Hope

|Chapter 1|

|PAST|

What date it is? The last time I checked it was 21st may telling me that I have semester exams coming up plus my period dates. My stomach hurts like shit means it's first week of June already. I wore a pink floral dress and hopped down to see beer bottles lined up on the counter and dad lying on the couch with empty bottles around him. Mom busy inhaling weed. I can smell it from my bedroom, and I took the car keys and closed the door slowly, so no one wakes up.

"Morning Valeria...off to school?" 

My dad's friend and our neighbor Walter asked, and I smiled at him. Once he brought me food when both my parents were drunk, and I cried out of hunger. Dad and Walter worked at same place even though dad went once a week. I reversed the car and drove to my school. Its 30 minutes away and I hate traffic days.

My phone beeped and it was Daya ringing me. She must have reached school and now tapping her foot in front of the gate and hands crossed. God, she is gonna kill me. Best option is to ignore the call. I was about to when a car honked telling me it's green light and I zoomed up. 45 minutes later I reached my campus's front gate seeing Daya angry made me gulp few times.

"Valeria Grace how dare you ignore my calls?" 

Oh lord, the angry tone is out. My heart raced and she raised her hand which made me flinch very bad. She saw me flinch in front of everyone. Mom beating the heck out of me and dad kicking me made this character and there is no fault in Daya's side.

"V-Valeria it's just a high-five...sorry if I scared you...please tell me you are okay dear."

She panicked and I turned back to her and hugged her. My breath found the normal pace and we both walked in to see our dear HM standing in front of us. His eyes turned from left-right and signaled both of us to leave. Lucky day. I raced to class door, and she took shortcut and opened the door like slamming it all way. Not the slamming sound. I covered myself and closed my eyes.

"Val... sorry I was just playing and now onwards I follow you."

She pushed me in and closed the door. I found my seat occupied by Ana Smiths. Prom queen over two years and every boy's dream girl Ana Smiths even daughter of the Smiths Banking Company's CEO. I excused myself between the crowd and many booed, but I ignored them and reached my desk. Ana laid her make-up kit over my desk and her face lowered. Is she crying?

"Ana, maybe this helps."

I knocked the table once and she looked at me holding a packet of pocket tissue. Her friends eyeing me, and she looked at me then stood up slamming her hands on the desk. I stepped back and the tissue fell off my hand. She pulled me by the necklace around my neck. That hurts and my eyes filled up.

"Bitch, no wonder you're weird around others."

She pushed me back and walked away. My neck might have a cut and I felt some liquid flow around my neck and touched it to see blood. I did get a cut. Daya came in holding files and placed it on my desk. I covered the cut with my hand and tried to turn away from her. 

"Val here are the papers you asked, and I am heading to my history class so see ya after-"

She squinted her eyes, and I pushed my hand tight enough not to let a blood drop escape out. She waved me bye and left the class. Thank God. I wanted to clean the cut, but our teacher walked, and I pushed the files aside and kept my hand there itself and started taking notes.

"Miss Valeria, you should try this question."

I looked to see Mrs. White asking me to answer the question on the black board. I slowly got up from the seat and walked towards her and took the chalk piece and kept the hand around. I hope the bleeding must have stopped by now. She clapped hands and I started doing the question of geometry and suddenly felt dizzy.

"Mrs. White...I don't feel...g-good."

I dropped the chalk piece and my other hand felt free. Blood still flowing and she gasped and whole class yelling now. My head was about to hit somewhere but I have no idea if did or not because my eyes were closed by that time.

______________

"Miss, can you hear me?"

I opened my eyes to see a nurse standing in front of me and someone else to. Who brought me here? I touched my wound and felt a gauze wrapped around. She flashed light in my eyes and handed a paper to the guy standing there. Who is he? I reached over the water bottle, and he sat on the stool. I am at a clinic beside the school and a boy helped me, I guess.

"Need anything?" 

He asked and I heard a scream which I have heard since high school. Daya walked in holding snacks, flowers and many more things. She hugged me and kissed my cheek. Then turned to him and thanked him. I blinked few times and saw who helped me. Its Tony...Daya's boyfriend. He smiled at me and Daya sat beside me.

"Ana motherfucking bitch should have faced me instead of you and I am killing her next-"

Her words ended when Ana walked in holding a box and Daya stood up and covered me. Tony raised his brow and followed by her was her father. What is he doing here? Is he here because I made Ana cry? Oh lord.

"Miss Valeria Grace, myself Travis Smith and father of Ana...please forgive my daughter's acts she is not fine nowadays."

I felt sorry for Ana, and I was about to open my mouth when Daya started talking. Tony mouthed me not to talk and I laid back to the bed feeling the pain reaching my toes.

"Mr. Smith, early sorry for my manner but this is nonsense...she is having a cut on her neck and if moved few inches then she could have died...what will you repay when that happens? Ana feeling bad nowadays huh? That bitc-I mean if she is then she can't toy others and my friend over here had the worst just for offering her tissue? Travis Smith doesn't that feel too much?"

Daya gulped water and he dropped his head low and turned to Ana standing there texting. Tony didn't utter a word and Daya turned to Ana.

"You, miss Ana Smiths here is the queen and best lady standing right? Bullshit I yell truth is you're just a spoiled brat running around with daddy's money and Mr. Travis excuse my language, but she is total bitch towards my friend."

They both left after getting every word from Daya. She nodded and sat with me whole day. Later evening my mom came by and excused both of my friends and closed the curtains. She turned around and walked towards and grabbed me by the neck. The cut is hurting me more now.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Giving us every headache and now lying here...do you think money grow on trees?"

I cried for her words. She tightens the grip, and I coughed few times.

"Better live or else you're seeing worst."

She said and left the area. I cried and suddenly red liquid flowing to my dress. The cut is bleeding again. I held my tears and laid there in pain.

"Val the doc- fuck...someone hurry the fuck here now."

Daya screamed and I closed my eyes before waving at Daya standing there with Tony hung to his hands and him holding her, so she doesn't run to me. I felt sting and noises but most of all my mom's words stuck on my head making me fear.

~~~~~

[word count: 1328]