Ammara's POV (10 years old, 5 years till Present Time)

It was the day before my 10Th Birthday, the day before my transformation. I knew what I was, ever since I was a toddler I knew why I was treated differently, why my parents fought. It was all because of me. Because of the curse that was sent upon me, The Ugly Duckling of The Sohma Family. Ammara Akira Sohma, that name has rung throughout my life to the point of feeling sick. Ammara means 'Orchid' while Akira means 'Bright' in Japanese... But I was neither of them.

I have trouble with school, I wasn't popular among the Sohma Family, the only cousins willing to talk to me are, HatsuHaru, Momiji, Yuki, Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori. Not very much, but hopefully, after tomorrow, I will be treated differently no matter how much I hate to admit it. This transformation is important to my parents, because after this 'transformation', I will be able to go to school with the other Sohma kids, I will be able to leave the estate, I will be treated with more respect by the adults and hopefully by Akito, my parents will stop fighting, I won't be lonely anymore.

This transformation from 'Ugly Duckling' to 'Beautiful Swan' is what makes my future in this world, my whole existence hinges on the moment of my transformation. I took a deep breath, swinging my legs back and forth as I sat on the porch over-looking the garden. It was a chilly Fall day, a light breeze going past me as loose strands of brown hair, that escaped my small bun, flew with the wind. I heard a patter of footsteps behind me, at the corner of my eye I could see my dad, smiling sadly down at me. He sat down next to me, looking at the fallen leaves flowing down to the ground

"Me and your mother had another fight again Ammara I'm sad to say." Dad informed me causing me to nod. I was so used to them fighting and breaking the news to me it didn't even faze me anymore

"Hopefully this would be the last time you guys fought." I stated, my eyes trained on one of the leaves slowly falling to the ground

"This will be the last time we fight." He stated determined. Even though he fights with Mom a lot, he still deeply cares about her. I'm just the cause of their demise, slowly pulling them apart with my existence

"What did you guys fight about this time?" I asked him, already knowing the answer was me. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath

"She is worried after your transformation, you won't be able to go to school like your cousins, she is worried you will just be treated the same." He stated and I nodded, sharing the same fear as her

"But you think differently, you don't think that will happen." I stated and he nodded, confirming my thoughts

"What if I don't transform? What will Akito do?" I asked him having him tense up. I curiously looked over at him, losing my gaze on the falling leaf

"Dad?" He didn't answer me, only he stood up and walked away, his figure disappearing behind the corner. My brown eyes narrowed in confusion, he was hiding something, and it wasn't good. My gaze turned back to the last time I saw the leaf, only it wasn't there. I lost my sight on it, as I have within myself.

I got up and headed back inside the main house to my room. I passed by the dining room which held many of the cousins that didn't speak to me playing card and board games with one another, laughing and smiling. I drowned out their happiness as I walked passed the rooms of the estate. My eyes came across my room, opening the door to reveal my bare room looking like nobody has lived in it for many years. I walked in and closed the door, my eyes sadly looking at all of my old toys, coloring books, and children books. All was pushed into one corner of the room. My room was colored navy blue with the usual brown floorboards that spread across the main house, my room up against the right corner of the room, right next to the boarded up window that only had peaks of light from outside creeping in. Akito had that window boarded up many years ago at the start of my punishment days when I was isolated inside my room for many days with no food or physical contact with others. Of course, that rule was broken when Haru came to see me secretly during the night, talking to me and trying to cheer me up as best as he could. I smiled at the memories of him doing that, even the time he almost got caught he had to hid underneath my bed where I shoved all of my toys underneath after him to camouflage him. I flopped down on my dull bed, my back hitting the soft comforter that I have had since I was big enough to get my own 'big girl bed'. There was some minor holes and ripping fabric on the edges but it was durable, better than nothing at least. I stared up at the ceiling, my left arm over my forehead. I just laid there in silence, listening to my calm breathing and the light breeze hitting the side of the main house. I thought back to what Dad was hiding from me, what would Akito do if I didn't transform into the Beautiful Swan that my parents have been dreaming of since I was born?

To Be continued

The pic on top was of Hoshi just to let you guys know! There won't be any talk about this chapter due to the fact that I updated this rather late and I have to get off the computer now or else I will grounded from the interwebs. Thank you all for reading and I will see you all later! -Golden