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.

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 bring

didn't get up in the morning, she would stand at Monique's bedside and nag at her, all the way until Monique lost her mind. Or, maybe my mother would be like Sandy's mother, who would always buy lots of pretty dresses and beautiful things for Sandy. I had imagined a lot of times what you would look like, but I had never thought of

another chance, I'll work hard. I'll

a little sad. She was the person whom I had thought about day in, day out when I was younger, yet after growing up, I discovered that some

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

weren't bad people, but neither were they

ruthless or emotionless. That in itself was

was currently successful, but she was pushed to the edge by her

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