word, Aunt Chelsea.

"Argghhhh! I hate you!" She screeches in anger.

"I hate you too!" I yelled back.  I shouldn't apologize to her. She doesn't deserve it.

"You stop it Gavriella!"

My eyes automatically widened in shock when I heard my father's voice from behind. I'm sure as hell he  heard the words I said as he looked fuming mad at her. I can foresee that he misinterpreted what he heard I said.

"What's this? Why are you shouting at your mom! Is that how you talk to her?!" He grabbed my arm, hurting me physically and emotionally.  For a moment I hoped he'd take my side against Chelsea, but the rage in his eyes made that seem impossible.

"Oh, Robert! Your daughter, she does not respect me!" Chelsea dramatically sobbed. The woman immediately clung to Dad and the latter embraced and comforted her.

"Hush now, darling. I'm sorry for what she acted."

"I was only disciplining her for what she did to Leanna when she suddenly lashed out, screaming that I wasn't her mother and she wouldn't accept me as one.  Did you hear her, Robert?  She said she hated me!"  Chelsea said lying. 

"That's not true, Dad!" I retorted back hoping for a chance Dad will hear me out.

"Shut up, young lady! Apologize to your mom!"

I don't understand how some people can lie so convincingly.  While this manipulative woman can twist the truth and slanders me in front of my father, I'm slowly losing hope that he'll ever believe me. She was such a good actress. How can she even manage to force tears in her eyes? At that moment, I felt my knees weaken as I was seeing my  Dad's eyes wrathfully glaring at me.  In an instant, the hope that he would believe me and take my side suddenly vanished.

"But Dad—"

"I'm warning you, apologize to your Mom, or you'll regret it, young lady!" Dad's voice was a serious threat, his eyes blazing with terrifying fury. 

I had never seen him this angry and I admit it frightened me. The way he sided  and believed his wife  makes me want to cry.  He'd never spoken to me in such a harsh tone. I had never seen him so enraged like this.

"Stop it, Robert. You're scaring her," Chelsea said, suddenly acting concerned. 

Oh, this manipulative old hag! I never expected she had different faces. That she  was like her daughter. 

"Oh please honey, I can't tolerate this. I never thought she would be this disrespectful." Dad's face softened as he stared at the woman. He was already under her spell.

"Hon, please you don't have to—"

"You heard me right young lady! Admit you were wrong and apologize to her now!" Dad angrily shouted, demanding an immediate action from me.

I closed my eyes.  I wouldn't cry.  Mom taught me to be brave and crying is a sign of being a weakling. Okay, I will apologize to her as a respect to my  father but Chelsea won't get the satisfaction of seeing me defeated. I won't cry in front of her.

" I-It's my fault. I'm sorry Aunt Chelsea." I said while my head stooped.

"That's okay sweetheart. I know you didn't mean that." Chelsea answered acting sweet and understanding.

"Please leave us, honey. I'll just talk to her." I heard Dad said.

"Okay. But you have to promise me, please don't be harsh to your daughter Rob."

She  endearingly cupped Dad's face, and the latter smiled with love and admiration.  The woman then left us  after kissing my father  but I never missed seeing the sly smile on her face when she left.

"Tell me why did you do that?" Dad confronted. I went silent and did not bother to answer.

What for? He had already made up his mind about whom he will believe. Why would I bother to explain then?

"Leanna said you hurt her." My eyes automatically went to Dad after hearing that.

"So Leanna ratted me out?" I stated in disbelief.

"When did you become so sarcastic and  disrespectful? Did your mom teach you that?"

"Mom's not to blame! How can you accuse her?!"  

Overwhelmed by frustration and anger, I felt myself trembled. How could he say that? My mother had taught me nothing  but goodness, and yet he blamed it all on my poor mother?  Did he really thought the worst of my Mom?

"You really believed them over me Dad?" I  accused sulking. Why do I feel  I have no ally or someone I can turn to in this house anymore?

"I didn't hurt Leanna. She threw my music box, and I accidentally pushed her while trying to get it. It was an accident, but she keeps wailing that I pushed and hurt her." I still bothered to explain, even though it was obvious whose side he was on.

"Leanna was a sweet and kind kid. Chelsea told me that she was an honest, patient, and generous daughter."

"And I'm not so you don't believe me right? Dad, she was lying! I'm your daughter and I can't believe you sided with them over me." My tears have now started to fall but I immediately wiped them at the back of my palm.

"You spend too much time with your mom. I don't know how she taught you manners, but I saw you shouted at Chelsea and that is not right. She's your new mom now and you can't just disrespect her like that."

"Don't blame Mom! Chelsea said she hates me! She doesn't want me as a daughter—"

"Enough, Gav! I heard you disrespect her! Stop lying!" Dad cut my words.

Yeah right... Why did I ever think of explaining hoping he will believe me.

"You're unfair, Dad…" Tears kept on streaming down my cheeks and this time I never bothers to wipe them.

"Leanna and Chelsea are a part of this family now and whether you like it or not, you have to accept them! I don't want this thing to happen again. Do I make myself clear Gavriella?"  Dad stated in full authority.

"Y-Yes Dad..."

At the moment, I wish I were numb. I just wished Mom hadn't left. I should have gone with her. I don't think I bear living like this…