𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑦, 𝑚𝑒

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒

29/7

Dear diary,

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Wait, why am I apologizing? Whatever, I'm sorry either way. Life has been kinda uneventful lately, so I figured updating this was kinda dumb. I didn't want to just put 'Today was good' and call it a day, so I was waiting for something to happen. And now I'm justifying myself to a diary...

Today was decidedly not good.

It started out okay. Mother almost complimented my top-student badge. Well, her actual words were, "Almost two years since you've got that badge, dear," with something you might be able to call pride in her voice, so I count it. That's Mother for you. The twins were annoying as ever on the way to school, so I ditched them. I wanted to check that my abomination was in top condition anyway. On the way, I ran into Willow.

There's a big can of fireworms I'm trying to keep shut when it comes to Willow. A part of me really misses her, because she was my first – and probably only – real friend. I do believe I'm top student material, but honestly, I hate having to sacrifice things like friendship and sleep for that. For dear Mother. Still, I have to keep it up or she'll have Willow kicked out from Hexside. So I was a little mean to her... Okay, if I'm going for honesty here, I was a total bitch. I figure it's easier to make her hate me than to have to explain the complicated dynamics of my incredibly dysfunctional family. She was having trouble with her abomination, which wasn't shocking. Willow has always been more adept at plants. I don't even know why she went into abominations in the first place...

Anyhow, after that, there was abominations class, and I was ready to present my project. Of course, this is where the 'not good' of the day starts. Out of nowhere, Willow had the most lifelike abomination come out of her cauldron. Like, literally made out of flesh. You could see some dark skin around the abomination goo, but the professor and the rest of the class didn't seem to notice. Too busy gawking at it. Willow got an A+, which trumped my A, and my badge was taken.

Now, if one was to read my entries here – and Titan knows I will never let that happen – they would know how much I despise being a Blight. My whole life, I've had to walk on eggshells around everyone, because if I didn't behave the 'proper' way, Mother would have a fit and ground me for a month for 'besmirching the family name'. So I have kept this... façade for as long as I can remember. I severed ties with my friend to save her school career, even though I couldn't tell her that. I befriended Boscha and her posse – who aren't bad people, but definitely not my kind of clique – all because her parents are rich aristocrats like mine, so we had to get along. I have to be careful of everyone approaching me because I don't know if they're just being friendly or trying to get some favor with my mother. That last one is a big one.

So, I hate being a Blight. But I still am. And until I come of age (only 2 years, 3 months, and 14 days to go, but who's counting?) I live under my parents' roof. And while I live here, I have to live up to a standard. And that standard is being the best of the best. I don't care about the star. I don't give a shit. But my mother does, so I can't have Willow taking it with an abomination that she clearly didn't make. So I snapped.

I followed her around all day. She kept the... thing close by at all times. Around lunchtime, I almost got a chance to out her, but I was sent to Principal Bump's office for making a scene. Hope that doesn't get back to Mother... Either way, I explained the situation, and Bump seemed inclined to believe me. Guess being the top student for years has its benefits. He tried to dissect it but it ran away. We chased them around until Willow made the biggest vine I've ever seen grow through the school. Like, literally through it. It busted walls, trapped Bump, and almost knocked me out. If I hadn't been so furious at the time, I would have been impressed. The thing got away, but not before someone snapped a picture of it with their scroll.