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Not wanting to have any more unnecessary and unwanted conversation with her estranged parents, Maggie made her way past them and climbed up the stairs to head to her room. She would probably hole herself up inside the safety of these four walls again. That's all she ever does nowadays. She has learned how to function on her own – basically taking care of her own needs and not depending on anyone else. Her parents don't call her down for hearty meals anymore. There was also no more family bonding time spent every night after dinner. The couch in the living room where they always used to cuddle up together was now cold and empty. No more endless peals of laughter and no more corny, cliché jokes thrown one after the other. This house has seemed to become just like a cold, unfamiliar inn – filled with people who lived different lives with not a care for the another's. It's like they are just there for the sake of convenience rather than harmony and love.

Huh.

Love.

Such a foreign term.

Maggie can only smile bitterly at her current life. Looking around, her room was messy and a bit thrashed. It used to be painted in a soft, light pink color. There used to be posters and decorations all around. It was a neat and youthful room befitting for a young lady. But now, the walls are painted over in black, little splatters of paint still evident on the wooden floors. All the decorations were gone, either broken or torn just like her posters. There was no need for such keepsakes. What's the point for that even? Thus, the place now looks like a desolate sanctuary for a shut-in.

'How befitting,' she scoffed, as her eyes started to water once again.

Even though Maggie puts up a cold and indifferent front, deep inside, she is still hurting. Anyone would be. To have the whole world turn its back against you, to fight a losing battle all alone, to fend for yourself from constant vicious attacks… It's hard. It's exhausting. It's painful. It's lonely.

She guesses that's the worst part – the loneliness. You have no one to turn to, no one to listen, and no one to help you bear all your burdens. Maggie knows that she only has herself to depend on but the sudden shift from her previous lifestyle to the nightmare she lives now is a lot to handle.

Her so-called friends turned their back against her, even her best friend Elizabeth who had been with her since kindergarten. The boy who swore to the heavens that he loved her also broke things off so casually. Not that she could blame them. If even her very own parents had disowned her simply because they didn't want anything to do with her, then what right did she have to ask other people (who aren't even related to her by blood) to stay?

Another negative effect brought about by this hellhole of a mess is that she is starting to doubt even herself. That's just how things work, how the human mind works. Fragile minds and wavering hearts are easily corrupted by the darkness. She's been without any decent and normal human interaction that she is starting to consider that something is wrong with her. Maybe, she truly is repulsive. Maybe, even if the Lord knows that she didn't do anything wrong, she somehow deserved all of it. She doesn't know the exact reason why but she thinks she is really a disgusting person.

Self-pity quickly turns into self-doubt. Self-doubt turns into self-hate. When you have come to reach the point wherein you started to hate yourself, your very own being or existence, depression and paranoia enters the picture. You keep thinking negative thoughts, thinking that everyone badmouthing you, that every other person you met has ill intentions against you. You no longer have the appetite to eat anything. Nor do you have the carelessness when it comes to falling asleep. You see monsters in your sleep – desperately trying to choke you, to suffocate you 'til you die of asphyxia. Sad thing is that, waking up doesn't give you any bit of comfort. For this time, you fear these things to happen in reality.

It's a fucked up cycle that makes your life completely dysfunctional.

You become dysfunctional.

Maggie knows that this isn't good for her. To continue living this way is not healthy for anyone for that matter, which is why she decided that upon turning 18 by the end of this month, she will be turning of legal age and can finally move out. Better yet, she will be moving far, far away from here. Probably run off to a foreign place where no one knows her name and most definitely, not her story. She could finally start off with a clean slate. She has managed to save up enough money that can last her for a couple of months. There's nothing to worry about since she plans to immediately find a job after settling on her new destination.

Maggie lets out a sigh of relief. All her plans are set.

The only thing left is to wait.