My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)

Valerie watched as I only took a few bites and placed it down. Her heart ached as she said, "You have to eat more. Otherwise, how will you have the energy to take care of him?" Thinking about it, I agreed too and forced myself to take a few more mouthfuls until I couldn't eat anymore and placed down the lunch box.

She tidied up and looked at me, still looking quite distressed. She reminded me, "You must take good care of yourself."

I was busy staring at her and I felt a dullness in my heart. I couldn't help but ask as I looked at her, "What were you thinking of back then when you abandoned me?"

It was somewhat an abrupt topic to bring up. All those years, I had been telling everyone every day that it was okay to not have my own birth parents with me as I didn't need them. However, every time I saw someone walking hand-in-hand with their parents and being doted upon, I was envious. I was afraid that others would see through my envy, so I dared not look at them. Valerie shed tears, and her body trembled a little. I knew that she was upset.

an essay which got an award. It was sometime during Year 3. The title of my essay was 'My Mother'. Grandma was overjoyed. She said that she wanted to take a look at my essay, but I didn't show it to her, not even to Monique who had gone to school with me. I had initially wanted to burn that essay, but couldn't

lost her mind. Or,

was wrong. Give me another chance,

day in, day out when I was younger,

feelings were when you abandoned me, but I can understand your love towards your own child. Grandma said that no matter how dark our paths may be, light must remain in our hearts. However, I couldn't constantly face

the world was perfect. Valerie and Pedro weren't bad people, but neither were they good. Although

devotion, and to have parents who weren't completely ruthless or emotionless. That in itself

fate was bleak enough. She was abandoned when she was young. She was

wasn't full of thorns and thistles? Still, we had to press