me home until t

t ready," my mom said as she broug

d straight up to me. She asked while staring at me with piercing e

When I woke up, you were gone. I thought you'd come back home befor

en she suddenly let out a cold laugh. She turned away and sat d

wouldn't let

e dish," my mom said. She served Paul

it straight into the trash can. "Can you just get

t at what to do. My dad

s a little girl. What usually followed was my mom venting

and I was. But I lived a life worse

aid that I was dressed like a country bumpkin and

nd said I looked like

was too ugly, my mom would lock me in a dark, damp st

made me live in a tiny room converted from a bathroom. Every night

e bit of allowance I had, claiming I didn'

gged the supermarket boss for a chance to work, and

ay when I was drenched in

apped me so hard that I fell to the floor. He w

my work, but my dad snatched the

y for food, but I also lost

ving and hoping for a proper dinner. But my mom refus

s, and I was left in the kitchen, pic

the three people looked like a happy fam

ft me timid and self-loathing.

t to meet her friends. She let me carry her purse and follow them aro

always thought of Pau

as worse than even Paula's dog since Pa

while I was nothing but

lly be thei