The next morning was very hard regarding it rained so badly last night. Thinking back to last night, I couldn't remember anything except falling asleep on the bed and a soft blanket was thrown on me.

I sit elevated and look around me. The weather wasn't sunny today because of lasts night's disaster of rain and dispersed storms. The morning cloud remained a dark shade of rain- new rain exactly.

The spot next to me looked rumpled from where Synn slept last night. The pillow was dipped a little bit next to mine. Synn must have gone out since that was what he did every morning. Sometimes, I was really curious about what he did and wished he told me. But he never did. He was also a tight-lipped person.

The disgusting stink of my breath alerted me that I needed to start the morning. I throw the soft blue blanket to the other side of the bed, the cold wind scraping my exposed legs sending crispness. There were times I needed cold and sometimes, I didn't.

The room was slightly messed up. Different colours of blankets laid on the floor while Synn's laptop was seated in a weird position that looked like it could fall. I decided that today was I was going to arrange this room all by myself and just clean it thoroughly. It's been a very long time since I did some chores around except wash my plates myself.

I walked into the bathroom, the wind gushing out and hitting me in an instant from the bathroom's window. Unmistakably, I was going to be wearing a sweater this morning.

I look at my reflection from the mirror and sighed. I didn't look good at all. Not that expected to look any better. I looked above my forehead, my hair was crimped and dry which meant that I wouldn't be able to brush it that smoothly. My lips were slightly inflated and chapped, some of its skin peeling. My eyes had dark circles around them and sure enough, I looked like a beast.

I picked up my toothpaste and toothbrush from the small container that was just on the counter. I start to brush around my teeth and tongue, spitting the remains into the sink. I bring the toothbrush to my teeth again and brush it before rinsing my mouth with my favourite mouthwash.

Done with the dental care, I open the small cabinet that was fixed to the counter and bring out a brush and a wide-tooth comb. This was going to be painful just seeing how the comb was easily stuck into my hair. I start from the tip going to the roots as I slowly brush my hair using the wide-tooth comb. After several minutes of combing and groaning, I put my hair in a bun to get it away from my face.

It wasn't frizzly anymore but I planned on washing my hair this morning. Primarily, myself and my thoughts. I'd considered it self-care or pampering myself.

I grab a charcoal face cleanser and coat it on my palms before rubbing it on my face, practically massaging my face. I had dry skin and a blending of oily skin which I guessed was okay. Although dry skin could be a lot of stress to handle. Done washing the smears off my face, I decided to head into the shower and bath.

Clicking on the red button, the beeping of the water heater turns on. I remove my hair from the bun and quickly did a brush through to get rid of the little muddles that were in it. I strip from my old clothes and enter into the glass shower, shutting it behind.

The vapour made my muscles loosened and I sigh in contentment. A hot bath was positively the best care of the morning. I grab onto a shampoo and start from my root walking my way to the end. Abriana once told me that shampoos were only for the roots and not the tip of the hair to clean out dandruff. Done with the shampoo, I move to the conditioner and repeat the same method I did with the shampoo. The last process was washing my body and shaving my legs.

I wrap the thick fabric of the towel around my chest and move out of the bathroom carrying along with the old clothes with me to trash them into the laundry basket.

As I walked out, I noticed the room was dark from the cloud and not enough illumination. It was good like this way since I didn't like the room clouded with lights and LEDs.

The clicking of the door sent me on full alert when I see the person standing there. It was Anna with a basket of finished and dry clothes. My cheeks immediately heated up, coming to the full awareness that I was only in my towel. Yet tho, I still felt abashed.

"Um-" She stays there blankly watching me with sharp eyes. I let out a small giggle. "It's okay. Please come in." I welcomed.

She releases a small breath and walks inside over to the closet. "I just came to return the laundry and put them inside the closet." She says.

"Oh." I only murmured. I felt the trickle of water down my back. My hair wasn't dry yet and I needed to change swiftly. I randomly go over to the closet and search for what to wear while Anna seats on her knees and folds the clothes putting them into the lower box of the closet.

I pick out black and white striped leggings and a brown hoodie from different boxes before going into the bathroom to change.

I come back into the room this time around with a towel encased around my head to prevent water from dripping on my clothing.

"Do you always do the laundry?" I ask Anna. She carries the basket into her hands and stands up. "Yes." She answered walking over to me nonchalantly.

"I do the laundry. Michael does the gardening. Amelia participates in making desserts and pastries with Geletino. Nicholas does the washing of the cars and Jack assists with the warehousing and stuff." She succinctly explains.

Only did I come out to find out names and what jobs people were assigned to. I was very keen to meet them. I'm sure they would love to meet me too since I didn't have anyone to talk to except Synn and Silver.

"Wow." I breathe out in bewilderment. "How come I never see them?"

