2 years later

Girl at the age of 5: *crying hysterically in her room laying on her bed*

Father: *hears heartbreaking sobs and comes up to check on his crying daughter. He sees a tear-stained face and his heart breaks as he knows exactly what's breaking his daughter. He offers his shoulder for the little girl to cry on as he lets tears of his own escape. He too was grieving for the loss of his wife.

Girl: *after crying for 10 minutes more on her father's shoulder she looks up between sobs*

"Daddy what if you leave me like mom. Then I'll be all alone".

Father: "No princess, don't you ever think that. I'm never gonna leave. We're gonna get through this together ok?"

Girl: "Do you pinky promise daddy?

Father: "Promise what kiddo?"

Girl: "That you'll never leave me and we're gonna be ok".

Father: "Of course. I pinky promise".

Sam Martins was a man of honour. He kept all of his promises and every single word he said. Little did he know that that one promise he would never get to keep was going to be the one he gave to his little 5-year-old daughter. Yep me. I'm 18 now and it's been exactly one month and five days since my dad breathed his last. Call me a psychopath for counting. I still remember the memories of the day I found that I was going to lose the last living person connected to me by blood. I never knew my grandparents or aunts and uncles since them and my parents had a long-lasting rivalry because of their success and wealth. To me, I just think they're jealous that their kids went further than they ever did. So I never counted them as living members connected to me by blood. To me, a family is connected through blood, feelings and most importantly unity. Without unity, there is nothing in a family. This is why I don't count my dad's three brothers or my mom's two sisters and two brothers or my own grandparents as family. They left my mom and dad as soon as they were more successful than themselves. But my parents made me promise that I would never bad talk them since they loved their parents endlessly. To me, both my mom and my dad were too innocent. They didn't understand the world and layers of betrayal. Aalia says I shouldn't say things like that since both my parents went through their struggles of becoming financially strong and that they understand betrayal like no one else. But to me, if they understood betrayal then they wouldn't think that highly of the family that left them.

You may say, " Oh this hormonal teenager is going to go lecture me on betrayal", but that's where you're wrong. I've been through more than an average hormonal 18-year-old. I've lost both my mom and dad, I've lost the reason for my existence. I think that's a good enough reason to not go to school, I think that's a good enough reason to not want to eat or drink (even though Aalia makes sure I eat enough to stay alive), I think that's a good enough reason to feel hollow from the inside.

I get up from my bed, pushing out the memories of my dad making me the promise he never kept all those years ago. I walk up to my window and sit down on my leather sofa facing it. I haven't gone out of my room since the day of my dad's funeral. I like staying up here cooped up in my thoughts. I like trying so hard to hate my mom for leaving me all those years ago but I still can't bring myself to it only because she was family. I can't even imagine hating my dad, he was just amazing. A man even after losing his wife, had enough courage to keep on going, sustain not only himself but his 5-year-old daughter as well, (with help from Aalia of course). Obviously, Aalia was deeply hurt and saddened upon the news of my father's passing but she snapped out of it as she realized that, she had to take care of me and to help me build myself and my future. Well, at least that's what she says every time she comes up here to lecture me about going outside and living to face the reality and blah blah blah. This woman has truly taken the role of my mom. She's all I have left anyways.

The only other person besides Aalia that's seen me is my family lawyer.

He came by the other day to explain that now since my family passed away and I was the only living heir, I get all of their money and stuff since I'm 18. I still remember that horrendous conversation. He said that even though I have all of this I should still work hard and get a job after graduating from University. He said I was lucky enough because I could pay for any University I wanted to go to since I was so rich. " You shouldn't be cooped up like this being this lucky. Go live your life. If my parents left me money like this I would be overjoyed".

I was so mad I had a huge outbreak, "Lucky! I am nothing close to lucky. I imagined you being a man of 30 years of experienced age would understand that money doesn't define luck. In fact, why don't you try losing both your parents at the age of 5 and then 18 and then trying to find happiness. Actually no. You would probably just look at their will and see how much money you inherit. You said this was my house now right. Well, get out of my house. No selfish man like you is staying one minute more here".

I stop to take a breath for a second. I compose myself and speak in a calm voice, "Aalia show this man out. Hire a new lawyer while you're at it too, I can't believe dad thought to trust a man like him".

I remember me blocking out the man's shouts of sorry and apologies. I remember Aalia trying to calmly get him to leave me alone. *RING RING RING*. My phone snaps me out of my thoughts as I see the caller id as a picture of me and one of my best friends, Andy pops up. I told my friends three weeks ago to leave me alone and to let me grieve. They were very understanding and said they wouldn't talk to me until I was ready. Then why was Andy calling? I knew he understood me very well and wouldn't call unless it was an emergency. What if he needs help? Thinking about that possibility I quickly picked up the phone.

"Andy, I thought I told you not to call"

" Yea I know Lori but seriously this is important. I think you should apologize to your family lawyer," says Andy.

He talks to me after three weeks and even if he does he calls about that sorry excuse of a human.

" Andy if you have anything more important to talk about then that selfish piece of something I'd rather not say, then please let me know otherwise I don't want to talk. And how did you know that I talked to him"

Andy replies saying, "Lori Turn your TV on".

I left my phone on the speaker and got up from my sofa. I walked over to my nightstand and threw my phone on it while grabbing the remote.

"Which channel Andy?" I ask. "The news one you know the main thing that everyone watches", He replies. "Wow, thanks for being specific Andy" I mutter.

I switch the channel to CP24. All I see is the headline, MILLIONAIRE SAM MARTINS DAUGHTER LORELAI MARTINS GONE MENTAL. Then I see my family lawyer, the man who I now despise the most saying, "All I did was go to see if she was ok after her father's death. It was my responsibility to bring her aware of the money she inherits. And for this kindness, she yelled at me for being a sorry excuse of a human and told me to get out. Good thing her nanny was there or else I wouldn't have gotten out of her house alive. She didn't even pay me my monthly fee. God knows what that mental woman is up to".

I heard enough. I shut the TV off and throw my remote across the room hitting it against the wall. Then I hear Andy speak up, reminding me that he's still on the phone. "Lori I know you meant well but you should apologize before god knows what people will start thinking of you."

I don't reply. "Lori? Lori talk to me are you ok?" Ok? I am nothing but ok. I hit the end button on my phone and block out Andy's voice. Then I go to my contacts list and block everyone. I don't need people calling me if this is what they're gonna tell me.

I push myself off my bed and lean against the frame with my blanket. I take out my brown hair from my bun to let it cascade against my shoulders so that my head would stop hurting. And also so that I would get something to pull on while I analyze my life.

Mom dead? Check.

Dad dead? Check.

Aalia blocked out? Check.

Friends forgotten? Check.

High school dumped? Check.

Mom's stupid poem that I was supposed to figure out the meaning to, crumpled? Check.

World hates me? Check.

Good job Lory. How much more could you mess up your life?