Twist of Fate

[Extra Chapter 2: Reminiscence Part 2]

A/N- Whoo! This was way too long. I write an extra 3k in accident. I enjoyed the last part a bit too much. Oh, and the next ones will be nowhere near as long as this, my longest chapter ever. So...enjoy!

As someone who'd been
targeted since early childhood, Lareria was no stranger to compromising situations. Over the years, as she realized just how different she was from her fellow classmates and so-called friends, so had they. Normally, you wouldn't expect people to react so adversely to her minor differences, but she soon learned people could be very cruel to someone who was not like them, especially children. Lareria did not understand the cruelty of others until the very first time she was physically sought. After a few years of being subjected to the condesenscion of those around her, they took it upon themselves to take it a level higher. In third grade, on her way home from school alone in her usual solitude, several kids from higher grades cornered her in an alley showed her just how cruel children could be. That was the first of many times she arrived home with tattered clothes and fractured bones.

After the first few times, Lareria decided she needed to be able to fend for herself--as young and naïve as she was, she saw that the event would repeat itself. She became aware -though she was before, just more acutely- of how people looked at her as well as how they all felt some strange loathing toward her. She had never done anything to warrant such attention, she didn't think she had at least, but became more aware of her surroundings regardless. As she grew more accustomed to spotting the loathing gazes bordering on violence, she grew to know how to avoid them. Weeks passed where she avoided confrontations, but when she couldn't avoid it, she didn't allow a repeat of the first time. Despite being a small bodied child, she was quick and could defend herself, even against those bigger than her. When she reached the fifth grade, she already had a reputation of being able to handle herself...

And that was precisely the reason why she was cursing her stupidity as a foot rammed right into her rib, throwing her back against a wall hard. The wind was knocked out of her and she struggled not to retch as her stomach churned. Gasping for breath, Lareria tried to get to her knees, but was interrupted by another kick to her side. She fell to the ground, pain blossoming on her side as well as where her head knocked painfully against the concrete. She hissed in pain as the foot pinned her to the ground and a hand grabbed her ponytail to yank her head up.

She met the delighted sneer of the blond girl who'd been kicking her around like a doll for the past five minutes, Lea. "Now, now, no need to look at me like that," Lea laughed. "You'll ruin your pretty face."

Lareria opened her mouth to snap something back, but restrained herself as she knew it wouldn't improve the situation one bit. She wouldn't have cared had it been a normal fight, but at the moment she was far too weak to even argue. She'd just awakened from a three year long coma, there was no way she could defend herself. And she cursed her inattention to her surroundings even more for that.

"What do you want?" She asked once she regained her breath.

Lea's brows rose and she crouched down next to her. "Ah, she speaks! I was wondering when you were going to say anything. They usually don't just sit there and take it."

Lareria's eyes narrowed. So they'd done it before. The girl and the two boys who shielded the alley's opening from view. Were they thieves? She wouldn't be surprised as she saw expensive jewelry around all three teenagers' necks and the designer clothes they wore. But why would they attack her? There were others sure to have more money than some random little girl walking by.

"Hurry it up already," one of the boys called dryly to the girl. "We don't have all day, you know. Get the money and knock her out, its getting crowded out here."