One Big Happy Family
Picturing herself in a big happy family had always been a constant struggle. 'Big' was definitely not the exact word to describe her family, nor was 'happy'. She unlatched the hook that was attached to the gate. Pausing, she glanced up and hesitated. She was lingering around longer than usual near the gate. Every time she came back from school, the house had always been eerily quiet. However, something had changed. Hinata noticed the loud angry voices that came from the house. She heard something shatter and by the sound of a scream, most likely her mother's expensive china. Hinata knew then, that things would never be the same.
The voice of the operator interrupted Hinata from her day dream. She started moving towards the crowded platform. It was a humid day. She would have always checked the weather the night before, Yet last night Hinata had been distracted.
She started taking off her overcoat and once she had done this, the clothes underneath revealed a red and green uniform. Unlike most girls, her skirt went up to her knees. Sweat started pouring down her forehead. Putting her right hand into her vandalised schoolbag, she started searching for something. Hinata gave a triumph grin when she found it a moment later. Tying her hair in a high ponytail, she huffed. She would have to cut her hair soon. It went pass her shoulder and even lower.
Finally finishing her task to adjust herself to the heat, she stood there awkwardly leaning on a pole that told passengers which platform they were on. The pole whined because of the sudden added pressure. Sighing, she resumed to just standing.
Hinata blue eyes started to become unfocused. Though she snapped back to attention when someone tapped her shoulder. Turning around she saw her friend and Rival for all subjects except for history. Temari's stood there, her green eyes questioning her. Temari has what we call in modern society, the 'model' figure. It was a known fact in our group that it took her hours to tame her red locks. It was also an known fact that every time we would go out for a shopping spree, she would be bombarded with cards telling her to join their modelling agency.
'Hinata, our trains here.' Glancing forward, she noticed the train steadily approaching the platform. The train screeched to a halt, and worn-out passengers started filling the carriages. She wondered why she was walking around in a daze. Hinata was usually not like that. She had always thought she was the most down-to-earth girl out of her group. She lived in Melbourne for over 5 years now. 'Time sure flies' Hinata mused.
' I dibs the window seat!' yelled Temari. Temari had managed to put herself in front of her, swiftly sitting down and marking her spot. Hinata wondered how she could do that. She swore when she went on board the train, Hinata was right in front of her! Pouting, she reluctantly seated herself next to Temari.
' I heard from Mich that you are visting your father today.' Temari said innocently. No wonder she was thinking about her 'family' throughout the whole day ! Hinata was suppose to visit him . Along with his new family. Temari must of thought that her silence was deafening because before Hinata could say anything witty, she started gossiping about random people in their grade.
A few seats ahead from where they were sitting, she saw two teens that looked around the same age as them. Hinata noticed that they were wearing the familiar red and green uniform. Hinata never had liked the uniform, the colours clashed together. She wasn't meaning to listen to their conversation but she couldn't help it.
The girl had started saying something, though it was too quiet for Hinata to pick up. The girl's face was flushed with embarrassment. Confession? Hinata thought. She quickly dismissed the thought, it was highly unlikely. No girls now days confess on a train, full of stinky and sweaty people. Including herself, though she made sure to spray herself with deodorant beforehand.
' I like you as a friend.' This line pulled Hinata back from her thoughts.
Scrap that, there are girls out there who would confess on a train. The line the guy pulled was so cliché. Sympathy for the girl next to him overwhelmed Hinata.
Temari snickered. She must of noticed Hinata wasn't paying attention to her but to the 'couple' a few seats ahead of us. She must of overheard them too. Rolling her eyes, Hinata turned to look at Temari who barely was able to contain her laughter.
The voice operator announced her stop. Calling a quick goodbye to Temari, Hinata walked towards the 'couple'. A sudden impulsive move made her kick his foot that was in her path. He looked up and glared. Acting like a six year old made me feel so. Hinata stuck out her tongue at him, meaning offense, and briskly walked out of the carriage. He must of thought that she was crazy but she didn't care. He was an enemy of all girls, his looks contributed to the list. Though she would never admit it out loud.
Stepping out of her leather shoes, Hinata placed them on a shoe rack beneath a over sized picture of herself and her mother. Hinata started walking away when something caught her eye. So they're here, she thought grimly.
Instead of walking to the kitchen which she would have normally did after school, she headed her upstairs to the lounge. Hinata's chest tightened . The sight before her when she opened the door ,was too much to bear. Her father was sitting on the two seated chair, with another woman she met only once. His wife. Her step-mother. Glancing around the room she noticed her real mum making tea from across the room. Her back was facing Hinata but she could see from the way she stood, that she felt the same.
Her mum turned around and resumed the smiling face, that only Hinata knew was a fake. Her father turned his attention towards my mum. Smiling gratefully, he took the tea cup. If he had noticed that this was the china that he had replaced from their fight 3 years ago, he did not show it. Instead he returned his loving gaze towards the woman sitting next to him.
Her mother noticed she was standing in the doorway in the shadows, just like before when she was a kid. Too scared to enter the room. She gave Hinata a knowing glance. Her eyes told me to go back to my room.
Silently Hinata left. It was not until she heard her father bellowed to my mum that his wife was with child, that she noticed the tears falling. It was not until the door of her room quietly shut close that she wept out loud. It was not until she heard her mum shuffling in her room and closing the door behind her that she realised her father would never come back to them.
What is love? Was it those ignorant crushes she saw on the train today? Only knowing later, that those feeling were not mutual. Was it those times spent and memories made with your family? Only knowing later that those memories would be shattered and just as painful as time went by. Was it when your mother puts on a face, just so the other party wont see the pain she was feeling? Yet knowing later that your mother is crying all alone somewhere in the dark. Was it the adoring gaze that was shared between couples? But having the third party feel the pain, that could possibly be with them forever.
' If love is this painful, I never want to experience it.' Hinata declared between sobs to her mother. Her mum did not say anything, instead she started stroking my head. Hinata had always admired those fairytales that told children of knights in shinning armour who would always rescue the damsel in distress. However she knew the truth now. Those stories were just that, fairytales. No one, not even her mother could stitch back the huge hole her father made. Not even her knight in shining armour.