Chapter 66 - Broken Wings and Broken Hearts

Violet.

The world around me dimmed slowly, the fading light mirroring the dread pooling in my stomach. Mildred's voice changed into something distant and urgent, like a lifeline slipping through my grasp. The worried faces of my friends, swam in and out of focus before finally dissolving into darkness.

Then, I was alone. Not just in a room. I was swallowed by it. The stark white walls, devoid of warmth or personality, pressed in on me, morphing into a vast emptiness that stretched far beyond the tiny space of the room, beyond the building, beyond the town itself. It felt like I was adrift in a void, the only speck of consciousness in a silent, uncaring universe. A hollow ache bloomed in my chest. It was the soul-deep loneliness that had felt all my life, grow and take root. I stared at the white, a silent scream trapped in my throat, as the chilling reality of my isolation settled over me.

One wall flickered to life. It was an LCD screen… filled with images of me and of those I met…

I was just a seven-year-old kid in foster care. I had stumbled upon a bird with a broken wing on the playground. Its tiny body was trembling with fear as I carefully scooped it up.

"Don't worry, little one," I whispered. "I'll make it better."

Using my sleeve, I fashioned a makeshift splint for its delicate wing. The bird seemed to sense my intentions, its frantic heartbeat slowing down as it rested in my hands. But my act of kindness didn't go unnoticed by the other kids. They started to laugh, pointing and jeering at me.

"Look at Violet!" one of them yelled, his voice laced with mockery. "She's talking to birds now!"

"Yeah," another chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "She thinks she's doing some kinda magic!"

I tried to ignore them, focusing all my attention on the bird in my hands, their words echoed in my mind as tears rolled down my cheeks. I was different, and they had made sure I knew it.

The current scene melted away and ran together to form another memory.

I was in yet another foster home, this one with a couple and another foster girl named Lisa.

The foster mother called me into the living room. She stood there, arms crossed over her chest. "You're bad news, Violet," she said sternly. "We can't keep you here."

I felt my heart drop. "Why?" I asked, my voice a trembling whisper.

She shook her head. "You know why."

I didn't understand… until I looked at Lisa. She stood behind the foster mom, giving me an evil smile as my foster dad came into the room holding his wife's favorite necklace.

"I found this under Violet's pillow," he said dropping the necklace into the foster mom's hand.

My foster mother put the necklace in her apron pocket and sighed, rubbing her temples. "Enough with the lies, Violet."

Tears welled up in my eyes. The room felt colder, and the scent of dinner cooking in the kitchen suddenly made me feel sick. I looked at Lisa, who just kept smiling sweetly at our foster parents.

"I didn’t do it," I whispered again, but no one listened.

Confusion, hurt, and anger swirled inside me like a storm. I wanted to shout, to defend myself, but the words wouldn't come. My throat tightened as if someone had wrapped their hands around it.

"Pack your things," my foster father said quietly from the doorway.

The memory flickered on the screen and dialed down to a pinpoint before erupting into a burst of colors.

This memory had occurred soon after I came to live with Joyce and Sam, probably a day or two after the two foster boys left.

Joyce, my foster mom, kept her distance, never getting too close. Maybe she was scared, or maybe she just didn't care. But the other foster girl in the home, Sam, she was different. She took me under her wing from the start.

"Don't mind Joyce," Sam said, giving me a reassuring smile after I commented that Joyce never said much to me. "She's just like that with everyone."

"But she doesn't seem to care what I do… when I come home… nothing. All she does it watch TV all day long."

"Oh, she cares. Believe me. She just knows I'm looking out for you is all."

I nodded, unsure of what to say. I wanted to trust Sam, but I was scared. What if she turned out to be like Sarah? What if she decided I was bad news too?

But Sam never did. She stood by me, even when things got tough. She was the one who comforted me when I cried at night, missing my mom. She was the one who made me laugh when I felt like I couldn't take it anymore. She was the one who made that foster home feel like a real home.

