Lila's P. O. V

A few years back-

I stood outside of the door, tears already threatening to fall. Right on the other side of the door were my so-called parents, arguing. I couldn't exactly hear what they were saying, but I knew their argument was about something horrible, and in the end someone was going to leave. I looked down at the picture I had in front of me. In that picture was my father, getting close to another woman. It wasn't just one though. There were multiple other pictures taken of my father cheating. After getting suspicious due to his strange behavior, Mother had called for a private investigator to investigate Father, and soon she had gotten the call, informing her that her very own husband was eating together with a woman. I just sat there, waiting for their argument to be done, so the door could finally be opened and they could tell me the results of their argument.

I could remember a few days ago, Father had tried getting me on his side by lying and telling me that it had been Mother who was actually cheating on him. I believed him at first, but when the pictures of him with other women started flooding in, I could do nothing at that moment but hate him so much, that it hurt. He didn't have to lie to me. . .but at the same time, it didn't matter what he did, I would have still hated him for hurting my mother.

Finally the door opened and Mother stepped out. I quickly stood up, heart pounding inside of my chest and I rushed over to her. "What happened?!" I demanded answers. I had held back the tears for so long, had been a good girl because they told me to, but now I couldn't stop it. They came streaming down like a waterfall, and I stepped forward, taking her hand. Suddenly, she slapped my hand away from hers, surprising me for a moment.

"Lila, your father and I are splitting. We've already filled the divorce paper." Okay, I knew that was going to happen, and I had told myself I would cry about it later on. But what about me? What was happening to me? "And I'm moving to another city. I can't stand being in the same city as that monstrous father of yours. It's already been decided."

I tried reaching for her hand again, but when she turned to start walking away, I stopped myself. "Can I. . .Can I come with you?!"

"What?! No! I don't want you!"

The way she had said it. The anger in her voice. I took a step back, shocked by her words. She was glaring at me, as if every single thing that had happened had been my fault. And maybe it had been, because her next words just proved it. "Ever since I gave birth to you, nothing but bad luck had been coming from right and left, all towards me! Maybe agreeing to make you was a huge mistake." She was now muttering to herself as she walked away, but even after she was gone from my sight, I couldn't forget the words she had spoken to me. They were her last words too, because after that, I never saw her again, and the next time I saw my father finally stepping out of his room, he had told me she was gone.

Ever since I gave birth to you. . .! It had all been because of you! I bent my head down as I allowed the tears to flow down from my eyes. It had all been because of you!

-

A year later-

I furiously opened the front door and scrammed out of the house, my father calling my name from behind me. I didn't listen to him; I didn't want to be in the same house as him and that horrendous woman. There was no way I was going to call her mom. Even though my past mother wasn't exactly the best, she would never hit me whenever she got mad. Just a few minutes ago, Catherine, or whatever her name was, had just gotten mad because I had said no to her. That gave her no right to slap me. Whenever my stupid father wasn't around, she'd boss me around like the evil witch she was, and whenever he returned back from work, she'd stop and try to act all sweet. I had tried telling him a few times to divorce this new woman he calls a wife, but he would never listen, getting me to hate him more. That trashy excuse for a father. I wasn't the only reason why Mother had left; he was part of the reason too!!

The rain was starting to pour now as I felt them falling and dripping down my face. My stomach rumbled, and I groaned, remembering that I hadn't eaten anything before I ran out of the house. Catherine had made me busy, cleaning up the house, washing dishes she had purposely made dirty, and getting me to clean my room 50 times. She would keep throwing the pillows down to the floor and saying the same words, "oh Lila, you missed some over there." And after putting the pillows back, she would throw them back down to the floor.

I looked around at where I was, finding myself completely lost. I saw some couple of buildings, but none of them seemed to hold free food in them. I didn't exactly have any money with me. But then my eyes landed on a building in which people were coming out of, holding bags and smiling even though it was raining. They obviously sold something in that building, but maybe if I begged and cried to them, they would give me some free food. I walked towards the building and stood in front of the door. I stood there, not moving, the rain pouring down on me and getting me cold. I didn't move, and I didn't know why. I was shaking out of terror and cold and the door was right in front of me. I had completely frozen up.

Then the door suddenly opened up, and another girl's face looked at mine. She frowned a bit, before she shared a friendly smile and took my hand. "What are you doing in the cold? Don't you see it's raining? Come on in." She took me inside, not even knowing who I was, yet willing to have me inside her place. I could see it was a bakery now from the smell, and the place felt absolutely warm.

The girl walked inside another room and a second later, she came out, holding unto a large towel. "You look cold. You're shaking. Here, take this." She handed the towel over to me and I took it, wrapping it around myself to dry off. She just stood there, watching me with this insanely wide smile on her face. "Do you have a place to stay? What were you doing in the rain? Are you hungry? Did you eat yet?" The timing was perfect. As soon as she asked the questions, my stomach grumbled. She laughed a little and started walking towards another room. I stood there, hoping she was going to get me food. When she came back, she was carrying a plate of different types of pastries. She placed the plate down on the table. "We just sold tons of pastries and these are the ones we have left. Enjoy them while they're still warm."

I didn't need to be told twice. I instantly grabbed the snacks given to me and gulped them down. The girl laughed a little, and turned around. I heard another footsteps coming towards us, and whirled around to see a woman walking towards us. "Marinette, who's this?"

