The Kind Aunt Alicia

Chapter 1

“She has no dad, she is an alien!”

The kids on the street keep shouting at me. They are chanting these words nonstop which makes me feel like I’ve been stabbed in the heart a million times. I am doing my very best to hold back my tears. I will never give them the satisfaction to see me cry. I have a rule to myself and that is to never let anyone see that they get into me. For me, crying is a sign of weakness. These kids thought I am weak because I am a girl. They had been bullying me because I don’t have a father.

With a straight face, I keep on walking. I ignored them like they did not exist. Until one of the children pushed me. I did not expect that she would do it so I was caught off guard I did not have the chance to avoid her attack which causes me to fell with my knees on the ground. I looked at her with sharp eyes. She was smirking with her arms crossed on her chest.

“What the hell is your problem?” I asked while slowly getting up on my feet.                                              

“You are the problem.” she said while pointing her fingers at me.

I then forcefully pushed her finger away. I will not let anyone point their fingers at me as if I owe them so much they do not have the right.

“Don’t point your finger at me.” I said.

I noticed the other kids stopped mocking me. They are now silently watching us with the girl who attacked me I guess she is the leader of the group.                            

“Oh, you will fight back? Do you have the guts to? Don’t you know who I am?” she boastfully said.

I smirked to piss her off while folding my arms in front of my chest. It seemed effective as I saw her face darkened. I looked at her straight in the eyes before I speak.                                                                                                                                 

“Nope. I do not know you and I’m not interested to know who you are.” I replied arrogantly.

Her members were shocked together with their leader and after they got back to their senses they became irate. Now they look like they want to eat me alive. I really did brought abomination to these girls. After a while the girl with a curly hair speak.                                                                                      

“Boss, I guess she is looking for pain. She wants to be beaten up.” said the girl with a curly hair and dark skin.

There are three of them. The one who pushed me, the girl with a curly hair, and the third one who is wearing an eyeglasses who looks like she was just force to be with them. She looks like a dork who is trying her best to fit in as a bully and join to a group of bullies. I can see in her eyes that she is scared and does not like what her friends are doing.

“Bring it on.” I said in a badass way challenging them.

I never showed that I am afraid. Instead, I prepare for a fighting pose. I put my right feet forward and prepared both my left and right fist and form it into a knuckle. It earned more laughter from their leader and the curly girl while the nerd one just stayed silent. I am always prepared for this kind of situation. In fact I am so used to it because I face such scenario every day since I was five and until now that I am twelve.

I have no idea what’s wrong with them. As far as I know I did not do anything wrong to them. I grew up being beaten up by kids in the street and even my classmates. The reason, nothing they just want to. They bully me because I do not have a father. They have all the courage to hurt me physically because they are aware that there is no strong man who will stand up for me. There is no man to protect me unlike them who has a father that will serve as their savior if they get into trouble. But me, there is none. Only my mother who is somehow strong mentally and emotionally but not that strong physically. She is a woman, she is vulnerable when it comes to physical strength compared to men.

She has no idea what I’ve been through. I never let her know. She got so much in her plate already and I do not want to add on her burden. I appreciate all the efforts and hard work my mother exerted just to survive. I want to fight these b*tc*es but I remembered my mother. I don’t want to be in trouble anymore. So instead of attacking the bullies, I ran as fast as I could.

They laugh out loud before running towards me. They ran as fast as they could but there is no chance for them. They have no match on my speed. I am so used to this as well. Not just fighting but also running. I mastered both for this kind of incidents. I am so well prepared. They were catching their breath while trying their best to catch me and now it is my turn to laugh at them.

                                                                                                                                      “Losers, catch me if you can.” I said raising my middle finger while running.

I turned on my back after a few minutes and saw no sign of them. Not even their shadow I guess they lost me. I was laughing senselessly. I am also now gasping for air because of running very fast a while ago. I sat under the tree and rest for a while.

While resting I can't stop to think and asked why such awful things happened to good people. My mother is a good and selfless woman yet she is suffering while the greedy and ruthless one are living a convenient life and enjoying luxury.

While walking my way home, plenty of questions atr running through my mind like how does my father doing? Is he living a good life? Does he even think of me and my mother? Does he even try to find us? Well of course, he didn't. He left my mother. Thinking that he left her to get rid of his responsibilities aggrieved me. 

I reached home unconsciously because of the thoughts and questions that linger in my brain. I was not surprised to see our clothes and any other stuff outside the apartment. Same old scenario. A scene like this keeps on repeating like de javu. 'What’s new?' I thought as I smiled full of bitternees. So the next thing is, I will wait for my mother to come home who is currently at work, so she will be the one to beg for the landlord to give us another chance or extend the allotted time to pay the rent. While waiting for my mother, I put the scattered clothes to the luggage. I sat on the floor while clenching my jaw and firmly form a knuckle and slightly punch the wall where I leaned. 'This is all your fault. We are in deep sh*t because you are very irresponsible. Wait for the right time I will get back to you and I swear you will regret what you did to me and my mother.' as I continue punching the wall imagining that it is the worthless man who makes our lives miserable.

After several hours, my mother came and saw me sitting on the floor with our luggages. She hurriedly run towards me. She hugged me tight and brush my hair using her fingers. None of us utter a word. She expected this. Like how can she not? This happens consistently for five years now.

