Not Her Prince Charming

Chapter 2

I spent the entire summer before my freshman year of high school trying to win money so that I can buy myself a nice outfit for the first day of school.

By the time school shopping started, I managed to gather up about $145. I was so proud of myself. Being patient about scanning the receipts I saw around the house really helped me out with something.

I went to the store with my mother and sister to get supplies for school. My mom gave me $40 to get all the things that I needed. And I budgeted that money very nicely if I do say so myself. I also knew the routine, buy school supplies and then go wait in the car for them to come out.

I waited in the car for about 2 hours before they came out, and no I didn't suffocate. After years of this happening to me, I learned that I didn't have to open the car door to keep cool in the hot car. I turned the car to on and the air conditioner came on.

My mom took my sister and I to the mall where we were going to do clothing shopping. She gave me a good amount that year to buy myself some clothes, $70. I was happy because I usually get only $10 for clothes. She told me that it was my first year of high school, and that was why.

As usual my mom told me to look around by myself for my clothes, and then meet them at the food court so that we could go home. I happily agreed.

As we parted ways, I looked for a store that could fit my budget but I couldn't find a store suitable inside the mall.

I left the mall to go to the building next to it 'Cheap as Dirt.'

Things at that store were so cheap and I was happy looking at the amount of money that I could save. 4 shirts were $1 so I tried finding clothes that were cute but it was hard.

After 3 hours of looking around the store that didn't seem very organized, I managed to get clothes for school using only $30 from the money my mom gave me.I was planning to sneak out as soon as my mother left for work to get shoes because in this generation, shoes mean EVERYTHING.

I had 1 hour before my mom and my sister were gonna come to the food court so I sat in the corner of the food court and got myself Chick-fil-a.

As I was eating and looking around, I spotted Minh and his two friends Kevin and Dan. I hid my face so that I wouldn't be spotted, but with the luck I had, I did get spotted by one of his friends. Upon seeing me, Kevin snickered and told the other boys that I was there. They all laughed at my appearance.

No one at school knew how I was treated at home, and I'm sure they wouldn't care if they ever found out.

They grabbed their seats in the middle of the food court and ate while having fun with each other. Although I hate to admit it, I loved their friendship. I always imagined myself with friends to go places with, talk about life, and joke around with. But I could never fit into a group, I felt like nobody liked me, and I proved myself right with the fiasco that happened in the 8th grade.

I waited for some time before my mom and sister came to the food court.

My mom was in a rush to go home because her and my sister were going to a restaurant and she needed to drop me off at home. I never knew why I couldn't just follow them to eat out. I guess I was just born to be born.

I never realized how bad my life was until lately. Until I recognized how I was treated at school and at home. Bullied in school, and jumping from "friend to friend" because my "friends" failed me. Then having to come home, just to be sent to my room, sent left overs of food, and ignored.

When we got home. My mom and my sister parked the car so that I could get mine and their stuff out of the car just for them to leave.

I went to my room and slept, trying to immerse myself in a dreamland that was the alternate of my reality. A world where I had a father and mother who loved me. A world where I had a sibling that I could talk to and have fun with. A world where I had friends. Most importantly, a world where I had Minh.

A world where I could be happy with living life just like everybody else.

At this time of my life, I didn't know that my life was so bad. I didn't know the word suicide, or that I could even end my life. All I knew was that I was living in pain.