Chapter 4

I stopped the hover as it reached the end of the street on which my stepmother's house lies. Making sure it was safely out of the house's sight, I started to ponder how I was going to get Digit and Laui out of the prison my stepmother calls her "closet." Hey, I may not be the most fashion-forward person around, but what I can say for sure is that any outfit from her closet is not at all what a person would call "fashionable," even on a place as advanced as Magix.

I got out of the car and limped down the street, surprised that none of the people walking to the strip mall two blocks down the street stared at me. At first, I thought they all must be blind – I mean, here is a girl limping down the street aimlessly with a metal hand (a fact which most use to assume that I am a cyborg), and they're not even taking a second glance. Then, I realized what I had on my hands – the two purple gloves that man gave me when I fixed his broken hovercraft. I had yet to take them off, I thought to myself, totally entranced by the gloves, it was as if they were made for me…but that's totally illogical. Whether logical or not, these gloves made me feel somewhat normal, like I wasn't a cyborg living in a human world. Who knew a pair of gloves could do so much by just being there?

Reaching the front door, I put the key in and turned the knob. As I turned the light on, I came to the assumption that no one was in the house.

"Hello," I timidly spoke into the desolate living room. "Is anyone home?" No response came. Perfect, that means that I can steal back my androids without her noticing – I…I mean Digit and the Prince's android.

I quickly limped over to the small hallway, ignoring the intense pain in my legs and lower back, in which all of the bedrooms lie – that is, except for mine, which was relocated to the attic after my father's death. I passed Bea's room, Gigi's larger room (she became stepmom's favorite when Bea befriended me), and the master bedroom in which my stepmother resides. I quickly turned the doorknob and opened the door. I peeked inside to make sure the room was empty. It was.

Stepping into the room, the familiar scent of strong perfume meet my nose – cherry vanilla. After gagging slightly, I glanced around the room and found the huge closet nearby. I made my way over to it and pulled open the door and looked inside; it was filled with a mess of outdated shoes, unflattering dresses and out of style hats – I would do anything to get Digit back.

I searched through the clutter for the androids, trying to not pay attention to the pain spreading through my back by listening for my mother's hover pulling into the driveway. As I continued to search futilely, my eyes shifted to a small pink box with hearts on it stashed in the back of the closet. I picked it up and opened the dust-covered lid. Inside was a hidden stash of letters, and by the amassed amount of pink, red and white envelopes, as well as one or two stray ones covered in hearts and flowers, I safely came to the conclusion that they were love letters – probably between my father and stepmother. I picked up one that was particularly detailed, with scroll writing and flowers on the envelope, and began to read it; as I went through it, however, I came to realize they weren't from my father, but another man entirely.

My dearest Anna,

Though we have only known each other for a few months, I would like to ask if you would spent your life with me. It's a big decision, I know, but my love, I cannot stand being away from you.

I know you feel this way too, my beloved Anna. When our eyes met, I could tell you were the one for me. Every time I kiss your sweet lips, I feel the happiest I've ever been. When my hand runs down your lusciously soft, pale skin and long, flowing hair, I wish for the moment to continue into eternity. When we are together, I feel as if time has stopped and that we are the only people in this dimension.

I want to be yours. Will you be mine?

Yours truly and forever, Radius.

A proposal letter? To my stepmom?

I sat on the floor of her closet full of shock. In the years I have lived within her house, she was completely the opposite of what this letter portrayed. She was stiff-necked and gruff – I honestly could never picture her in love. Her heart is too cold for such an emotion…yeah, as if I would know what love was, never having experienced it in my sixteen short years. A small part of my suddenly yearned to feel what this man had felt, to have an emotion so strong running through your veins that you would want someone by your side forever…ugh, Tech, stop thinking such imbecilic thoughts – you are a mechanic, not some love-stricken fool! Stop being so illogical.

Suddenly, my thoughts were expelled from my mind upon hearing footsteps echo through the wooden floors, only meaning one thing: they were home.

And I was currently in stepmother's closet…this was not going to be pretty.

"No, no, no," I muttered, shoving the letters into the box and practically throwing it into the corner of her closet. "This is bad. This is really, really bad."

I got up and ran as fast as I could towards the door (though it was only a walk, as my back was screaming in pain) when she came in. At once, her eyes widened in shock, then came to rest in an expression of evil happiness.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here? Trying to get your useless toys back? Big mistake…one you'll regret for a long, long time…"

"N-n-n-no, y-you don't un-understand…I-I-I w-was just-"

"Don't lie to me, you insolent little girl. Go to your room immediately – you shall have no dinner tonight, after all the trouble and pain I have suffered due to your negligence and scum-like ways. Then go to bed, and do both your nightly and morning chores tomorrow morning; in fact, I'll give you a few more menial tasks along with your usual chores. I will call you to my room when I have decided on what other punishments there shall be!" She laughed slightly when she said that. Slightly, yet maniacally – yep, I was in for it now.

I ran to my room in agonizing pain and slammed the door. My legs at this point were burning with pain, my back was in no better shape. Trying to focus on positive things, I decided to think of a life without stepmother. One where I could go where I pleased, be who I want to be, do what I want to do…one where I was not labeled as a cyborg.

