UNFORTUNATE LIFE

"Dad… please stop! I'll give you more money next time I promise!"

"You are nothing but trash!"

"Mom, please help me. I'm begging you!"

"You should stop right now, Ito. She learned her lessons already"

I was crying and sobbing in the corner of my room. My room is a mess. All of my things are broken including my favorite doll when I was a kid. My parents left my room, they are both furious because I can't give them enough money. I was beaten by my father while my mother was just watching me and it seems that she does not care about the well-being of her daughter. I went to the bathroom to take a shower and in the mirror, I saw a pretty woman, she had many bruises on her body and her eyes were swollen. The pretty woman that I saw in the mirror is me. After taking a shower, I went to my bedroom to take a rest but suddenly I received a phone call; it was my Manager.

"Hello?? Good evening, Manager."

"Good evening too, Miku."

"Why are you calling all of a sudden in the middle of the night?"

"Sorry for disturbing your sleep, Miku. I just wanted to remind you that we will have a shoot by tomorrow."

"Yes, thank you! I never forgot but thank you for reminding me every time."

"No problem, that's my job. Then, see you tomorrow!"

"Yes. See you tomorrow too."

I hang up the phone then I lie down on my bed. I want to sleep; I want to sleep forever to escape this kind of life. I just wanted to have a normal life, I just wanted to be a normal woman and I wanted to have peaceful sleep. I fell asleep quickly and I felt peace. I woke up with the sunshine covering my face, it was morning already. I went downstairs but nobody's home. I went to the kitchen but there's no food served on the table. I opened the fridge but there's nothing left, I have no breakfast for this morning. I checked my wallet but I only have enough money for two weeks because my salary for the whole month was taken by my parents. My next salary will be in the next three weeks and I need to budget this money on my own. I took a bath and went to my room to wear a beautiful dress because I have a shoot later. I was brushing my hair but someone threw a concealer on my head; it was my mom.

"Cover your bruises, I don't want to be asked by your manager."

"I will. Thank you, mom."

"You don't need to thank me. If you don't want to get hurt, do your job and give us more money."

I just smiled at her bitterly then she left the room. I was wondering if she does care for me or not? I was confused about my mom and I don't understand her well. I went to the studio even if I don't have breakfast yet.

"Manager, Miku is here."

"Good, tell her to be ready."

"Yes, Manager. I'll re-touch her make-up and fix her hair."

"Yes, please. I'm counting on you and please hurry up."

All of my stylists fixed my hair, re-touched my make-up, and also gave me clothes that suited my role. While they are giving me clothes, one of my make-up artists notices the bruise on my arm. I just put on a thin concealer and I forget to conceal it in the right way. I don't know how to apply the concealer correctly but I think it will not be noticed by anyone, but I was wrong because the make-up artist has noticed it right away. She does not hesitate to question me about this bruise.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Uh--- the book fell on me when I was getting the book in the library."

"Ah, does it hurt? "

"No. It does not hurt at all and I feel nothing actually. Don't worry."

"You should be careful next time, okay?"

"Yes. Thank you for your concern, I'll be more careful."

"You should be more careful with your body because you're an actress. You should be conscious of yourself."

"Yes. Thank you for your concern."

"I'll cover it with a concealer to not be noticed by anyone."

"Yes, please."

This is the thing that I don't want, they are just concerned about my face and body not about myself. They are trying to maintain my beauty and popularity as an actress even though I'm not that famous yet like the other actresses. They are already done with my make-up and hairstyle. My hairstyle is a pigtail with a red polka dots ribbon and I wore a school uniform; obviously, my role is a normal high school student who'll fall in love with a popular man on their campus. I stepped on the spot of the shoot where my leading man is, he's Nikki. Nikki is one of the popular actors that are best in the romance genre.

"Nikki, I need to tell you something."

"Oh, what's it? I don't have time for your nonsense but I would like to hear you out, tell it right now."

"I---I---I like you, please go out with me."

"Why would I do that? I don't have any interest in you. You are dull and you're too normal for me."

"I know but I'll do everything to make you love me."

"Oh---- You have guts. It's fine, do what you want but I'll make sure you'll regret this"

"CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!"

When I heard the voice of our director I breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, I was nervous acting with Nikki because he's one of the popular leading man actors. I went to my dressing room and my assistant gave me water. I'm starving and tired right now, but I still have an afternoon class, this is also my first day as a high school student. My school is just a public school because we don't have enough money to pay the tuition fee in private school. I just started to become an actress because I was a model when I was in middle school. My parents are the ones who decided to put me in the showbiz at a young age and I don't have any right to disobey them because they're my parents. I was looking at the ceiling and suddenly someone called my name, it's Nikki.