"I found her standing outside of the bakery and decided to invite her in. Look, she's hungry." She pointed towards me, and all eyes were now on me. I froze again, feeling like the huge pounding of my heart was suddenly going to just burst through my chest. "What?! No! I don't want you!" Suddenly all I could remember was my mother's words before she left. The way she had looked at me witch such disgusted look, the way she had spoken to me and called me a mistake. My mother had never spoken to me like that, even if she had been angry, her words had to have been true. She would never say something that was untrue.

"Oh, child, are you okay?" Suddenly the woman rushed towards me with such a concerned look on her face, and I frowned, before realizing why she looked so worried. The croissant I had been holding had now dropped out of my hand, and tears were already starting to fall. I quickly wiped them as soon as I noticed, but that still didn't remove the worried looks on their faces. It got me to wonder. . .why were they even worried? They barely knew me. I was just a girl found outside of their bakery. Why would they be worried if I just suddenly started crying?

"He hurt me. . ." my voice was so low, even I couldn't hear myself, When I spoke a little louder, I was a little shocked. Why was I saying he? "He hurt me. . ." No, Lila, don't tell them about your situation. Don't let them of how much your parents hate you. "He hurt me. . ." I repeated once again. ". . .My father hurt me. . ."

I could see the shock written on their faces, and suddenly the woman had pulled me into a hug. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." Why. . .? Why are you sorry? It wasn't your fault. I let them hold me for a while, and I had to admit. . . it really made me feel warmer on the inside. For a second there, I imagine the woman was my mother and Marinette was that sister I'd always wanted yet never got. But then her words got through my head again. "Ever since I gave birth to you, nothing but bad luck had been coming from right and left, all towards me! Maybe agreeing to make you was a huge mistake." If you hadn't been such a bad little girl, maybe then your mother would have stayed and you would have gotten the little sister you wanted.

•

A week later-

The sound of a bang! woke me up from my sleep. I rubbed my eyes and sat up from the bed I was laying on. Beside me, Marinette had also gotten up, looking tired with sleepy eyes. I gulped as I got off bed and headed to the door. Opening it, I climbed downstairs, Marinette following behind me. When I got there, I could see another guest had entered the bakery, and looking at his back, I could already tell who he was.

"You're keeping my daughter in here!" He yelled angrily. Marinette's parents looked angry as well, trying to calm the man down. Then he turned around and looked at me. His mouth spread in a wide smile, but I wasn't happy to see him. He was going to take me back to that house with that evil woman. He was going to continue to allow her to torture me, pretending he hadn't seen anything. I backed away, and when I looked down, I noticed Marinette had taken my hand, squeezing it to make me feel better. It took me by surprise, but I didn't stop her. It actually calmed my anger out a bit.

Marinette, you're so strong. During my stay here, you've been nothing by at peace with your family. It was weird eating food with others without hearing someone yell at the other, after all that's how my house had been like. Instead, they spoke in such nice voices to each other, her parents spent time with her whenever she wanted, and they took care of the bakery. Like a perfect family. She had that family I never had. . . Those parents I wished I had. Her parents looked at her the way I wished my parents would look at me; with caring eyes. All throughout the week of my stay here, all I've been thinking was; "I wish I was her. She's so perfect. My parents don't think she's a mistake. I wish I was her!"

My father grabbed my arm, but Marinette quickly grabbed my other arm, tugging me back. "You're not taking her anywhere, you monster!" She screamed out. Her mother walked up to her and separated her hands from my arm. She looked at her mother, and it shocked me to see that she was almost at the verge of tears. "Lila doesn't have to go with him if she doesn't want to!"

She's crying because of me. . . nobody has ever cried because they cared. But it's only because she thinks my father abuses me, right?. . . Nothing else. She just wants to be my protector, keep me here away from him. . . I looked down at the floor as thoughts flooded inside my mind, then I looked back at her. "It's okay, Marinette." I tried to look as calm as I could, with a fake smile and all. "I'll be fine." Then I walked over to where my father was still standing. "Let's go." And I walked out of that bakery, filled with both regret and determination.

I'm going to be just as good as you, Marinette! I'm going to be just as strong!

I walked side by side with my father, and we both stayed quiet for a few minutes, before he decided to speak. I wish he had just kept his mother shut. "Who were those people?!"

"Why would you care?"

"Lila, you were gone for a week and I've been looking everywhere for you. It's best that you don't give me that attitude of yours or else I'll lose it! So, I'm asking you again. . .who were those people?!"

My mouth started quivering, my body shaking, and this time it wasn't from the cold. It was from my fear. Even though he'd never done it; even though he'd never hit me, my father lost his temper really quickly, and he looked absolutely terrifying whenever he was angry. Before Mother was gone, she was the one who'd calm him down whenever he got mad. Whenever he was mad with me, he would almost hit me, but then Mother would be there to save the day. She would stop him before he'd lay a finger on me. One of the reasons why I loved her.

"What?! No! I don't want you!"

"I don't want you!"

"If it hadn't been for you!. . . "

"Maybe agreeing to make you was a huge mistake!"

"They're the Dupain-Cheng family, owners of the bakery. They sell pastries, and I guess they're really quite popular in this city."

"Hmm, interesting."

We walked back home, inside the house, and he shut the door. The house was empty, which was really surprising because Catherine was supposed to be here. My father locked the front door and turned to me, folding his arms. "I kicked her out," He told me, and I couldn't stop smiling at those words, although I looked away because I didn't want to him to see me smile. He kicked her out. No more Catherine! But now this meant one more thing. I turned and watched as my father walked upstairs. "I don't want to see you leaving this house, Lila!"

I was stuck in this house with a monster. I almost got frightened by the words, but then I remembered how determined I had been a few minutes ago.

I'm going to be just as strong as you, Marinette!