Call Me Blade✔

Two: Purpose

Most days, I want to give up. There isn't anything worth living for, yet here I am, gently washing my sore face as I get ready for another day of high school.

The center of my forehead is still bruised from the impact of my fall two days ago. I hated when my injuries were in places that weren't easy to cover up. Facial brusies are annoying to deal with.

I had invested in make-up a long time ago. After one of Melissa's really bad breakdowns. That was one of the few times she terrified me. I remember how angry she was and how small I felt when she had hit me. I missed two days of school due to bruising on my face and body. I had to invest in face products when I realized the bruises would become a norm. Since then, living with Melissa felt like tip-toeing on eggshells.

One crack and she'll lose it.

Luckily, concealer is enough to cover the discolored skin on my forehead; erasing any worries about suspicion being risen. God forbid anyone gets in trouble because of me.

Melissa is in the kitchen when I get downstairs. Her eyes flicker from Faith's face to mine.

"Todd will be here tonight. Make sure to keep Faith out of sight."

The mention of Faith's dad makes me tense. He's an abusive lowlife who's intentions are never pure. He hasn't ever approached me; Melissa being on the receiving end of his fists, but I'm always on edge when he's around.

Somehow Todd has no idea he has a daughter with this woman. She has convinced him Faith is mine, but as an extra precaution, I try to keep us locked away in my room whenever he's around. I don't want to know how he would react if he found out the truth.

Melissa pushes a plate of toast and eggs towards me before grabbing the wine and cigarettes and shuffling over to dining room. That is the most we have interacted all week.

After eating, I make my way to my first stop of the morning: Happy Day Daycare.

Sally gives me a smile when I walk inside. "Good morning, B."

This place is an absolute blessing to me. They charge basically nothing to care for Faith eight hours a day. I know it's because my mom had worked here and was really good friends with the owner. My parents were well-known in the town. Dad was a bright, charismatic soul with so much love for everyone around him while my mom was a quiet gentle-being who radiated comfort.

This whole town grieved when they died.

I pushed down the pain in my chest that surged at the thought of them, and buried the memory to the back of my head. Refocused on the day ahead of me, I begin my walk to the school compound.

School would be pushing unbearable as usual, and I needed to readjust my head to cope. Usually, the bullying is kept at a minimum. Some days are worse than others but more times than not, it's just hateful words.

"I saw her at the daycare this morning. I can't believe she has a baby."

"Yea, teen pregnancies are so ten years ago. Condoms exist for a reason."

I sigh deeply.

It isn't uncommon for people to think Faith is biologically mine. No one saw me pregnant-- because I never was-- but me being with Faith and performing motherly duties pushes the narrative, and that is enough for people to gossip. It's clear that Melissa has no interest in raising Faith. After the first two months she clocked out of motherhood. Now she only shows motherly interest when she's sober which was basically never.