I stared at the ceiling as I realized the rays of sun hitting my eyelids. Although I feel lazy to rise, my eyes didn't want to die so I rose from the queen size bed in the familiar spacious and colourful room I found myself in. Closing the curtains, someone knocked on the door. "Ugh...come in" I responded agitated. Mercy, my personal maidservant walks in with her blue blouse and a matching long blue sleek skirt which I secretly admire. "Good morning little madam. Master wants you downstairs" she says with her head bowed and slightly bent forward. "Mercy, I've told you to call me Ruby. Just Ruby." I said with a bit of seriousness in my voice. As a sixteen-year old girl, being called 'Madam' made me feel a bit irritated because I didn't feel like a madam for once in my life. I rubbed my nose and licked my lower lip as I turned to Mercy and said "I'm sorry but I hope you know I'm still young. You can call me Ruby please" She looked up to me with pleading eyes. "Okay Madam... Umm..Ruby" she said looking sorry. I signaled her to leave. 'Why did Dad want me this early?' I thought as I walked to the bathroom to wash my face.
.....
I walked down the stairs in my baggy yet favorite pyjamas. Dad was sitting in the largest couch in the living room while mom sat at his right side. The back of a human which looked familiar sat at the left side of dad on the odd couch. I descended the stairs and walked up to the sitting area. "Good morning Daddy" as I always called him. "Hello princess" said Dad as he offered me his arms for a 'morning hug'. I greeted mom also. I turned to see who the third person was and noticed it was my friend, Jake. "Hey Jay, Good morning" I said, squinting my eyes. He responded and dad asked me to sit, gesturing me to sit next to Jake. "Ahem.. Princess, Jake here wants to take you out on a fun moment since he will be out of town for a while. He wants to spend quality time as friends with you. You would have definitely said no to it but your mom and I decided to talk to you about it. You can't always be in the room. Jake can't always be coming here to visit you and play as friends..you have to see what's out there so we suggest you go with him to have fun before he lea-ves" said Dad, ending with a crack in his voice. I wonder if he took a breath. "Where are you leaving to, Jay?!" I said turning to Jake. He looked a bit dull. "Umm.. my dad is taking me out of the town for a business experience". I lowered my eyeballs and squinted again as I always do in amusement. I was an introvert and my parents didn't like the idea of it. Jake mostly came over to talk or we text over the phone. I barely went out even on my birthdays. Dad seemed pretty worried and serious too. I thought for a moment 'Jake is leaving, to?' I felt dad was right. Not really right but I saw the desperateness in Jake's eyes and decided to offer a proper goodbye so I accepted. "Okay" I said, getting up from the couch. Dad looked up to me in awe. "Thank you for understanding" said dad as he got up and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. Mom was quiet the whole time as she always is. She followed dad after hugging Jake and I.
"Tomorrow six pm. Thank you" said Jake, hugging me so tight that I felt sore at my back. I gave him a faint smile as he walked past me. Stuffs run through my head and abundant questions followed but no one was present to answer. I wasn't surprised my parents sat me down just to discuss 'this'. 'Dad must me desperate for my happiness too' I thought as I walked back upstairs to my room.