Lost Girl (12)

Lost Girl (12)
My mother screamed in annoyance in the room where I was being treated and she continued babbling until she stopped of her own accord. Every now and then she took her phone out of her bag and called Alexa to tell her that for the time being I couldn't be their money-making machine.

"Alexa told me that your father should be immediately taken to a mental hospital! Oh my God, why do I still have to take care of that man? Lucia, you better quickly do something about your father before Alexa whines at me again!"

"Mom, I still feel tired. Can you leave me alone first? I want to rest!" I asked in a weak voice. I hope she will understand that it will take quite a long time for me to recover from this trauma.

"There's no time to rest, Lucia! If you're absent from your office too often, you could be fired? What will happen to your sister and your two nephews if you don't work? Alexa is pregnant, she also has to look after her two children. How can she earn money with that ?"

"I just need a moment, why can't you understand?"

"You always make excuses like this? Do you want me to work? Do you want your old mother to earn a living?"

"Mom, that's enough...! That's enough! Go now and leave me alone...!"

"Lucia, how dare you-"

"Why don't you understand me at all? I'm your daughter too, why don't you ever listen to me? I just lost my future child and I'm in so much pain right now! But you, why are you-" my voice trembled and I couldn't continue my words when I saw my mother's silent face.

She stood and remained silent for 20 seconds until she finally left without saying anything. My mother is so selfish, she only knows other people's cruelty to her, but she doesn't remember her cruelty to other people at all.

I increasingly realize that I have lost many things in my life since I decided to leave the hometown I love, where there are people who love me so sincerely.

Should I go back to that place? But if I meet them again, what should I say? Will they recognize me? Will they remember me? Do they want to say hello to me?

I was too afraid and embarrassed to admit that I really needed them to be by my side, after a long, tiring adventure that many times I tried to end my meaningless life. However, their voices, smiles and laughter are so embedded in my memory that I always try to survive when I should have given up.

"Are you okay? Oh my God, thank God!"

I vaguely heard a very gentle voice every time I thought that I had gone to a better place. An angel's voice that finally brought me back into this cruel life.

"Lucia, come home! We are always waiting for you. Come home, we really miss you. Come home to our house!"

My tears flowed freely when I woke up from a nightmare that seemed very long. The nightmare that I kept seeing for 12 years finally ended when I heard Leo's sweet voice in my dream. I saw my friends standing in front of our tree house and smiling at me.

I lifted my head which felt very heavy, walked to my desk just to write a letter that I sent to myself.

'If there is even one piece of happiness left for me in this place, then I will survive and continue to live'



Lancaster, England
June 10, 2019

I stepped hesitantly down the street that I hadn't set foot on for 12 years. My breath feels short when I breathe the air of my hometown.

My eyes caught the beautiful view that I used to see every day with my four friends, the people I really loved. I returned to this place with one small hope that at least I could live or die in peace in this place.

Mrs Joana let me rent the second floor of her house and that day I could feel that there were so many good things to come in this city.

The high school reunion invitation and the sound of squeaking shoes in Rottenbir Park made me feel that I was at home, where I belonged.

Since I left this city 12 years ago, I have continued to walk with my face lowered as if I was so afraid of other people looking at my face. But in this city somehow I can walk with my head held high.

"Olivia, I should just go!"

"Hey, don't be like that! We're already here, so you should say hello to the other friends. That's Pierre! Pierre...!"

"What? Pierre? Olive, don't call him-"

"Why not? Let's meet them!"

"B-but-"

"Oh my God, I'm dead!" I thought. Right now I'm really scared to the point of wanting to run away from this place. However, Olivia, acting on her own accord, immediately forcibly grabbed my hand and approached Pierre and the other friends who had gathered.

Pierre turned his head when he saw Olivia waving at him, beside him, Leo also turned his head while watching the two women walking towards them with different reactions.

"Hi Pierre, hi Leo? You two remember me, right?" Olivia asked confidently. She smiled seductively at the two men who looked confused and stared at each other.

"Who are you? Do we know you?" Leo asked. Hearing Leo's deep voice, I shuddered. Cold sweat began to flow down my body. I couldn't believe that these two tall, burly men with deep voices were my friends who had always depended on me. And like a fool, I was reluctant to look up.

"Y-you don't remember me? I'm Olivia Atkinson, when we were in 11th grade, we were in the same group when we were camping with Lucia!"

Pierre smiled, he didn't want to complicate things and assumed that he still remembered Olivia Atkinson. Meanwhile Leo, he threw a sharp gaze not only at Olivia, but also at me who was still hiding my face.

"I remember you! How are you, Olivia?" Pierre asked kindly. Like tit for tat, Olivia immediately responded to Pierre's question.

"I'm good, Pierre. Thank goodness you still remember me! Then, you must also remember Lucia, right?"

"Lucia? What do you mean?" Leo asked sarcastically. His tone sounded very cold and the cup didn't immediately invite the people around them to pay attention to them.

Two men wearing neat suits came over to Pierre and Leo after hearing my name being mentioned.

"What is this?" Asked the blue eyed man with charming light-brown hair. Three minutes ago this man was surrounded by many people, not only women, but also men. It is clear that he is a very important and prominent person here. Meanwhile, the dark brown-haired man with dark brown eyes standing next to him looked calmer and more reserved. However, they both have a special interest when other people talk about me, even if they only mention my name.

"It's nothing, Bryan!" Pierre said. But Bryan didn't immediately think so. He immediately showed his arrogance.

"What business do you have with Lucia?" Bryan asked.

"I-I just wanted to say that-"

"E-excuse me!" Right before Olivia finished her sentence. I hurriedly left before it was discovered that I was here.

"Wait a minute!" Bryan exclaimed calling me. I immediately stopped my footsteps. My body is shaking, I don't know what to do and is this really a normal reaction when meeting old friends again?

"Who are you?" Bryan asked. As the CEO of a well-known company, Bryan thinks that he has the power to call anyone as he pleases.

I stopped in my tracks, nervously turned around and slowly raised my face when almost everyone in the room was watching me.

When my face was clearly visible, Bryan, Chris, Leo and Pierre's eyes opened wide. They were stunned, unable to believe what they saw. Meanwhile, I, who had been caught off guard, knew that there was nothing I could do apart from saying hello nervously. I was happy, very happy even though my pride was hurt because I returned to this place as someone pathetic, someone unwanted and unloved who had tried many times to end his life.

"Hey guys, how are you?"