Page 133 - e Majalah Nawarean 2023/24

“Get out of my room, dad!” she grunted. I was forced out of my own daughter’s

room – and I was just bringing her some hot chocolate. She’s a teenager now –

and she’s already outgrowing me, as she stopped calling me papa. As I went

back down the stairs with the hot chocolate in my grasp, I heard a harrowing

scream from her room. I sprinted as fast as I can, spilling the hot chocolate all

over myself and the floor. I arrived at her door. “Anna! Anna, what happened?

Why’d you scream?” I heard a click from her door handle – and thus I opened

her door – and I was horrified. Cigarette burn stains – a complete colour

contrast on her white, pure as day skin. She accidently dropped it while trying to

light it. I never knew she smoked, but from a daily cigarette smoker, she knew

what she was doing with the lighter in her hand. “What? You’re a smoker?” I

raised my tone at her. “I wanted to try it.” she timidly replied. “No, you’ve done

this before. The way you hold your lighter, the way you burned the cigarette

paper.” I was sure I caught her – and I did – just that I didn’t realise why she was

smoking in the first place. “I swear this is my first-time smoking. I swear!” she

looked at me, full with emotion. At that moment, my heart dropped. It was me.

She tried to smoke because she saw me smoking. I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t.

I need to make sure she doesn’t smoke again. I need to be the adult. It is my

responsibility after all. “Anna, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, so make sure

this is the last time you touch a cigarette!” I yelled. It was the first time I yelled

in years. I felt like it was the only way I’d get past her stubbornness – and it did. I

left the room and saw her watery eyes. Outside the room, was a trail of spilled

hot chocolate – and the tiniest ant I’ve ever seen, nibbling on it.

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