One where I could have love.

She had had love – once, a long time ago. She was loved. And now, she is cold, callous, and out to ruin my entire life.

How could she have changed from loving to evil so easily…and why? How can ones heart become so small in wake of swelling in such powerful emotions? Just how?

I woke up the next morning, more sore than the previous day, and went about doing my daily chores (in addition to some extra my stepmother and Gigi had left out for me – just a little "ha, ha, you'll always be subservient to us" kind of note).

My stepmother had called me an hour ago (I believe) to stop my chores – big surprise, as I had just finished them all, fed them, and was about to eat my own lunch – and stay in my room to await my punishment. It, in turn, has been my own personal prison since then. I tried to think about anything than what I was about to be faced with – how I could rescue my little Digit now, work that I had made a mental note to get done tomorrow, how I could fix some of the devices brought to the shop by walk-ins that past week, even my overwhelming hunger, having not eaten in a day or so – anything to get mind off what she might do to me.

Just as the sun was setting behind the trees, I heard the turning of my door handle; when it did not open, a hard, raspy knock came upon the door. "Tech, open this door. NOW!"

I made my way slowly towards the door and unlocked it. She slipped through and shut the door, relocking it and tucking the key in her pocket. This made me certain that Gigi was listening now, her ear pressed against the door, giggling furiously, yet silently at everything she heard.

I attempted to show no fear in my expression as I looked into my stepmother's eyes, replacing whatever expression I previously had with a blank stare. She can probably smell fear, I realized. Maybe she would be gentle on me, if I at least gave her what she wanted – my obedience. Then again, this was my stepmother we were talking about – she already had my subservience, no matter what I may have previously believed. A small grin spread across her face, giving her a malevolent expression. Oh, no – this can't be good.

"Tech, I have pondered what your punishment will be," she spoke with an uncharacteristically kind tone. "Sweetie, I have decided you cannot go to the Magix Gala on Friday."

My eyes widened. I almost gasped, but held it in as to not show my utter disappointment. The Gala – the Magix Gala. The one event I have wanted to go to for my entire life, now just two measly days away, gone with those thirteen short words.

The Magix Gala, held every year at the Palace of Magix, is what you'd call "the event of the year" in Magix – maybe even, arguably, in the Magic Dimension. Basically, it's this grand ball to which all the people of Magix of age, as well as the royal families of other planets, attend. Everyone dresses up in their best gowns and tuxedos, and there is music, dancing (I'm not too thrilled about this, but hey, that never stopped me from wanting to go), and everything else you would find at a ball, just on a more magnificent scale. It's been my dream to go to the Magix Gala ever since I was eleven – of course, back then I had dreamed of wearing a beautiful gown and jewels, something I now know that stepmother will never let me do, but all I ever wanted to do was to go. Just to see the grandeur of the palace, the merit to the rumors about their highly advanced technology not even known to the people of Magix yet, and to maybe meet some other people who wouldn't make fun of me. I never thought she would ever have the audacity to not even let me attend – she knows that only people sixteen and older can go and that this is my first year in which I am eligible. But, then again, maybe that is why I am not going – because she knows it will hurt me so much.

"B-bu-but, stepmother…" I pleaded with her, taking a pause to keep my voice from cracking, "you know I have always dreamed of going to the ball."

"And that is exactly why you aren't going! You need to learn obedience; this way, you learn to follow the rules. Maybe if you are better next year, I'll let you go." Yeah right. There's a .0293% chance of that ever happening while I'm under your roof.

"Sorry, Tech," she said, her voice void of emotion. "Here's a tissue if you need to cry. I mean, not going to the Gala after years of dreaming must be sad." She held out a tissue at me; I returned it with a glowering expression. "Go ahead – don't hold in your tears." And as if things could not get any worse, bringing my robotic inability to cry into the conversation took things to a whole other level.

I suddenly got up and screamed, my blood boiling and a burning sensation coming up from my stomach into my voice, "I hate you! Get out – GET OUT!"

"Of course, sweetie." She went towards the steps leading down towards the rest of the house, then turned around. "Oh, and by the way," she added, "…I threw out your 'toys.' They're just useless pieces of junk, anyway. You're welcome." Her look said it all. Behind her exterior, she was as cold-hearted as a person made of ice. I know you hate me, it told me, but I hate you too. Much, much more than you could ever imagine.

With that, she left me in my room. I felt like crying; of course, I knew it was not possible for me to do so, but that just made me want to even more. And worst of all, the entire time, I'm thinking about the one thing always true in my life – that this was never my choice. It wasn't my choice to be in a hover accident, it wasn't my choice to be turned into a cyborg, and it certainly was not my choice to live with this family. I didn't choose my fate, no – other people chose it for me.

I was on the verge of falling asleep from exhaustion, but before this happened, I made a promise to myself – a small vow to keep a little veil of hope alive in me. I promised myself that, as of right now, all of that was done. It's my choice what happens next in my own life. I closed my eyes and whispered what my plan was just loud enough so I could hear the words come out of my mouth in between my concurrent, slowly decreasing breaths, and fell asleep with the same thought in my head:

"I am going to the Magix Gala…and no one will stop me."