Chapter 2

.....The past....

the worst enemy of the scarred...

I stare hard at the lake focusing on the only feature on my face that was left uncovered-my eyes-it is the only thing I feel is actually beautiful about me but only because my mother said so too many times to count when I was younger....they reminded me of her.

I smile at the memories of my family and drift into the land of daydreams imagining what life would be like if they were here.Life with my sisters,my father and my mother.I smile to myself again reminiscing on fond old memories but the smile fades once flashes of their passing crosses through my mind.

........the fire

So much smoke

Their screaming

The doctor had told me that I was lucky to be alive but the scars on my body tells me otherwise.I wish I was with them.

Maybe then I wouldn't have had to stay in the hospital for so long with doctors tending to me with pitiful eyes,

maybe then I wouldn't have to be stared at like a monster by everyone who crossed paths with me,

maybe then I wouldn't have to run away from my aunt's house every time I had the chance,

maybe I wouldn't have to cry all the time

...just maybe.

I get up from the ground and walk unto the bridge that is right over the lake.I sigh as I watch the fish swim past each other haphazardly.It's only ten in the morning so the day is still young.I had snuck out of my aunt's house in order to escape her daily routine of rants and occasionally insults.

The ripple in the lake catches my eye.

"Huh?"I whisper in confusion

"It isn't raining so what could have caused it?" I thought

However my brief confusion comes to an end once a tear drop falls from my eyes and right into the lake causing another soft ripple.I touch my cheeks and find that they are a little damp.

"Oh for goodness sake why am I always crying?!!"I ask rhetorically in between attempts of wiping my tears with my sleeves but the tears just keep flowing.I unwrap the scarf that I used to cover my face and use it to wipe my tears from my cheeks and mucus from my nose.

I have no worries of anyone seeing me.No one ever comes here,the lake is right in the middle of the forest.Its believed to have been cursed a few years ago by a witch or something by the villagers but I don't believe it.I love it here,it's serene and aesthetic,for some reason the forest just keeps getting more beautiful each time I come here.No one can judge me here because no one will ever come here.

As for my aunt,she doesn't care where I go she just wants me to be her servant.She disgusts me,I loathe her.

After I calm down from the crying fit I stare down hard at the lake focusing on nothing in general with my mind utterly blank. I hold the bars of the bridge tightly and grit my teeth.

Anyone who can see me would think I want to commit suicide.But no I could never,no matter how miserable my life is I can never have the guts to take my own life,not even if I had a gun in my hand.It's so ironical,my life.

I chuckle lightly at that thought.

A few seconds later I hear....voices.I turn around a little startled but then that turns into curiosity.

"Why would anyone else come here?"

"There she is!"comes a figure emerging from the bushes pointing a finger at me occasionally looking behind her then back at my direction

"I found her"

I just stare back at her till other people emerge from the bushes.I however recognize one of them

Jade

I hurriedly wrap my face in shame as she steps forward with her friends trailng behind her.

"What does she want?"

"Hey we've been looking all over for you,your aunt's so worried about you"she says with so much gentleness

"Lies,she probably just wants me to cook for her while she gets drunk"

I stare at her with a blank expression though she probably can't see it since my face is covered.

"Now you've seen me,go away"I reply with bitterness evident in my voice.

She frowns at my response and the rest of her friends exchange glances.

Jade was my friend.....

Although I thought she was a couple of years ago.I was such a fool.

We were friends since childhood we would play together every now and then but everything changed after the fire happened.

Just a year after I was finally out of the hospital I decided to go to

visit her.I wanted to pour out how I'm been feeling to her,I wanted to confide in her at my hour of need.I wanted her to tell me that it was ok.Not once did the thought of why she never came to visit me cross my mind.I thought she was just busy with school work

...she wouldn't abandon me would she?.After all she is my friend

I was so wrong....

The day I had gone to visit her she was sitted with another girl...I think Eva.They were sitting on her front porch.

Being the naive girl I was I ran up to them....to Jade, to tell her that I was out of the hospital.That I was fine.That we could still play together.

But at the sight of me they both screamed in horror and they ran into their house like as if they had seen a monster...it was me

But I wasn't bitter.I stayed there awhile trying to convince her to come out.It took some time but she finally came around but she didn't speak to me like the way she used to.She spoke with fear and she looked at me differently.Like I was disgusting.But I still didn't mind.I just believed she'd get use to me.

Foolish thoughts..

I started visiting her more often since I could not longer go to school-I frightened the other students-I just didn't want to lose her friendship.She was the only friend I had.

One day she stopped me from visiting her and when I asked why she said I was scaring away her friends.

It was then it clicked.I wasn't important because I was wierd now.My innocence was replaced with bitter rage....

Is that what she thought of me?

A freak?

I wouldn't blame her though she on the other hand is beautiful no doubt with her flawless ebony skin,bouncy curls and pretty lips.Everyone wants to be her friend and all the boys are crazy about her.She would never understand what it's like to be like this.

She's beautiful not like me and I wish I had her face.I hate her for that.

"Leave!"I yell at the top of my lungs making the birds fly out of their nests in fear.

They flinch before giving each other glances again.

"I said go away"I yell again already running out of patience.

"We don't want any trouble,we just want to lead you out of here nice and easy"came one of them in a shaky voice.

"Why?"I ask narrowing my eyes at them

Something most definitely isn't right

They all exchange

glances again

What is going on!?

I step back a little eyeing them

"Shouldn't we just tell her so we can get this over with?"asks someone amongst them, another female with light skin of average height,she is fairly pretty but not half as pretty as Jade.

"Shut up"snaps Jade at the girl who seemingly isn't afraid of her making her roll her eyes.

She huffs and brings her attention back to me and flashes me an innocent smile.

