The Secret We Kept 2 (Sample)

Prologue

< Kim >

Graduation

I placed my cap on my head and stared at myself in the mirror. What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life wasn't at all, I just wanted that day to be over. After my big blow out with Anthony, life had kept getting worse and worse, to the point where I wanted to just give him Royal and end my life. The day after our argument we had to go back to school and when I got there I was the talk of the town. Veronica spread all kinds of rumors about me and people said I tried to pin my baby on Anthony and so on. I had all kinds of people that confronted me and wanted to fight me about that and called me out my name and stuff. The sad part was that Anthony was right along with them and said I tried to trap him and so on. It is so bad even teachers started calling me out on it and said that I should be ashamed of myself. I fell into a deep depression and started to cut myself. Yes it was that bad. I stared at myself in the mirror and sighed. I looked depressed. I even lost some weight as well. You could see the bags under my eyes and my sunken cheeks. The only thing that kept me going was Royal. I wouldn't want to give up because he needed me. So I kept pushing myself to do better. Just like today. I honestly wanted to miss graduation, but I wanted to make a statement saying that even with a child and the non-stop bullying, I am still able to graduate high school. So I finished getting dressed and grabbed Royal.

"Come on big boy. You'll be the only one there to watch mommy graduate."

He smiled and waved his rattle around. I gathered a small bag for him and then headed out. I hadn't been back home or seen my mom since everything happened. I just couldn't face her. I stayed at a hotel further away from everyone and just been taking care of Royal. I just couldn't believe she would do something like that. It was so unreal in my eyes. I knew that she hated me, but for her to just make a deal with Mrs. Royal and ruin everything Anthony and I had was just too much. I thought that she had some form of love for me, but I guess she didn't. I lost all hope that I will ever have a mother and daughter relationship that I always dreamed of. It would be just me and Royal for now on. I will do everything in my power to give him the best life and pray that he doesn't go through everything I went through and still going through. He doesn't deserve this.

I headed to my car and placed him inside his car seat and buckled him in. When he was secured I closed the door and hopped in the driver's seat. I did a silent prayer and headed to the school. I arrived twenty minutes later and parked. I just stared at the entrance and watched with envy as my classmates walked inside with their families and joked around with their friends not having a care in the world. I wished my life had turned out differently but it didn't. It sucked that I had to deal with continuous bullying and torment because I am not rich or pretty enough or just because the popular girl at school said so. It just sucked.

"Let's feed and change you before we go inside? Okay?"

He just smiled and shook his rattle. I smiled and got out the car and got in the back seat. I closed the door and took him out his seat. I fed Royal and changed him before I grabbed his blanket and toy and got out of the car. I wrapped him up in his blanket and gave him his toy before I closed the door. I took another deep breath and headed inside.

As I walked towards the entrance I felt eyes on me and Royal, but mostly Royal. I ignored them and continued inside the auditorium. Inside I spotted Anthony and his family alongside Veronica and hers immediately. Anthony glanced my way for a quick second and then turned back to his mom, then snaps back to me in shock. This was the first time he had seen Royal in months. I could see in his eyes that he wanted nothing more than to come grab him, but he didn't. Once his parents caught wind of who he was looking at, they shook their heads in disgust. I ignored them and sat down in my seat and waited for the ceremony to start. Not too long after it started.