"Hello, Nikki. Thank you for accepting our offer to become my leading man."

"It's my honor to be a part of your movie."

"Why are you here? Do you need something from me?"

"Uh---No. I just wanted to invite you."

"Invite me? Where?"

"Let's hang out and grab some coffee?"

I paused for a moment because I was still processing what he said a while ago, I think it was the effect of not eating breakfast. I suddenly looked at my phone and I saw the clock, it's 11:30 am and my class is 12noon. I was shocked because I suddenly remember I do have an afternoon class and this is my first day.

"Oh no! I need to hurry."

"Wait. What? How about our coffee?"

"Sorry, Nikki! I forgot that I do have an afternoon class. I'll be late if I don't hurry up!"

"Oh, sure. Let's go some other time."

"This is also my first day. I don't want to be late. See you later, Nikki!"

I washed my face, braided my hair and I wore my school uniform. I asked for a favor from my Manager to send me to my school because my Manager has a car but he refused. Since I do not have a choice, I decided to run just not to be late, and fortunately, I made it in time. I was walking in the hallway, I felt dizzy and my vision is getting blurry. Before I lost my consciousness I heard someone asking if I'm fine then suddenly my surroundings went dark. I opened my eyes and I saw myself lying on the bed and I realized I'm at the clinic. I looked at my phone it's 4:30 in the afternoon already. I looked at my surroundings then I saw someone open the door, it was the school nurse.

"Oh---- you're awake?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you"

"What is your name?"

"My name is Miku. Nice to meet you."

"My name is Ayu, I'm the school nurse here. Nice to meet you too."

"I would like to ask, why am I here at the school clinic?"

"Someone saw you walking in the hallway then you suddenly collapsed."

"This is so embarrassing."

"You are exhausted and seems like you didn't eat yet"

I just bow my head because I was too embarrassed about what happened. I am so unlucky every day; I don't know what I will do right now. I just bow down my head in silence then suddenly I heard someone opening the door. The nurse greets that person who opens the door but my head is still looking at the floor.

"what took you so long? she just woke up a while ago."

"Sorry for the wait. I just went to the library to return the books."

When I heard the voice of that person I suddenly looked at that person who sent me here. I don't know what to say but he suddenly smiled at me and to be honest I felt his kindness.

"Hello! Are you alright right now? I saw you earlier walking in the hallway when I looked at you, you seemed unwell then suddenly you collapsed."

"A----A—I'm fine right now. Thank you for sending me here."

I am so embarrassed right now, and I don't want to speak, but it would be rude if I'll not answer their questions after they helped me. I saw a plastic bag full of food held by that person who helped me then suddenly my stomach growl. I just want to bury my head on the ground because I can't hold on to this embarrassment.

"It looks like you're hungry"

"-----No. I'm fine." *growls*

"You said you are not hungry but your stomach does."

"You should eat to regain your energy. If you're not going to eat you might collapse again because of hunger."

He gave me melon bread and orange juice; I gladly accept it but I'm still embarrassed. Ayu, the nurse went outside of the clinic because she needs to do something. The person who helped me sat beside me and I just looked at him. He just looked at me too and suddenly he introduced himself.

"Oh--- I'm so sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Haru, nice to meet you."

"Uh--- My name is Miku. Thank you for helping me and giving me this melon bread and orange juice, I'll pay you."

"No, no, no, no. It's fine, you don't need to pay me. It's my treat, don't worry."

"Uh---is that so? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Do I look like I'm lying?"

"No? but thank you. I do appreciate this."

I was eating my melon bread then suddenly I remembered my afternoon class. I quickly get up from the bed but suddenly Haru grabs my arm.

"Where are you going? You did not still finish your melon bread."

"I forgot that I have an afternoon class, I'm so late!"

"The class is already over, look at the clock. It's 5:30 pm.

I'm lucky that I met Haru today; he gave me melon bread and orange juice. I feel relieved because I can eat and be honest my stomach was growling all day. I couldn't focus on the shoot earlier because I was hungry but then I barely survived the movie shoot. I think I need to have part-time jobs to support myself because my parents are already aware of when my salary will be given. My first day of class is not well but I met a kind person; He's Haru and I'm glad that I met him.