Chapter 01

BEFORE YOU READ!

It's a mature themed story so read at your own risk. If you feel uncomfortable then leave peacefully.

Thanks for Reading!

ALICE'S POV

Tears threatened to fall my eyes, as the doctor's words resonated in my ears again and again. ' You must deposit five million at the reception if you want us to operate your father's brain tumor '

In the past eleven months, I have already deposited almost fifteen million, after selling everything we owned, including our house, our car, all the stuff but it was still not enough.

Still not enough to earn my father some more days of life.

As I stared at the white wall in front of me, while sitting on one of the hospital waiting area chairs, I tried to think of all ways I could get that money from. All these ways included, every legal and illegal way, but I was unable to make the final decision.

Why was life like this? I wondered, as I recalled how calm - not happy - but just how calm we were before my father was diagnosed with brain tumor.

Those days seemed like a dream now.

A dream that was over.

Now, the reality was...

We did not have a house to stay at, did not have any money to even eat food and my father was dying, because I was unable to pay the medical bills anymore.

I have done everything though. Everything I could. I worked three jobs, dropped out of my college, slept on the streets and ate the leftovers, but I never gave up.

But now...

It was all just too much.

A soft hand landed on my shoulder and I sighed out, recognizing who it was. “ Are you alright, Alice? ” The calm, soothing voice fell in my ears and I blinked the tears back.

“ Ofcourse, Mom ” Without turning around, I lied with all my will. I could not tell her how I was not alright at all.

I felt helpless and lonely.

I hated feeling like this, but it was not in my control anymore. With each passing day, I was watching my father die, but I was still unable to do anything. There was nothing more cruel than this helplessness that gnawed at my guts. Day and Night.

Claudia Anderson, my mother was a woman in her 50's with light brown hair, light brown matching eyes that had lost their shine in the past horrible months, a crooked nose - the result of an accident and thin lips that were dry now.

Heaving a heavy breath, Claudia forced a smile up her lips and came to sit beside me, who was never good at hiding her emotions. The dejected look was painted on my face, that one could recognize from far away. But Claudia, herself was unable to do anything. She had done everything she could. She had even asked me to leave them behind and live my own life in an angry fit, but it never worked. I did storm out every time only to come back in a few hours.

Sitting down beside me, Claudia observed my face. I was only 21 years old. I had wide light brown eyes just like Claudia's, a soft - straight pointed nose, bow shaped lips and a fair complexion. The dark circles under my eyes hinted at my tiredness and my disheveled hair made me look like a deranged girl, but I was oblivious to all of this.

“ Mom... ” I called out to Claudia all of a sudden and she hummed snapping out of her trance “ Hmm... ”

“ What am I supposed to do now? ” I whispered in a hysteric voice, as my eyes went wide.

Averting her eyes away, Claudia thought hard before replying to me “ Leave, Alice. Go and live your own life just like Ace ”

I scoffed and shook my head. My mother was hellbound on pushing me away, but I would never leave. I would never leave them behind.

“ You should go look after Dad. I will be back later. ” Pushing myself off the chair, I started walking away without giving Claudia the chance to say anything else.

Pursing her lips, Claudia watched my disappearing back. I did not have to do this. I did not need to destroy myself like this for them. Claudia's eyes went to my shoes that were worn out and she inhaled deeply. We were not going to be able to hold much longer like this.

I wrapped my arms around myself when I stepped out of the hospital building. The smell of medicines was the one thing I have started to hate with all my heart or maybe, it would be better to say that hospitals were the one place in this world that I despised now.

Closing my eyes, I took in a huge breath. The offer of just leaving everything behind was so tempting. It was so tempting, that sometimes I found myself running unconsciously.

But I always ran to come back later.

There was something that was holding me back. It was responsibility. Love too but responsibility more.

Letting out the breath I was holding in, I opened my light brown eyes and they moved to the watch on my wrist on their own.

It was about to be Eight in the night and I had to be at the Catillo Hotel where I worked as a Room attendant.

A job acquired with the help of the one person I could call my friend. Maggie.

Maggie was the only person who stayed with me, even after I lost everything.

Before all of this, I was the famous girl of the college. Everyone envied my perfect life. I had everything...My supporting parents. A weird elder brother - Ace. A caring and Loving Boyfriend - Archer. Alot of friends. Straight A's in studies. It was all too good to be true.

That was why I lost everything.

Life was just too perfect to not get messed up like this.

And now...

I have only myself. A sick father whose medical bills are due. A brother who left us on our own to live his life as he wanted. A mother who did not want me to stay and Maggie who was always nagging at me to feel less helpless.

It was like Maggie heard my mind from so far away and my phone started ringing in my pocket. I took it out from my jean's pocket and picked it up instantly.

“ Hey, Alice! ” Maggie chimed and I sighed out.

“ Wanna hang out tomorrow? It's Sunday. ” Without waiting for any greetings from me, Maggie blurted out in a single breath “ Okay. At the usual cafe. Your treat. ” I followed suit and hanged up on the call, before smiling in this tense situation.

But it was only momentary. The doctor's words were still echoing at the back of my useless mind and all I could think about was the five million, I needed in the next week.

A sneer left my mouth when I looked up at the sky and noticed that it was going to rain soon. Just what I was missing in my messed up state right now.

Five Million in a week was like asking me to just jump off a cliff. But I still would like to try for a week, before finally jumping off that cliff.

Shaking my head, I wrapped my arms around myself and started walking just as rain decided that it was time to pour down hard on me.

But who cared? When you have lost the fight against fate, it's no use to fight such small happenings.

As the rain soaked me completely, I only wished for one thing. For this night to end early. I was simply too tired of everything.

But I did not know that no wish of mine, was going to be heard and accepted now.

I have lost the fight against fate already.