"They don't really show up to people except for master and Silver. Besides, we stay behind the house." She looks at me but her eyes focus more on the wet towel that was on my head.

"Hey, I could help style your hair if you'd want me to. I am really good at it. She chirps, her lips settling into a smile.

It's funny how we met last two days and we still met today. Only the change was that she was artless than when I first saw her.

I remove my damp towel from my hair and sit on one of the couches facing the side mirror that was planted in the room.

"Your hair is really long," Anna commented grabbing a brush from the table. She lets my hair down and starts combing the wet root, presumably to let air come in through. I didn't really like using the hairdryer to dry my hair. I rather let it air dry or just wrap it in a towel.

"How long have you been staying here?" I requested. Sure enough, the maids around here lived here before I even came here. Synn had planned all this 'living on earth" thing so maybe he hired them before I even came.

"Two months." She answered using one of the ribbons to tie a division of my hair. I open my mouth from her reply. I wondered if she knew the kind of person she worked for. That she worked for the devil that controls hell.

"What about the rest people?"

"I came to meet them here on my first day. I didn't see Geletino first but I heard he came when master arrived." She explained. I could see her expression from the mirror. She didn't look happy talking about it.

"Why do you work here?" I know pushing my buttons was not good but it's a way of knowing a lot of which Synn never told me. I had to stop putting my trust in him in talking to me. He was a furtive person like I said before and he wouldn't tell me a single thing. I am left with no choice but to slowly find out myself.

"I really need the money to carter for my family. I live on the side of New York. My father is one of the scumbags who rely on my money for food and alcohol. He's a drug addict. Last week, I heard he was admitted to the hospital." I see her blink, her facial cast hurt. "He was diagnosed with cancer. My mom didn't know what to do when she heard of this. She was shocked and outraged at him." Her voice starts to get wavery and I almost regretted asking.

"I don't know what to do. I'm just here working to take care of my family and give them a better life. But I doubt my father would live any longer. Even after the result of his test, he still continues to smoke and waste money on drugs and alcohol."

She was done doing my hair by the time the last sentence left her lips. I stand up from the couch and turn to face her. I don't know what to say but I knew that her sad story reminded me of my father. He was similar to hers.

"I'm so sorry to hear your story," I said squeezing her hand in reassurance. "But everything will turn out okay if you believe it will. You're strong, okay?" I told. I wish I could say the same for my own circumstance but everything was on her now.

She slowly nods and takes the basket off the floor. "Thank you." She turns around and leaves through the door.

That explains a lot. I really wished I could help her but there was nothing I could do. I was confined in this house and was restrained movements except favour was in my way.

I let the thoughts fly out of my head. I walk up to the bed and drop to pick up the blankets that were disbanded all over. I fold them and put them on the bed going to bring the pillows and adjust them on the bed. Seeing Synn's laptop, I carry it and put it on one of his tables. His papers were uniformly ordered but he still forgets to put his laptop on his table.

I walk out of the room going downstairs for breakfast. It has started to drizzle outside, the weather growing cold each second.

On the table were laid stacks of pancakes and hot tea. It looked like it had just been dropped before I got here. I sit on the table and grab my fork digging into the honey-dipped pancake. The hot tea touches the back of my throat and I sigh in content. There was nothing like hot tea.

I looked around looking for one bubbly person. He was still hurt from yesterday and he still refuses to tell me what happened between him and Synn.

As I drink the last cup of tea, Anna walks into. But she wasn't just the one, she came with someone else.

I could remember her from the other day when she persisted that she washed my plate and not me. She had short curls that reached just above her neck and deep brown eyes.

"Good morning ma'am." She greeted picking up my used cutleries and putting them in trays. I giggle at her remark. Do I look old to her?

"Please call me Linda. I'm not old yet." I chuckle nervously. She only smiles and leaves with the plate and cup and into the kitchen.

Anna comes forward towards me and asks. "How old are you exactly?" She questioned.

"I'm 17." I simply answered standing up. She breaths out in awe. "You look bigger than your age." She comments.

Well blame the food I eat and the snacks Silver forces me to eat. I've grown so big. Sadly, not in height. I wasn't fat or slim but was just in-between. I was kind of proud of my body because I liked it.

I ask Anna."What's today?"

She looks up at me from waiting for me to finish thinking and answered. "November 14th."

My jaw dropped and I felt myself crash. My birthday was tomorrow. Everything that took a turn in my life was getting me frustrated. I can't believe I almost forgot my own birthday. It was going to be my first time celebrating my birthday without my family. It saddened me. Back then when I was with them, we didn't really celebrate it like big parties and invites. We had called friends from our neighbourhood to come together and play night games. Even the little things mattered.

It also meant I had spent almost a year away from my family.

"What's wrong?" Anna breaks me away from my cold thoughts.

"Tomorrow is my birthday."

She is turning 16!! Ah! I'm so excited.