Chapter 2

Rebecca's POV

It's been three months since I first met Jake on that cold freezing night, and we have become very good friends.

From the little I have known about him, I can say that he stays with a few of his friends and works at a nearby factory. His job is not a regular one and his income is very meager, but at least he manages to get by with it.

We see each other every other night and I must confess, my day is almost not complete without seeing him, he is nice and friendly and encourages me a lot.

He doesn't know who his real parents are, as he was dropped off at an orphanage at a very young age, he too got tired of being thrown around foster homes and decided to start living in the street, but a few of his friends from the orphanage offered him a place to live with them.

He in turn pays a little part of the rent money and helps out with the house chores to complete the other part his income cant afford.

He loves drawing and painting and he believes that one day he will become a great artist, and I don't have any reason to doubt this, because he is very talented.

"How old are you?" I asked Jake, who seem taken aback by my question.

We were seated on a public chair close to my spot, eating biscuits and talking on a very cold evening. It was getting late and we had been sitting out here for so long.

That is how we mostly spend our evenings, talking and sharing each other day experiences and finding comfort in ourselves.

“I'm nineteen,” he said with a smile, he has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.

“Oh you are three years older than me," I said.

“Technically, two years, since you will be seventeen in a few days," he said

“Yeah," I said unable to shake off the fact that I am seventeen and out homeless, most girls my age will be having their sweet sixteen birthday parties, going to proms, or going to college, but here I was begging to be able to feed.

Life can be so unfair and tough that one has to question the very existence of one's life, like why was I born if God knew my mother was going to die leaving me with one to love or care for me.

My father who is supposed to love and protect me does not want anything to do with me.

Technically, After all my dad made me go through, I do not want anything to do with him.

I see him sometimes walking with my siblings, they look so happy together, I have always been the odd one, I most times hide wherever I see them just to avoid being called out or being embarrassed by him.

“Are you alright?” Jake asked after noticing my sudden mood change, his facial expression shows that he is concerned about me.

I didn't want to end this day to end with stories of how messed up my life was.

Not that he would mind, he would gladly and patiently listen to all I have to say, he is never in a rush, and that is why I have come to be so fond of him. He listens when I talk and provides comfort when I am down.

But tonight, I just felt talking about my sorrows would further make me sad and that my sadness might rub off on him too.

“I'm fine,” I said with a sigh.

“Liar," he said whispering the words in a teasing manner close to my ears, the heat from his breath sent electrifying waves to my entire body.

I looked at him not knowing if to deny his allegations or just accept them, I smiled shyly while taking my face away from him to hide the heat that rushed to my cheeks.

He too sensed my situation and tried avoiding dwelling on the topic.

“What's this?" he asked

I turned to look at what he was asking of, only to follow his gaze to the birthmark on my shoulder.

I instinctively quickly covered my shoulder up with my jacket, suddenly feeling very embarrassed.

My birthmark is like nothing I have ever seen, it's so black and ugly that children use to make fun of me back then at the orphanage.

My dad would hit me and throw profanities at me, whenever he sees it. I always noticed my other two older siblings didn't have the birthmark and they were his favorite.

I most time feel the mark is a sign of bad luck which makes me cover it all the time.

“It's my birthmark,” I said slowly, hoping for the love of me, that he doesn't reject me too because of it. Everyone who has seen me with it has rejected me.

“It's beautiful,” he said which made me look up to see if he meant it or was just saying it out of pity. But as soon as our eyes met, they held on to each other. I found myself lost in his eyes and it felt as if I had known him all my life.

It suddenly felt as if there was no air between us or maybe it was just because I have unconsciously been holding my breath the entire time as I found myself lost in his beautiful eyes.

He too couldn't take his eyes off me, and as if on cue, we both looked away awkwardly while trying to replace lost oxygen.

“I..hmm...I should be..hmm.. going home now, I will see you tomorrow” he said stammering while standing up.

“Ok, good night Jake”, I said quietly, while, in the deepest of my heart I was screaming.

please, don't go.

But it is what it is, he has to go. He is so fun to be with, time passes so easily when he is around.

“Good night Rebecca,” he said standing up from the chair we both sat on. Then, before I could register what happened next, he placed a soft kiss on my cheeks as fast as a speed boat that before I had the time to react to what just happened, he had hurried off.

