Prologue

"Don't slouch." 

I don't even want to see him.

"Keep your head up, I don't want you to look like you're falling asleep, what kind of maid would I look like?"

Why was I being forced to stand here? I hate him.

"Put your phone away too. No, you give it to me, just until he arrives."

I groaned, and gave our maid, Mariah, my phone, "Mariah." I said in a childish whine, "Can't I just wait inside at least?"

"Of course not, you're father just came all the way from Austrialia to stay with us for the six days he's off, and then he has to fly all the way back down there. The least you can do is greet him in a proper manner." 

"It's not like he's some saint for coming home on his days off."

"And it's not like you're some princess to not have the decency to greet your own father with a smile."

That was the thing about Mariah, she was old, bitter, Mexican woman, and though her english wasn't fully perfect, I loved everything about her. We've had a few other maids in the past, but they all were younger, -looking for a husband might I add. They seemed to think my father would fall for them like some cliche, shit, romance novel.

Some people could be so stupid.

I sighed, and watched as my dad's car pulled up. The anger in my chest wouldn't calm, no matter how hard I mentally yelled at myself to. It really was exhausting just to feel.

"You better smile." I heard Mariah say as she wiped her arpon off. 

I gave her a dirty look, and she shot one back, a scary one.

The moment he got out of the car, I suddenly wanted to run back into the house. I can't even look at him without wanting to scream.

His freakish red hair -which looked like a clown's- and that smug grin on his face. Every girl seemed to love him, and I couldn't understand why. He didn't care about anyone but himself.

He walked toward me, and Mariah. I decided to not speak, as he seemed to not even acknowledge my existence, his attention was focused on the old hag beside me. Mariah.

"Welcome home!" She said in a genouine happy tone, "The house is spotless, and has been ready for you."

My dad put his arm around her shoulders, "I do not doubt that there is even a spot of garbage anywhere."

"Well, it's certainly not how you left it. Messy messy." That was the other thing about Mariah, it wasn't just me she was mean to. She was mean to everyone, including my father if he didn't do as she liked.

She was definitley my hero.

Finally, the moment came as Mariah went back in the house, and my dad was looking straight at me. "It seems you've gotten shorter." He commented, as he was trying to measure me with his mind. Not a hello, not a 'how are you' but an instant remark about my apperance. Of course. "Also you seem to have gotten even more pale," He crossed his arms; "You really need to get out more."

I faked a laugh, as if he really amused me, "It seems like you've learned to be even more of an asshole. I always knew Australia was full of pricks." Who was I kidding? Australia didn't do jack shit.

"I blame your shitty comebacks."

"I blame your mother for giving birth to you."

"Ouch." Hah! 

Mariah rushed back out, as she probably over-heard how childish we were acting. "Aria, why don't you help me with dinner? I need help carrying the pans."

I wanted to laugh and snort till I passed out. The woman could carry two hundred pounds no problem, she was stronger than The Rock himself. She didn't need me, as I had once just stood around and watched in awe as she carried three watermelons and two pineapples all at once with her bare hands, but I nodded, and went with her anyway. Anything was better than being near him.

Anything at all.

And to think; I still had six whole days with him. 

God help me.