#breanna thread

{♧} Breanna's parents had planned to have a date night tonight, though it seemed like they were unlucky enough to make this plan on a day where Breanna's trusted family members were all unable to pick her up from school and watch her until her parents came back. Walter and Dedrick were the last people he would want to leave his precious daughter with, but he couldn't cancel the reservations and Walter took it upon himself to offer to watch her. Though he couldn't help but find this suspicious, he felt as though he had run out of options...so it's Walter and Dedrick's duty to supervise his little girl.

Things have been relatively calm so far. Breanna has been undisruptive, quietly working on assignments and stringing the beads she happened to pack with her. She soon grew quite peckish and upon discovering that she didn't pack a single thing to eat, the made her way to the kitchen. Her uncles seem to be in the middle of a conversation that she just so happens to catch at the wrong moment.

"Is Delilah even my sister? How could such a beautiful, intelligent woman have a grotesquely poor taste in men? That hideous oaf isn't even worthy of being in her presence, better yet, taking her hand in marriage and producing offspring with her. His godawful genes have tainted the Abberquack bloodline. Giving him the time of day is possibly the worst decision she's ever made."

Breanna's heart crumbles in her chest upon hearing Walter's bitter words, each thing he says pounding it to smithereens. She had a feeling Walter resented her, but he had just shown her undeniable evidence to prove her right.

"Y-You hate me, don't you?"

Walter pauses, his pupils shrinking with raw fear as he desperately tries to do some damage control.

"No no, sweetheart...I just despise your father! If you had a different father, you'd have everything you've ever wanted! You wouldn't have to feel broken anymore!"

These words only add salt to the wound, Breanna's emotions intensifying with every second until she feels like she's going to explode.

"If my mother didn't have a child with my father, I wouldn't exist because that's how children work! It's clear that you don't love me for the person I am. You think I'm broken...that I have to change a significant part of my identity in order to be happy. Being who I am isn't what brings me misery—it's people like you, who seem to be offended by my very existence. I just...I f--king hate you."

Walter gasps in utter shock, frozen for a brief moment until he remembers that he's an authority figure. His arms cross while he gives his niece a disapproving glare, silently demanding her to give him an apology.

"Breanna Astrid! You ought to respect your elders!"

Walter's tactics don't work on Breanna...she knows that her actual authority figures would believe that her behavior is justified.

"Why should I respect someone who couldn't give less of a f--k about showing any to me?"

He's flabbergasted once again, floundering to defend himself and arms falling to his sides.

"Well, I...I...you're just a child!"

Now it's Breanna's turn to cross her arms and shoot a disapproving glare at Walter. Her mismatched eyes, unencumbered with her feathers clipped out of her face, now burn with pure disappointment and disgust.

"So because I'm a child, you have the God-given right to insult my beloved father right in front of me and openly show disgust for traits I happen to share with him without considering how much it might hurt me?"

"Bre-"

"It's too late to apologize. The damage has been done. You'll never be my uncle."

Walter storms out of the room, leaving Breanna and Dedrick alone...together. Her fury melts into self-consciousness, fully expecting Dedrick to take Walter's side and completely disown her. After all, Walter is the only reason Dedrick even puts up with her...right?

Unwanted tears run down her face, further tarnishing her uncle's view of her (or so she believes). She's a jerk and an idiot, the two worst things she could be. It's inevitable that Dedrick will toss her out like the hot garbage she is, despite being there for her since the day she hatched.

Dedrick isn't sentimental like that.

He probably pretended to tolerate her for all of her life.

She means nothing to him now.

{¤} This wasn't a good idea...this really wasn't a good idea.

With a spell demonstration looming around the corner, Breanna thought it'd be good practice to teleport. Out of all the times for it to go haywire, it had to be in the middle of the night. To make things worse, she doesn't recognize this area at all. Where was she?

Breanna's father warned her not to talk to strangers, though she feels like she has no other options. She's too terrified to try to use the spell again.

There's someone standing not too far away...looks like it's time to approach them.

{♧} There's an adage that goes 'Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me'.

Breanna knows far too well that was far from the truth.

The wounds decorating her body are thoroughly examined as venomous words jab her in an endless loop. She's not sure which of the two hurt more.

Even though Breanna is hidden somewhere in her room, school is going on without her. Her fear is nearly all consuming, leaving barely enough focus to heal herself.

What if her parents found out she was skipping dueling class?

Breanna knows her father would understand. In fact, it doesn't even seem like he's comfortable sending his only child to a school full of cruel, pampered brats. Still, she wouldn't advertise that she teleported home. It's more than likely Franklin will find her, working from home, but the thought of her mother finding out robs her of her very breath.

Naturally, one would assume that a mother cares more about her daughter's wellbeing than her performance in magic school. Despite Breanna's common sense telling her that it wouldn't be the end of the world to skip class (especially since she's not in the proper condition to duel), she can't help but feel like a disappointment. Dueling is incredibly important to her mother...doesn't she feel ashamed that her daughter is a coward who has to run home before she has to wake up in the nurse's office? Doesn't she wish she had a daughter who can live up to her legacy? Doesn't she wish she had a different daughter entirely?

No matter how ridiculous it all might sound, every word feels undeniably true.

Locks of spun gold are caught from the corner of Breanna's eye, causing her to scramble to find a better hiding spot. With her luck, she winds up tripping over herself and twisting her ankle in the process.

May...probably the most important month out of the year outside of the holiday season. Her mother's birthday AND mother's day.

Is Breanna going to run herself ragged to make Delilah happy all thirty one days?

She's certainly going to try.

Catching her mom's golden locks out of the corner of her eye, Breanna can feel a sick feeling taking over her stomach and a lump in her throat making it harder for her to breathe. How could someone whose presence has comforted her since she first came into the world also send her into a bout of anxiety?

Her mother deserves a better daughter.

Several carefully wrapped boxes rest on the coffee table, along with various breakfast items and an intricately crafted card filled with words of pure admiration. Maybe Breanna went a little overboard considering she plans on going further and further to show her appreciation every day, but Delilah deserves only the best. Even if Breanna has to live on energy potions for a whole month so she could spend all her nights setting up these elaborate surprises.

Steeling her nerves, Breanna tiredly waddles to her mother to greet her. The vacancy in her mismatched eyes and the stillness of her tail speak louder than the smile stretched across her face.

"Hi, Mommy!"

Wait...is she too old to use that word? Surely she should have outgrown it by now.

"Errr...Mom!"

The word sounds unnatural, as if Breanna were forcing herself to use it before she is ready to. Nervous energy radiates from the girl, who is already internally tearing herself down for already screwing things up.

All of the other things Breanna had planned to say completely escape her, a mixture of primal fear and exhaustion leaving her from uttering a single word.

{♧} Breanna knows there isn't anything to worry about. She knows that her family would never tear her down the same way that her peers would. Despite this, the nagging thought of her craftsmanship being harshly criticized won't leave her alone.

Even so, her family isn't going to just wait for all of eternity.

As far back as Breanna can remember, she made ornaments for each member of her immediate family. Her beginnings were humble, with simple creations made of foam or construction paper. Over the years, these have become more elaborate as she gathered more crafting skills. Nowadays, she prepares all year long for these ornaments...which is why she's feeling so tense. The anticipation that has built up for nearly an entire year is now starting to eat her alive.

On her way to the family room, Breanna accidentally knocks into someone and nearly drops one of the many small boxes in her arms. Thankfully, the ornament should be in tact...but she's still a little frazzled by the whole ordeal.

There's no way Breanna is going to let them take any blame for this accident though. This was her fault.