-Eris-
Eris Hale, a 23-year-old office worker, decided that she no longer wanted to be a pushover. Starting today, if Mr. Bennet and Ms. Clay asked her to buy them lunch, she'd say no. If Mrs. Fisher asked her to repair the coffee machine, she'd say no. If Mr. Larry asked her to do his work, she'd say no. She kept repeating "no" in her mind like it was some kind of ritual or prayer.
All her life, she'd been taken advantage of because she always said yes with a smile on her face. Thinking about it now, she must have looked stupid. Really stupid. A foolish woman with a wobbly backbone. A person who was afraid to be hated. But knowing her past, it is understandable that she turned out this way.
She was a daughter of a woman who constantly begged for affection from different men. Eris never really left her alone. She was always by her mother's side, silently comforting her, giving her mother something to drink when her throat ran dry, or patting her mother's back to calm her down. But it seemed having Eris was not enough.
Her beautifully tragic mother hanged herself inside the bedroom, a note in the pocket of her black dress. What could break an eight-year-old kid's heart more than seeing her own mother dangling from the ceiling? At first, she was angry at her mother's selfishness. Why did she leave Eris behind?
She was a kid, but she knew what her mother's death meant.
Death meant no more bedtime stories.
No more picnics every Saturday.
No more hugs.
No more kisses.
No more calling Mama when she got back from school.
And the note wasn't even for her. It was for a man who left her mother with a broken heart and soul. She read that letter many times, hoping that somehow, she'd see something, anything, that was meant for her. Did her mother ever think of her when she did that?
Probably not.
Even so, she used to be a kind mother, just as she was kind to everybody else.
After her mother's death, her grandparents took care of her. Because they were old, she told herself that she had to be careful not to burden them. She learned how to cook. She cleaned after herself. She helped her grandparents with everything, and they were happy to have her.
At ten, they died, and she was sent to an orphanage. There were smaller kids than her, and she told herself that she would help take care of them. That's when she became a big sister, a title that made her little heart swell with pride, but soon became a poison that drained her inside out.
At eleven, she was finally adopted by a wealthy couple. They only had sons, but they also wanted a daughter. However, they could no longer conceive, so they went to the orphanage and caught sight of a young girl, and that was her. Everyone said she was lucky to finally be adopted, and honestly, she thought so too at first. But it didn't take long before she changed her mind. The couple were good people, but as parents, she could tell otherwise. The sons were not much different. It's like a Cinderella story all over again, except she had no Fairy Godmother to grant her wishes and no prince to save her from her evil family.
But she continued living as if everything was fine. She tried her best to be on their good side because it was finally her chance to be a part of a family again. Every time they needed her, she'd be there. The thing is, they still left her behind when the youngest son threw a tantrum, saying he didn't want a sister like her.
Well, it's partially her fault too why the little bastard cried nonstop.
So she went back to the orphanage, and there, she became the perfect older sister that everyone relied on. She still smiled like before, but it no longer reached her eyes. But who cares? As long as she's needed, as long as she's in everyone's good graces, it's fine. Because then, she won't be alone.
That's how she became a total pushover. She's a doormat and she knows it, yet she can't seem to get out of the cocoon that she made for herself. But now, at this very moment, she will change that. She will absolutely become a different person. Someone who knows how to say no with confidence.
As she entered the building, she began to control her breathing. She shook her hands loose and when the elevator finally dinged, she got out with her chin up and body straight. It looked like she was ready for a fight. However, as soon as a smiling Mrs. Pit asked her to print something, her shoulders sagged. Before she could even say no, Mr. Bennet came into view and greeted her with another task to do. A task that wasn't even in her job description.
"The coffee machine is broken again," Mr. Bennet said, while looking at Eris with those expectant eyes.
"Could you please order coffee for us, Ms. Hale? You can keep the change too," another coworker said while handing her the cash as if she had already said yes.
Her hands trembled. She tried to say the word, but not even a sigh came out of her lips. She turned around and walked back to the exit to get these people their coffee. Next time, for sure, she would do better. She would definitely say the word no. Definitely.
But it seemed next time would no longer come.
Outside, the sun was high and the streets were busy. She passed a small park on her way to the coffee shop, her thoughts swirling. That's when she saw it. It's like a scene out of a movie where a child runs to get the ball that bounced and rolled on the road, then there's a car speeding, and a superhero would come to save the child. The thing is, superheroes aren't real. This is not fiction. And if no one pulls the child out of the way in time, he might get laminated on that road.
So, Eris, being the always helpful Eris, did not even think twice. It's like her whole body knew that she had to help. For the good of everyone, she had to move and jump into action. And she did.
She saved the poor child and was left with a wound on her knee.
People gasped. A few clapped. Someone called her a hero.
Yet, she left the scene as if it had nothing to do with her. That's what she is. She always helps and leaves as if it's no big deal. She never expects anything in return. Not even a thank you.
"I still have to buy those darn coffee," she whispered to herself.
After a few minutes of walking, she finally got to her destination, the coffee shop. When she was about to enter, a pot fell on her head. It was not just any pot. It was a thick, porcelain pot.
For a moment, she just stood there, processing what had just happened. Her ears were ringing and her head is throbbing from the pain as if it's going to explode at any second. And then a warm liquid slid down her paling face and soaked her sleeves.
Blood. So much blood.
She survived getting squished by the car but ended up getting beaten by a pot. What a shame.
That is how she met her ending.
Or at least the ending of her first life...
-to be continued-