리틀팍스

"Asther! What in the world are you doing in there?" 

It was Saturday, the day Asther had to go to history class. 

Mrs. Mercury shouted as she banged on the door, "It's almost time for history class!" Asther didn't answer, so Mrs. Mercury opened the door and found it unlocked. 

Strange, she thought. Asther never let her door unlocked since Mrs. Mercury married Mr. Mercury. She advanced toward the bed cautiously because Asther had once played a prank on her by jumping out from the door. It almost gave Mrs. Mercury a heart-attack. But to Mrs. Mercury's surprise, the bed was empty. Mrs. Mercury went more closely, and there was a note that said: I, ASTHER ELLAN JONES MERCURY AM NOT GOING TO THAT HORRIBLE HISTORY CLASS! YOU, JINA HINCH ADEL DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO! YOU'RE NOT EVEN BY REAL MOTHER! 

Mrs. Mercury sighed. She was always trying to be a good mother to her stepdaughter, Asther, but Asther seemed to hate every bit of her. When Mrs. Mercury first made a dinner of roasted beef, Asther ate it silently and seemed to like it until Mr. Mercury, Asther's father told her that it was made by Mrs. Mercury. Asther's dish fall on the floor with all the beef as Asther ran upstair after she threw her dish down. 

Mrs. Mercury sat on Asther's bed as she re-read Asther's note. A bulky tear drop fall on the note, making the word REAL spread on the note and disfiguring the letter.

While Mrs. Mercury sobbed on the note, Asther was running down the sidewalk as fast as she can. She was going to go to her real mother's house in Alabama, and because she had half the money she needed for transportation, she would go the half way there by foot. She was halfway passed Karen Pidway's house when she stopped. Karen often complained about her adopted brother, so she might come with her to the bus station. 

Asther walked up the door of Karen's house and pressed the door bell. After 20 seconds, a pretty woman poked her head out. She smiled when she saw Asther hesitating on the steps.

"You're Asther Mercury, right? I heard so much about you from Karen. Come inside! Karen's in her room now," she said in a friendly voice. 

"Thanks, but no thanks. I need to see Karen right away, please?" Asther said in a crawling in voice. "It's argent..."

The woman said "okay" and went back inside the house. Half minutes later, Karen stood at her front gate, listening quietly to what Asther said. 

When Asther finished, Karen asked, "So you want me to go to Alabama and meet your mom with you because your scared to travel alone?" 

Asther shook her head uncertainly. "I just want you to come with me so nobody would suspect that I ran away, just like Laura Jung. If you go with me, people would think you an I are going somewhere," 

Karen shook her head sadly. "No, I can't go with you. Mom's been having her baby so I have to take care of John."

Asther frowned. "So that adopted brother of yours is more important than me and our friendship?"

Karen shook her head and hand with surprised eyes. "No, no, no! Our friendship is important-of course!"

"Then why aren't you going with me?"

"Because John is important too!"

"He is your adopted brother! He's not your REAL brother!"

"Asther, you don't understand. John is my brother, and nobody can change that."

"But he's adopted!"

Karen sighed. "Asther, even if he's adopted, he is my brother. Don't you understand?" Karen said helplessly.

Asther frowned as she walked back to the sidewalk. "I think it was a mistake to talk to you," Asther said as she started to run.

"Asther!" Karen called behind her, but Asther was already running down the sidewalk, and she didn't turn back when Karen called her.