As usual, Riley was napping in the middle of her territory, splayed out with her vents exposed. She liked sleeping on the grass, and few monsters would bother with an elder like her. Some would say she was lazy, but she figured that flying around so much was tiring and she figured she deserved a break.
(tinylucentnargacuga) "Oi Jetstar, school starts in 3 minutes, you better hurry or you'll be laaaaate!" came the sing song call of Tiny, a rather small Lucent nargacuga genjka, never mind the fact that he had to make a detour to walk past her place.
Riley crashed out of her house: a rather nice looking apartment in a nice neighborhood.
“You brat! I told you to text me when you woke up! Now we’re both gonna be late! And stop calling me that!”She ran as fast as she could, keeping up with Tiny easily.
random character = My past was traumatic and it has shaped me towards a path of redemption. I have one of the worst backstories in the history of backstories.
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 10.
This was Riley’s schedule for the first year of high school. Her parents decided that she was responsible enough to stay with the butler Reginald, while they went out on their business trips. They day they left was like a whirlwind. All Riley remembered was a trip to the airport, a long black limo, and a few disembodied waves. She figured it was just her bad memory.
“Hey Reg. What do I have on Tuesdays again?” she asked.
“You have Calculus with your private tutor on Tuesday and Thursday.” he said.
Her parents spared no expense. The tutor was a former college professor and charged a premium Riley’s parents seemed to agree on. Only the best for their daughter.
“And Wednesday?”
“On Monday and Wednesday you have Chinese with your tutor.”
Again, no expense spared. Business was an important part of the family’s income, and learning Chinese was invaluable. It would help when she grew up to join her parents overseas for their business ventures.
It was a routine she slowly moved into.
“Riley. Your father is calling.”
Riley took the phone.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Your Chinese tutor said you never came to class today.”
“Yeah I had…”
“Your mother and I expect you to be there at 3:00 sharp. It is disgraceful to keep your teacher waiting, especially since he is giving you private tutoring. Your mother and I spend money for you to go to these classes. Next time, you will be there.”
“Yes father.”
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 10.
“Miss Riley. Your father wishes to speak with you.”
Riley picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“You missed the first 8 minutes of your Calculus class on the 8th, the first 5 minutes of violin practice on the 9th and the first 2 minutes of your Monday Chinese class this week.”
“Yeah I was doing a…”
“In response to your irresponsible behavior as of late, we have installed security cameras around the house.”
“Wait… when did…”
“Your mother and I spend a lot of money on your education. But you will not find any results until you get there on time. Until that happens, you must be watched. You will attend your classes on time.”
“Yes father.”
Riley curled up on bed that night. Her bed was centered in the room. She could see the small red blip in her room where the camera was. The camera could see everything.
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 10.
“You came home 10 minutes late.”
Riley stiffened. How did father know? The cameras.
“Because of this, your mother and I have decided to cut your curfew by 2 hours. You will be home and in bed by 8.”
“But…”
“No buts. You will be home by 8. Until you prove to us you are responsible, your mother and I have no choice but to enforce these rules.”
“Yes father.”
Riley glanced at her phone.
“POLICE ENGAGED IN HOSTAGE SITUATION”
Riley picked up her phone, and placed it face down.
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 8.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Get up at 7:30.
Brush teeth.
Change.
Eat breakfast.
Go to First.
Go to Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 8.
Go home.
Chinese on Monday Wednesday.
Advanced Calculus on Tuesday Thursday.
Violin on Friday.
Curfew at 8.
“Riley.”
Her father sounded furious through the speaker. She just gave a half glance.
“Riley. We are very disappointed in you.”
His voice was trembling. Anger, perhaps? Not like she cared.
“We told you, again and again. You need to be responsible. You have to get into a good college. What will happen if you don’t get a degree? What will happen to the family business? Will you let it all crumble to the ground?”
She heard the sound of paper being wrung in his hand.
“An F. How could you get an F. An F! Failure! Perhaps we can call the school. This stain on your record… Shameful. Completely and utterly…
“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”
Riley ran into her room, crawled under the bed, and cried.
Riley never cried. The last time she actually cried was when she was a baby, because that was what babies did. Even in Kindergarten, when she was first separated from her parents, she didn’t cry. She simply carried on with school. Riley curled up on the floor. No one went into her room. She didn’t want anyone to go in. Her parents had changed the doorknob years ago. There was no lock. They could come in any time they wanted.
“Riley?”
A beam of light cast its gaze across the room when the door opened. It wasn’t Reginald. A man in a stiff suit came and knelt down next to her bed.
“Riley, dear?”
Her father sighed. He was exceptionally talented when it came to business and politics. A prodigy they called him. But talking to children was something he was foreign to.
“I’m sorry. From now on… We won’t force you to take any extra after school classes without your consent. We agreed to return your curfew back to 10:00.”
She didn’t respond. He sat on her bed and looked around. Her room was remarkably bare, unlike the stereotypical high schooler’s bedroom. That’s when he realized. Riley’s room was an exact copy of his room. There was nothing in it to indicate that it was her’s.
“Riley, dear. Um… Perhaps it is also time to redo your room? You’re getting older and… well you need a more appropriate room. Riley? Are… Did you hear me? I… I.” he asked.
Riley slowly crawled out from under the bed. She knew her dad. He was exceptionally awkward when it came to talking to people on a personal level. She stood up and stared at him.
“Riley dear. I...I don’t know what to tell you. I’m sorry. We should never have forced all of this on you. Your mother and I have agreed to clear your entire schedule and… keep our hands off.”
Riley’s lip trembled. Her father was stubborn, resilient, and a complete hard head. To hear him talk in this way… it was jarring. But there was one thing she knew about her father. When he said it, he really meant it.
“Dad…”
She leaned forward, and he embraced her.
They sat and talked for a while. He revealed some things to her. She revealed some things to him. Some things they talked about, they needed to get off their chest. Others were more surprising. But the whole time, her father was not mad. For the first time, he listened.
Get up at 7:30
Brush teeth
Change
Eat breakfast
Go to First
Go to Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Seventh
Curfew at 10
