This chapter is dedicated to @shelleyhodge for his immense support and consistent reading of my chapters. Thankyou❤️
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Violetta's POV

Oh, I hope someday I'll make it out of here
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years
Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near
Wanna feel alive, outside I can't fight my fear

Isn't it lovely, all alone?
Heart made of glass, my mind of stone
Tear me to pieces, skin to bone
Hello, welcome home.

The song played through my new headphones on the loudest volume at 6:15 am. Paul still lay on my bed beside me, looking as peaceful as ever while he slept. I got up, went to my bathroom, and washed my face, then I stood, looking in the mirror when the flashback of my childhood moments came running through my mind in a second.

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"Violetta! Wake up. We need to leave before Dad gets up. Let's go" Tony whispered as he poked me. I got up from the mat that was laid on the floor and walked to the bathroom. I washed my face and had a bath with the cold water in the bucket, managing to leave some water to rinse my mouth after I brushed.

Soon after, I got out of the shower and then proceeded to look for clothes to wear but found nothing. My fourteenth birthday was already starting terribly. "Don't bother, they're all dirty. Wear this", Tony said, handing me his hoodie and an old sweatpants that he outgrew. "Thanks"

They must have forgotten. I don't blame them, with so much vitriol going on, who would remember? I picked up my old school bag and walked out of the house quietly.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday happy birthday,  happy birthday to you."

They all sang in harmony, holding a cupcake with a candle in it. "Happy birthday little sis," Daniel said, hugging me tightly. "Thanks, I thought you all forgot", I laughed. The small gesture made my day.

Wait, I forgot.
happiness doesn't come my way.

My father came out of the house, staggering on his feet. Oh no, we must have woken him up. "What's all the commotion for?", He asked in his thick raspy voice.  "It's V- Violetta's birthday, so we wanted to d- do something" my mom explained with her faint voice.

"That good-for-nothing burden. Why celebrate her?" my father inquired as he insulted me. "We should get going now," Tony said, trying to flee from my father. Sadly, the old man walked over to me and held my hair tight then proceeded to beat me out of the blue. Everyone rushed to get him off me and luckily succeeded.

I went to school crying with a swollen eye. "It's ok. It's your birthday. Don't ever let anyone ruin your day" Tony comforted as we walked to school, still limping from his share of pain. The hall was packed with students who were going about their days. The school was built on the motto 'available to all', and the owner said she made the academy to give the unprivileged an opportunity and privileged good education. We all know that's a lie.

We were all divided into four sets, according to class and popularity. The rich and popular ran the whole school and even if they did anything bad, they wouldn't get punished. They bullied almost everyone they could and cheated their way to the top with their parent's money. It's one thing to be rich, but to be popular is another.

Blessed with fame and money, but broken by it...

The next bunch was just the rich kids. They were also able to get great opportunities without ever doing much. Their parents would pay the small fee for them to get into the school and for those who didn't pass the entrance exams, the money was still there in bulk. A few of them were bullied by the popular ones and some were able to become popular.

So much money was available. But the old saying 'money can't buy happiness' is true...

The following batch was poor but popular. It sounds funny, how can you be poor and popular? People like my brother Tony were able to get themselves there. I believe there was a girl who was practically obsessed with him. Immediately you became friends with the popular kids or were at least sleeping with them, you were settled. No one would dare bully or test you.

Popularity makes you powerful, but how powerful will you be till your downfall...

And the rest of us, are just poor. We had nothing. We were bullied and verbally abused for our status. Some of us came from loving and content families, but some aren't all. The only reason I didn't go home with bruises every day was because of my brother. He made sure to get me out of the dangerous situations.

We were no one. We had to work hard if we wanted to be something, someone. But remember, the weak always get strong... Eventually.

Tony kissed me on my cheek and walked away saying "Remember it's your day". Walking over to my locker, I noticed Ace, the popular rich kid, bullying and picking on a short and skinny boy. I couldn't do anything about it even though I knew it was wrong. If I tried to intervene, I'd be the one he would pick on and that was the last thing I needed.

I was packing my books out from my locker when Zachary, my brother's friend came over to me. He leaned on the locker beside mine and just stared. I decided to ignore him as the quiet person I am, and then walk away. "Wait wait", he said, pulling me back. "Did your mommy never teach you how to be respectful to your elders?" he mocked, leaving me speechless.

"Open your fucking mouth and talk. Or do you want to open it for other things?" he asked, pinning me on the locker by his elbow. "I- I have c- class to get to", I told, wishing he would let me go. "I know that, but I happen to like your face, so how about you skip class and follow me? We can hang out with my friends.", he offered.

I could've taken the opportunity to become someone important in the school, but no. I wasn't going to sleep with him just for that. "I am underage, you know", I admitted. "What is an underage doing here, you're meant to be in middle school," he noted. "I had double promotions, s- so I need to g- go to class", I said once more.

"Hmm, your brother said you were fourteen and I'm seventeen, I don't think there's a big age difference. We can make it work" he whispered, coming closer to me. "No, I just turned fourteen, please let go of me, I need to go to class", I said, tears threatening to fall out of my eyes.

