Have you ever wished for someone who could just enter in your life and solve all your problems when your life is a complete mess? Someone whose presence could appear as a miracle?

Well, don't wish.
Because it hurts when they are not accepted.
Un-expected good-happenings are a lot more joyous, comforting and are remembered for a very long time.
That's what I think.
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I was five when I saw my parents, Jack  Weed and Jenna Weed fighting for the first time. I was twelve when those small arguments turned into long fights and deep silences.

As a result, my dad started to stay out late almost every night. He would come home in a state that he couldn't even be recognised by himself, completely wasted. He would speak nonsense all the time and call mom abusive words. In return, my mom would start throwing things at him. If I'd make a mistake of coming in between and trying to stop them, my dad would slap me on the face or beat me with anything that came in his hands.

My mom was tired of all that was happening, but still, she was a mother. She knew that wasn't what I needed from my parents. She tried to save me every time my dad started to beat me up but that would just become a reason for her to get beaten up too.

Home became hell.

My mom worked at the small general store near our house and her monthly salary was never enough to run the house. Well it wasn't even a house. Three small rooms, two in lounge and one upstairs (that was mine), two bathrooms, one downstairs while the other one was in my room (at least I was lucky with the bathroom), one small kitchen with two wooden chairs beside the counter and cabinets that might fall down and break if you closed them hard. That was it. That was my house.

My dad, Jack Weed was a primary mathematics teacher at our high school but due to the negative change in his attitude because of the constant intake of drugs, he was fired. That was the first and maybe the only reason why half the students of our school thought I was a bad girl. In their words, A bitch.

My dad started to spend all of his day in bars and clubs after he got fired from high school. The salary my mom earned was definetly not enough for us to survive, that made me search for a job at the age of sixteen.

There was a small restaurant nearly two blocks away from my house named, "The Meal". They agreed to appoint me as a waitress. I had to work six days in a week and my shift started from 5:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m and on Sundays they granted me off. Salary? Per week $50. It wasn't too much, but it was enough to fulfil the expenses of my school projects and sometimes other necessary needs.

In the beginning of every month, I would decide to save some of my money but at the end of the month, my wallet would rather be empty or I would just have money enough to buy a burger for myself.

But that didn't hurt me. I was happy that my mom could see some hope in me. Everytime when I showed her my money, she gave me a hug and told me how much proud she felt because of me. I was her only support, her only hope and her only reason to live. On the other hand, she was the only thing I cared about. In my world of darkness, she was the only diamond that brightened my way.

My dad was the so-called member of our family. He stayed out all night and used to fight with my mom all day. And he wasn't like that with just mom or me, he would simply get ready to beat up anyone who came in between his way. He had killed three people that way just because they made a mistake of involving themselves in an argument with my dad. He hurt them and ran away.

When that happened for the third time, my mom decided to tell the police. But he threatened her. He told her that he'd kill me too if she ever told the cops about him. Me and my mom, both knew that it could be true because he had a gun in his cupboard and pressing the trigger could never be a hard thing to do for a person like him.

We decided to stay quiet then, as we weren't left with any other choice.

Until.......

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A short thank you note for everyone who read the Preface and found out about Lily' s family background.

What do you think about Lily now? How do you think she would be?
P.S What do you think is gonna happen next?

I would love to see your interest in The Choice.
And your votes and comments are very much appreciated.

Keep smiling,
Aisha Waqar.