I just received my first kiss and even though it was short and unexpected, it was heartfelt. I smiled as I watched him fade into the night and somehow I felt different, a good different.

****

Rebecca's POV

I woke up early, as usual, in the morning so I can make it in time to the public restroom. I quickly went in to have myself cleaned up and when I was done with my business, I came out looking refreshed and boosting with a lot of inner happiness. I took extra time just to make myself look prettier as today is my birthday.

“Today is going to be a great day,” I said to myself as I make my way down to my stand.

Somehow I just couldn't take off the silly smile that has been plastered across my face since I got my first kiss and just the mere thought of the kiss made me blush all over again.

Just then, a red beautiful car was packed right in front of me, I saw that the car was brand new, and I was hopeful that the person might likely be generous to give me something.

I moved closer with a smile across my face and waved my hands at the car owner who happened to be a woman while putting up my placard which says

PLEASE HELP ME, I'M HUNGRY AND HOMELESS

The next thing I knew was that this lady came down and gave me a dirty slap across my face.

“How dare you touch my car, do you know how much it is worth, I am going to ensure you rot in prison for harassing me” she kept ranting, throwing all sorts of profanities at me.

“I'm sorry ma, am" I pleaded as I tried to pick up my placard which had fallen from my hand, but she kicked me hard in my stomach, which made me fall to the ground

“I'm so sorry” I kept saying just so she could go away as I couldn't afford to be found out by the police.

I stood up and was about to walk away when she pulled me by my shirt and the already weak chiffon top came apart, there were so many onlookers, but none made an effort to interfere, as they were busy snapping what was going on with their phones while laughing and giggling among themselves.

I tried to cover my exposed body, but the material has been badly ruined, she looked at me and saw that she could not do worst more than she already has, and she walked back to her car and zoomed off.

I tried so hard to fight back the tears that were threatening to come out of my watering eyes. I wasn't not going to show anyone that I was weak and helpless, so I sniff my nose and swallowed the sobs that were threatening to escape from my mouth. There were so many camera flashes on my face and body. I quickly ran away to get away to look for someplace safe to change my shirt. There was laughter and lots of giggling coming from the crowd of onlookers.

I finally spotted a waste bin tank and hid behind it, and quickly I changed my clothes. When I was done, I stood up to move away and that was when I saw an elderly man, with half of the hair in his head almost grey. He wore a pant and a white long-sleeve shirt and had what I assume to be reading glasses on.

“Is that a tattoo?” he asked pointing his finger to my arm, I immediately knew he was talking about my birthmark, now everyone knows that I have an ugly scar and it should be all over social media before the day runs out

How more messed up can my pathetic life get? Good thing I do not have a phone. I was about to walk away from the old man when he stopped me.

“I asked you, young lady, where did you get that mark?”

“It's a birthmark, are you happy now, please just let me be,” I said sobbing, not able to contain my emotions anymore.

“Are you sure?” He asked while wearing a surprising look.

I looked at the old man and wondered if he was mentally stable. He didn't look homeless, and one can tell from one glance that he is well-read.

The truth is I was not finding any of his questions funny as I felt miserable and pained from all the embarrassment I had earlier encountered.

I pulled down my shirt for him to see out of annoyance.

“Here it is sir, it is a fucking birthmark and I hate it, I will gladly give you if you want it," I said in frustration.

“I'm so sorry to bother you my lady, but I happen to come from London, and this mark of yours is a mark that is mostly associated with the royal family, I think if that mark is real, that you may be a princess,” he said, looking surprised at his own words.

Subconsciously I started laughing, like it's funny right, sometimes you feel like you are the most unfortunate person on earth, only to meet with someone you are better than, clearly this old man here is mentally unstable.

“So you think that by having this ugly mark, that I might be a princess, right?” I questioned amid heavy laughter.

“Yes, anything is possible,” the man said with all seriousness.

“I'm so sorry sir, it seems you have watched too many Cinderella tales and now you see everything as a fairytale. But, I'm so sorry to disappoint you as I am the furthest thing away from being a princess,” I said laughing my ass off as I walked away to look for a new spot that would be my new home.