PeakWEST 𝙎1 - 5 : Vessel

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟹𝟿 - 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚜

Marlene took a deep breath as she prepared to open up, feeling both the weight of the moment and the warmth of her friends' support surrounding her.

They all sat in a small circle, eyes fixed on her with genuine empathy, each of them ready to listen and to be there for her.

"Alright... here it goes,"

she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"I haven't shared this with anyone before. Not even my family knows the full story."

Her friends exchanged concerned glances but remained quiet, sensing how hard this was for her.

"I grew up in a small town,"

Marlene began, her voice quiet but steady.

"It wasn't the kind of place where you could dream big. My family didn't have much. My father was gone, and my mom worked herself to exhaustion just to keep food on the table. I watched her work day and night, and I hated feeling helpless-like I couldn't even do anything to make her life easier."

She paused, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Her friends could see the pain in her eyes as she recalled these memories, and one of them gently reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Marlene gave a small, grateful nod and continued.

"In school, I thought I could escape by making friends and getting good grades. But... things didn't go the way I planned. Kids can be so cruel, you know? I wasn't like the others. I didn't have new clothes or nice things. I didn't have a dad who showed up to school events. I felt like an outsider, and they made sure I knew it."

Her voice wavered as she spoke, and her friends leaned in closer, giving her the support to carry on.

"There was this one group that would single me out almost every day. They'd laugh at me, spread rumors, even trash my things sometimes. I'd go home and cry, and my mom would try to comfort me, but I could tell it broke her heart. I wanted to be strong, but... it was hard. I felt like I was trapped in this endless cycle of pain, trying to protect her from how much it hurt me, while she tried to protect me from the pain of seeing her struggle."

Marlene wiped away a tear that had started to trickle down her cheek.

The memories weighed on her, but as she spoke them aloud, it felt like she was finally lifting some of that burden.

"It wasn't until high school that I started to find my footing. I met a few teachers who really believed in me, who told me I could go somewhere if I just kept pushing forward. They saw something in me that I didn't see in myself. And... slowly, I started to believe in it too. I began working part-time jobs and saving money, putting myself through school, always with my mom's smile in mind."

She looked around at her friends, her eyes reflecting a mix of sadness and pride.

"It wasn't easy, and sometimes, I still struggle. But I made it out, and I made a promise to myself that I'd be someone who's there for others, just like those teachers were there for me. And now, here I am... with all of you, who make me feel like I finally found the family I was looking for."

Her friends sat quietly, each deeply moved by her story.

One by one, they leaned in, wrapping her in a comforting group hug, offering her the unspoken support and love she had been craving for so long.

They didn't need to say much, but their presence said it all.

Alan put a reassuring hand on Marlene's shoulder, his voice soft yet filled with confidence.