CHAPTER 12Never Have I EverAiden“Moisturizer, serum, cleanser, sunscreen, facemask, exfoliating scrub…” all of this on just one person’s face? I stare in shock at the products listed in the article. On my outing with Elian tonight I decided to put in some effort into how I looked. The first thing that came to mind was skincare but…goddamn it's a lot. Especially since my outing is only two hours away. I decide to leave the skin care stuff for now. I don’t necessarily have bad skin but it could certainly be better.I sigh as I ransack my wardrobe for something to wear. I settle for dark cotton pants, a white t shirt and a flannel. It’s simple yes but I don’t look like an orphaned adult anymore so I think it does the trick. I study my reflection in the mirror to find any imperfections or rather any way too obvious imperfections. “My damn hair,” Flat and completely lifeless. I have no idea how I've been walking around looking like a highschool teacher. I return to my computer. Only my b

CHAPTER 14BROKENAIDENI sit alone in the west garden playing with my favorite spider man toy. It's late afternoon, father is at work and mother is passed out drunk as always. These few hours are the only time I can enjoy some semblance of peace. I imagine that one day I would wake up with extraordinary powers, powers strong enough to heal my mother and make my father young forever so that we can become a happy family.The steady sound of footsteps echo loudly around me resounding inside my brain, making my heart tremble with fear; mother is awake! I quickly throw spider man behind a bush, “sorry spider man.” I whisper as I hurriedly stand to my feet.“Aiden? Aiden!? Aiden?” mother calls loudly her voice sounds hoarse as her footsteps draw closer.“Yes mother?” I reply putting on a fake smile just for her.She appears before me with long black hair in a tattered mess, her brown eyes filled with endless hatred and her small lips in a scowl. I am an exact carbon copy of her but she hate

CHAPTER 16BED HOPPERAIDENI haven’t done anything today. I haven’t felt like it at all. Aunt Clara and I used to live in complete harmony but now I feel like we fight every five seconds. I sigh as I climb out of bed, walking to the kitchen to find something to eat. But I know food won’t heal me. I feel so tired on the inside…I just want to die.I hear footsteps just as I enter. I suppose aunt Clara has returned from golfing. I hide beside the refrigerator, as a certified coward I’m obviously not going to speak to her not yet at least. She and Elian are the only people in the world that I speak to. If I don’t talk to her then I will truly die alone.“Hello Evan, you look quite dashing, follow me this way please.” I hear her say.Evan? Who is E- “thank you so much for having me here Miss Clara.”The moment the voice sounds my heart goes into frenzy, Evan is Elian? Yes, Evan is Elian he mentioned it the day we met but why is he here?“There is no problem at all.” I hear their footsteps

CHAPTER 18DAYLIGHTAIDENI write and sometimes I paint. At first I started with writing stories, stories of strong heroes who went off to distant lands to vanquish powerful foes and bring honor to their kingdoms. I wrote of princesses trapped in magical towers, fated to live a life dictated by their horrible conniving mother but through the power of true love and determination manage to free themselves from such a fate. One time I wrote of a ghost that haunted a village for a hundred years but that ghost was actually a misunderstood little boy longing for a friend.And then one day I got bored, behind my parent’s back I purchased an easel with a set of paint brushes and some water colors. I was terrible at first. I couldn't even draw a butterfly, but after eight years of constant practice I’m slightly less terrible. My first painting was of a butterfly with hideous wings but that was my intention, I believed that not all butterflies had to be pretty there was an ugly one somewhere ju