A Forgotten Past

Weeks Earlier

Like the previous chapter said, "Weeks Earlier"

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“Jenny?! Could that possibly be you? What on earth happened?” Mom asked as she wiped my muddy face with a damp cloth. 

“I… I got bullied... again,” I spluttered. I should be used to come home in this appearance by now, but I just can’t control my emotions. I’m almost always the victim often get sympathy from the others. I just act tough and push them away.

“Seriously, you’ve got to learn to stand on your own feet! You can’t just keep on facing your life like this. It’s a pity, you know. Before this, you—“

Mom just stopped. She just stared at me like I was a ghost.

“Mom?” 

That was enough to shake her back into reality.

“Oh, sorry, I remembered I had to do something.. err.. important after this. As... as I was saying, before this, you have always been bullied, so, why not stop pretending to be strong and just be strong for once?” She said as she held my chin firmly, looking at me straight in the eye.

I nodded sadly, facing the ground.

“I’ll contact the principal about this matter. In the meantime, you think about what I said, young lady.” And she gave me a squeeze.

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“Dinner’s served! Jenny, get down from the windowsill and come here. Your father is working late tonight and he said to eat dinner without him,”  

I was just there, my right leg sitting on the windowsill, my arm rested on it. I didn’t move at all. All I did was stare into space.

“I made lazagnia…”

There was just silence.

“Why do people hate me?”

“Oh, honey,” Mom sat beside me, facing the window as well. “Bullies bully to show that they’re tough, to make people afraid of them… They don’t really hate you, they just--“

“I’m not talking about the bullies. I’m talking in general…”

“What?” Mom let go of her gaze of the stars and faced me.

“It’s just... I get a feeling that someone really hates me... a lot,” I tried to explain. "I don't know.. It's like that person's ruining my life?" I said in a confused-but-depressed voice.

Mom just blinked at me. “What? Stop talking nonsense. Who would ever hate a little, helpless girl like you?" She rubbed my head. "Now... err, go get your dinner.”

I saw a doubtful face as mom turned away. 

...

She’s just probably worried about me.

I tailed behind her to the kitchen. 

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The door opened. 

I heard two familiar voices. Not able to sleep a wink in this dark bedroom, I pretended to sleep. 

They bought it.

"Oh, dear. I've been so worried about her lately. She comes home in the same appearance everyday, whether its in mud, blood or bruises. She doesn't seem to show any expressions about it at all, although I know she's aching in there...

... I feel very... troubled..."

"There, there... Have confidence in her. She'll one day turn out to be a strong, stubborn and probably the most idiotic girl you'll ever know. You'll see, she'll be brave. I know, she'll smile like any other girl together with us one day..."