Worth Fighting For |A Yu Yu Hakusho Kurama Love Story| UNDER EDITING

Chapter. 74 Akio Mall

"And there" Mom smiles after finishing up my hair "go look at yourself in the mirror and tell me what you think?"

I'm in my parents room at the moment with Mom and they have a full length mirror on the wall. I walk over to it and analyze my look.

I'm wearing the light blue dress with daisy's on it she picked out for me with a blue hair bow with white polka dots that sits comfortably on my head. I'm wearing a pair of matching blue slides. My hair is in a neat high poinytail, purple coils frame my forhead.

I carry a white bag at my side as well. On my lips is a light lips gloss and mascara on my lashes and eyeshadow on my lids. My cheeks are dusted a light rouge color.

"I like this a lot" I grin as I stare at my reflection. It all comes together nicely and it's cordinated.

I can actually say that....

"I feel pretty" I mumble, looking at my reflection. Mom places her hand on my shoulders and looks in the mirror as well.

"That's because you are pretty, Winter. You've always been pretty"

I look off to the side and away from the mirror, distantly"...I don't always feel like that though....I don't feel like I measure up to a lot of the really pretty girls. I always compare myself to them and pick myself apart"

The smile on my Mom face drops, a realization coming to her "Oh Winter, is that what you've been thinking of yourself all this time?" She questions, dishearten. I don't answer her and my silence is all the answer she's needs.

"I know that when we was in America there were people who told you and made you think that way. It affects you much more than you let on and for that I'm sorry for not noticing it sooner...your father and I are still sorry for not paying more attention to your struggles, we'll have to live with that on our conscious for the rest of our lives and it led you to a-almost-"

"Mom it's not your fault and it's not Dad's fault either, you couldn't have known. I mean I would lie constantly and find ways to cover up the evidence of the bullying. You both worked alot just to provide for me. The fault is my own for not speaking up" I place my hand on top of hers. Mom turns me around and makes me face her, tears fall from her eyes as she stares into my eyes, never breaking contact. Her aura shifts.

"Winter, don't you ever blame yourself, you are not at fault. The culprits are the ones who bullied ,no, abused you relentlessy, they are the ones who have mentally and physically harmed you....y-you had to go to the hospital at one point because they gave you a broken arm. When I heard you was seeing bullied in Meiou and had to pick you up from school because of the bullying I thought to myself, it's happening all over again. Late that same night I was talking with your father about taking you out of the school so you wouldn't relive the trauma but we knew that you wouldn't want to leave just because your friends Haru and Shuichi goes there so we didn't go ahead with it because I had to remind myself that they helped you when you was in trouble which means they are both willing to protect you. Never blame yourself for something that is not your fault, always remember that okay?"

"Okay" I breathe out and give her a small appreciative smile and happily hug her, appreciative of her words reminding me, keeping me grounded when I feel myself going astray at times.

"Thanks Mom.... oh and this outfit is great" My eyes sparkle in pure happiness, trying trying lighten up the heaviness.

She places a hand on my cheek, tears flowing freely from her eyes "Anything to make you happy sweetheart, I'm happy that you're opening up more, truly I am. It looks like us moving here is doing you some good, you look happier than ever"

"That's because I am, I have friends now who like me the way I am. I mean I'm about to go hang out with them now. I would have never thought in a million years that I would actually have friends who want to hang out with me outside of school. Friends who aren't embarrassed to be with me or who are using me for some kind of gain. It's refreshing"