"Look"she says gently taking a step forward making me take a step back

"We care about you,and it's not safe here.And we don't want anything bad happening to you,let's take you home....we don't want anything to happen to our..... friend"

To anyone else she would sound

sincere but the slyness in her words and frequent pauses tells me otherwise.

At this point in time I am not ready to see how this ends.I turn on my heels in the other direction already taking off but my attempts to run only proves to be futile once Jade gets a hold of my scarf pulling it with full force nearly choking me.

Everyone else watches from a safe distance.How many are they?I should think three.They watch as I struggle to fight for air and loosen her grip on my scarf but with every attempt her grip gets tighter.

"Stop struggling!"she grunts loudly

I scan my environment for anything thing I can use to fight back.

A stick

A rock

Anything......

But there is nothing in sight.Luck is obviously not on my side.So I do the only thing that comes to my mind.

Play dead

I close my eyes and let myself fall to my knees.As if on instincts she let's go of my scarf and I can now breathe as I feel the impact from landing hard on the hard bridge's surface.

"Ahhhhh she's dead!!!"comes an ear piercing scream from one of them.

"You killed her!!!"comes another scream

"I did not kill her,she just passed out!!"I hear Jade reply in a shaky voice.

"This is not good.This wasn't part of the plan!!!"I hear the voice of the girl who spoke earlier.Her voice clearly frantic as she screams.

"Shut up Jada"I hear Jade reply harshly.

I try my very best to keep my body still and my breathing below obvious as I think of a way to get out of this.

"Does anyone know how to check for pulse?"I hear another girl ask

At this point their voices all sounds the same and I can't even decipher who is who.I feel too weak to think,the oxygen that my body is taking in isn't enough.

I hear their footsteps come closer to me. I then feel hands getting a hold of my arms and my legs before I feel myself being lifted from the ground.

"She's so heavy,what does she eat?"I hear one of them ask

After a while I hear the rustling sounds of leaves and breaking of twigs under their feet.We were no longer on the bridge.They then let go of me and I feel myself make impact with the ground with a thud.

I hear them breathe loudly then the leaves rustle under the feet again getting farther.

They must be taking some steps back.

"We should have just said no to the dare"

"What do you mean,and stand the chance to look like chickens?"

"Shut up"

"This was your idea!!"

"What are we supposed to do with her now?"

"All of you just shut up!!"

"No you shut up"

"I want to go home"

Are they arguing?

I open my eyes slightly and spot them a few kilometers aways from where I laid in a heated argument.

I turn my head slowly to the side to look for a weapon but spot absolutely nothing.I turn my head to their direction but they were too busy to notice my movements.

I get up slowly and then make a run for it as fast as my legs can carry me.I don't even know what direction I'm running to,all I know is I'm running.

"Where'd she go"

"She's gone?"

"Oh my God!!!"

I hear their voices echo in panick.I continue running with all my strength till I reach what seems like a way out.

Finally..

I continue running towards it with my heart beating hard on my chest

Until

Jade blocks my path

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turn on my heels to another direction.She gets a hold of my scarf but this time I rip it off my head whilst breaking a branch from a near by tree.I turn to face her whilst bringing down my now found weapon on her head striking her across her face.

She let's out an ear piercing scream and let's go of my scarf and falls to the ground clutching her now bleeding face.

I seize the opportunity and make a run for it leaving her to scream her lungs out in pain.

"Oh my God Jade you're bleeding"I hear a female voice say.

At this point in time I know it would be a stupid idea to run straight home.They'd trace me there.

I run into what looks like a cave and slump down panting heavily.

What do they want from me,why must they always find a way to ridicule me, can't they just leave me alone to live my miserable life without adding to my pain?!!!!

Hours had passed and I'm still here resting,praying that they don't find me.I don't know exactly how long I've been here but it's quite dark outside.I step out of my hiding spot with caution.I look up ahead of me and I am instantly greeted by the setting sun.

The coast should be clear by now

I walk home slowly, lazily.I am hungry,tired and weak yet I still have no intentions of getting there on time.I already know what's waiting for me.

I sigh at that thought as I continue to walk while people stare at me from the distance.My face uncovered by my now shredded scarf and my clothes shaggy.Anyone who doesnt know my story would think im some stray patient from an asylum but I don't care,all I want is a warm bath and a roof over my head.

I walk into the house that is enveloped with darkness and silence.I shut the door behind me in hopes that my aunt is drunk again in some part of the house so she won't trouble me but my hopes are crushed once she comes out of the living room turning on the lights.

I shield my eyes from the light whilst squinting my eyes before looking at her blankly.

"What the hell did you do today?Jade's people came here looking for you"she screams at my face

I remain silent and look at her right in the eyes

"I'm talking to you!!!did you even know what you did to her fa-"

"She attacked me,it was self defense"I spit in rage

"Go tell that to her people,it doesn't matter who did what at the end of the day"she spits back pointing her finger at me

Although she was right I hated that fact.It didnt matter.Jade's family are known to be ruthless and cruel and nobody ever dares to cross them.Not even if they were the one at fault.They ran the village.

At this point of my life I always wonder what I saw in Jade when I was a child.

I guess I just wanted to be like her......

"So I should have just let her do what ever she wanted to me?"I ask raising my voice

"You just shut up.I literally take in your sorry ass and feed you and this is how you repay me?"she screams at me

"How am I supposed to fix this? her father is the freaking chief"she says lowly more to herself as she brushes one hand through her hair and places the other on her hips whilst looking down like as though she's thinking.

"I didn't beg you to take me in"I scream at her

I push her aside and run into my room trying to blink back the tears.

She never understands me,no one ever does.....

I lock myself in and ignore her yells from the outside.I knew it was no use coming here....