Zachary leaned in closer to kiss me, but before he could, he was thrown to the floor. "She said she needs to go to class." Tony asserted. "Looks like you're getting wings. Remember you're a lowlife, no money, nothing," he said, eying my brother. "And remember you come from a famous family. We don't want their name ruined by rumors that their son abused an underaged girl." my brother said as he grabbed my hand and walked away.

"Take the bitch back to middle school" Zachary announced, shouting across the hall. We ignored him and continued to walk. Tony dropped me off at my science class and left. I wonder what I would do without him.

School went by quickly and the final classes finished. I went outside so I could walk back home but I was stopped by a group of girls. They dragged me into an empty class and shut the door behind them. "Who do you think you are trying to steal Zachary?" Said the blonde girl. "I- I didn't do that", I murmured truthfully. "But you did", she said once again.

"He's the one who came to me" I clarified with an unstable voice. "My Zachy would never even look at you", she said after slapping me. She held my hair tightly and moved closer. "Get yourself together. I'll let you go home in one piece because I'm like you. Not that much money you know, but Zachary is my ticket out, so if you mess with him, I'll mess with you" she explained as she slowly let go of my hair.

She and the other girls walked out of the classroom, leaving me crying on the floor. Leaving me broken and in pain on my birthday.

That was the afternoon I became suicidal. If everyone was still so bad to me on a day like this, who would ever be nice? I thought why not just end it all? I thought if I was gone, maybe things would be easier for everyone. Tony wouldn't have to keep defending me, I wouldn't pose as a threat to other poor girls like me, trying to make themselves rich, and my brothers wouldn't have to work hard to send money for me to eat. They would be able to move on with their lives.

I lay helplessly on the floor as all the negative thoughts rushed into my head. Soon, I gathered the courage to get up and then I left the school. I had nowhere to go anymore. If I went home I would have to see my father and if I stayed In school, another bully would come. Once again, everywhere seemed okay without me.

I was the extra piece in the puzzle pack that wasn't needed.

Tony ran towards me and used his shoulder to hit mine. "Hey flower, are you ready to have a good... Well, an ok birthday?" he interviewed, lightening up the mood. "Ok", I mumbled, fiddling with my fingers. "Hey, remember to never let anyone ruin your day. Hard times only last a while. In two years, I'll be eighteen and I'll move out. You just need to wait till it's your turn. But I promise, if I have enough money, I'll take you with me", he divulged. "I know", I said.

He walked alongside me and took me to his part-time job. "So, after the end of every day, there's always a bunch of leftover burgers and fries, and even coke. So, you just need to wait at the back, so when they want to throw the food out, we'll take it. We can go to the roof of the school and eat it ok." he explained, telling me the plan.

I did as he said and waited patiently at the back fast food restaurant, smelling the delicious food that was being deep fried as I watched my brother through the door. His shift was over and it was time to throw out the food. "Yes boss, I'll throw it out", he yelled to the older man.

I watched him as he walked toward me. He opened the door and walked out the back of the restaurant that led outside. Following behind, we ran as fast as we could with the food in the black garbage bag. We arrived at school and climbed the series of stairs before we got to the roof where we settled down.

We opened the bag to see big juicy burgers, chicken, and fries scattered everywhere. It seems absurd to me how people waste so much food when they're aware that there are people like me looking for food to eat. Tony picked up a fry from the bag and rearranged the scattered burger parts. I did the same and we enjoyed the delicious meal.

I've heard a few kids at school talking about how they ate till threw up. They said they loved the food so much that they couldn't stop eating and even when their stomachs were bloated, they kept going. I didn't get to the throwing up part, but I sure was bloated. My first ever bloat was from chips, chicken, and burgers on a rooftop with my older brother. A day and meal I would never forget.

We weren't able to finish everything so we took some home for our mum. We went into the house through the back door and found my mother sleeping on the floor with purple-colored eyes. He must have beat her again while we were away. We gently tapped her to try to wake her up but it brought about a panic attack.

I watched as Tony tried to calm her down, telling her to breathe in and out. Tears fell from her eyes onto the wooden floor as she held onto Tony's hand. Her crying and wailing woke my father from his slumber, causing him to get aggravated.

He began to beat Tony up for only God knows what and I sat there, like I always do, hiding from everything and everyone.

I couldn't breathe.

I tried to, but the air got caught. Tears flew like a river from my eyes as I watched my father beat Tony up while my mother wasn't even aware of her surroundings anymore.

I remember clearly. On my fourteenth birthday, I had two experiences. My first suicidal thought, my first bloat, my first panic attack, and the first time I realized how much of a coward I was...

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Everything flashed fresh in my memory like it happened yesterday. I wiped my face with the towel that hung on my arm and got back to the room. "Are you ok?" Paul interrogated as he looked up at me. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry", I muttered.

"You always say sorry for little things. You should stop that," he said, chuckling lightly. "I only say sorry to people close to me", I clarified. "No, you say sorry to everyone, you just don't know it"

I got back in bed with Paul and cuddled him tightly, waiting for 6:30 to come, so I could start my day. I've begun to like work because when I'm busy, I don't have much time to think.

Not much time to remember.

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This chapter gave me such a toll of emotions. I hope it did the same to you too.

Also, How has the week been?

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