"Violet," she said one night, her voice serious. "You're not bad news. You're a good person. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

I looked at her, my eyes filling with tears. I wanted to believe her, but it was hard. I'd been let down so many times before. But Sam didn't give up on me. She kept telling me I was worth it, that I deserved to be loved and cared for.

Slowly, I started to believe her. I started to see myself the way she saw me - as a person worthy of love and respect. I started to stand up for myself, to speak my truth. I started to heal.

Looking back, I know that Sam saved me. She gave me the gift of belief in myself, and that's something I'll always be grateful for. No matter where life takes me, I'll always carry her words with me, a reminder that I am not bad news. I am Violet Evergreen, and I am worthy of love and respect.

"It's alright, Vi," Sam told me one day, her voice soft and comforting. "I know it's tough, but you're safe here with me."

The scene switched and Sam and I sat on the old swing set at the park, the rusty chains creaking with every gentle sway. The sun was starting to set and everything was washed with orange. Sam had looked far off into the distance, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I want to see the world, Violet," she said, her voice filled with longing. "In all the years I've been alive, I've never been more than fifty miles outside this town. I want to visit places like Paris and Tokyo. Can you imagine standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower or walking through a cherry blossom festival in Japan?"

I could almost see those places through her eyes. "That sounds amazing," I replied, feeling a pang of envy.

She turned to me, her face lit up with passion. "I'm going to make it happen. I won't let this small town hold me back." Her hands clenched into fists, showing just how determined she was. "And I want you to come with me when I do. We can save up all our money from working at the grocery store and—"

She cut off as just then, Jasmine and her group walked by, their laughter loud and mocking. Jasmine's eyes zeroed in on me like a hawk spotting its prey.

"Look who it is," Jasmine sneered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Little Violet and her big dreams."

My stomach knotted up, but before I could say anything, Sam stood up, stepping between us.

"Back off, Jasmine," Sam snapped, her voice cold as ice. "Leave her alone."

Jasmine's smirk faltered for a moment. "Or what?" she challenged, trying to sound tough.

Sam didn't back down. She took a step closer to Jasmine, her eyes never leaving hers. "Or you'll regret it."

There was a tense silence as they stared each other down. Finally, Jasmine huffed and turned away. "Whatever," she muttered as she walked off with her friends.

Sam turned back to me with a smile that melted away my fear. "Don't let them get to you," she said softly.

I felt a rush of gratitude and admiration for Sam. "Thank you," I whispered.

She shrugged like it was no big deal but there was a softness in her eyes that told me she cared deeply. "That's what friends are for."

The sky darkened into twilight as we sat back down on the swings. The air was cool now, carrying the scent of pine trees and freshly cut grass.

"Do you think we'll always be friends?" I asked quietly.

Sam looked at me with a serious expression before breaking into a warm smile. "Of course we will," she said firmly. "No matter where life takes us."

Her words were like a promise etched in stone. We swung in silence for a while longer, listening to the crickets chirping in the bushes nearby.

"I believe in you," I finally said, breaking the quiet.

She glanced at me with those bright eyes of hers and nodded slowly. "And I believe in you too, Violet."

We stayed there until the stars began to twinkle above us, talking about our dreams and fears under the vast night sky. The world seemed full of endless possibilities when I was with my best friend.

As we walked home together under the moonlight, our footsteps echoing on the empty streets, I realized how lucky I was to have a friend like her—a friend who stood by me no matter what and inspired me to dream bigger than I'd ever thought possible.

The cool breeze brushed against our faces as we laughed and chatted about everything and nothing at all. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air around us as we passed by Mrs. Thompson's garden.

"One day," Sam said softly as we reached my house, "we'll look back on these days and smile."

I felt my body twitch trying to hold on to what I knew was a memory… to hold onto Sam and never let her go, but like all memories, she faded into nothing.