“Wait for me here baby, I’m just going to talk to Mrs. Montgomery.” Mom said.

“Okay, Mama.” I nodded.

I can see she is keeping herself not to cry. She always show everyone that she is tough but I can hear her crying at night. In front of a lot of people she is strong but when no one is around she breaks down and it hurts me a lot. My blood boild every night I hear her soft sobs and I know she is trying so hard not to make a sound because she don't want me to hear it. 

She has no idea that I did hear her, I can hear her, and I can feel her sorrow. I can only utter a curse for the man she loved but only let her down. I have killed him a couplt of times in my mind. The grudge that I'm holding for the man has been keeping me alive. The hatred that I had for him inspires me to go on and do good at school.

I constantly have good grades and I am always the teacher's favorites. Maybe that is the reason why most other kids and my classmates hates me a lot. They are jealous that an illegitimate kid beats them in class.  Their low IQ dumb brain has no match for me.

Unlike other kids who are rebellious because of their situation. I am different, I never disobey nor rebel to my mother. I love her so much to the core that I do all my best to be a good daughter to her I nver give her a headache. 

Opposite of how much I love my mother my hatred to my unknown father is huge and bizzarre that no one could ever measure. I am studying hard to get a stable job and give my beloved mother a convenient life at the same tiime I am doing this for my hated father as well. 

The reason is that because when I am rich I can do whatever I want and that is to find him and punish him until he can't take it annymore that he would beg me to just kill him. Am I evil? Yes, I am and he turned me this way. 

My thoughts were stopped when I saw my my mother came back with her shoulders dropped which means we were not given a chance. The landlord finally throw us out. They were ruthless. How can they endure the thought that a helpless mother and daughter will be in the streets homeless? Just for money their heart became cold as ice. Maybe my f*g*ot father is the same. It is possible that he choose a rich woman over my mother or maybe he is a rich man who is threatend by his parents that he will be disowned and will not be inhereted if he would not leave my mother. 

My mother called someone using her old phone. She just found that phone in the garbage when she was busy looking for plastic bottles that she could sell in the junk shop. Yes, my mother did that. She has been switching jobs because most of the company owners do not want a child in the premises and my mother has no one to watch over me while she works. She has no money to pay for a babysitter of course. So she has no choice but to look for something that can be sold in the garbage dump site while carrying me.

Mother has dialled someone and talked to th person on the other line. She distant herself to me so I could not hear their conversation but after she hung up, she has now that very sweet smile plastered on her beautiful face. I was delighted to see her smile but knowing that we are in big trouble so I am still uncomfortable. But I do hope that she has a good news since she is smiling. 

“What are we going to do now, Mama?” I asked.

“We will stay at your Aunt Alicia’s house. She is my co-worker. She is alone and she don’t mind having us. It is even an advantage for her so she can have a companion at home.” Mother said.

Together with our things that could be considered a garbage because it is very old and overuse, our clothes and luggage that could be considered as rags, my mother and I walked the distance from that street to her coworker’s home. I am so happy there are still good and kind people in our lives. My mother and I badly need it. After walking under the heat of the sun, beside the polluted streets, I feel like my skin was so numb and burned. Sweat are all over my face and I felt weak because of so much heat. So much thrist as well and my throat is starting to get dry.

Finally we reached Auntie Alicia’s house. It was a small and simple house yet cozy. The house is made of wood with a lot of flowers, plants and trees surrounding it. There is even a hammock made of net hanging between two tall trees. The place has a very nice ambiance and there are few neighbors. The air is fresh. I never thought that there is such place like this here. I was so used to living in the slums where houses are very close like only walls separate to it.

My mother and I often rent apartments that are very indecent which has holes all over the walls and ceilings. Cockroaches and rodents ar everywhere, toilets and sinks leaks and anytime soon it would fall apart. But this house and its location is very different. I wish Aunt Alicia will let us stay for good. Call me abusive but I really do hope she will. I have not met her yet but I have a feeling that she is a kind woman. I will make sure that she will not regret for letting us stay in her house. I am going to do my very best to help in any way that I can.

“Hi Emelia!” 

My attention was diverted when I heard that soft voice. I did not notice that we are now on the front door. I was behind my mother who is now talking to an old yet beautiful lady that I guess if I am not mistaken the age is ranging from early sixties or late fifties. She has a gray hair and she is tall, she stands 5’6 like me. She has a fair skin and chinky eyes.

“Hi Alicia.” my mom replied.

“Is this your daughter?” she asked while looking at me with a genuine smile. I smiled back and greeted her.

“Yes, this is Emerald. Emerald, this is Aunt Alicia.” Mom introduced us.

“Hi, Aunt Alicia. Nice to meet you.” I slightly bowed my head and reached out my hand to offer a handshake but she shook her head and came to me. She instead hugged me and kissed my cheek.

“It’s nice to meet you as well dear. You are very pretty. How old are you?” she asked.

“I’m twelve years old.” I replied.

She seemed was shock that I am only twelve. It is not new to me because people usually have the same reaction when they know that I am that young. I am taller for my age and also my body looks like a body of a teenager.

“Really? I thought you are already fifteen! You are very tall!” she said seemed amused.

I just smiled shyly. She then invited us inside. The house was beautiful outside but it is even more beautiful inside. It is very simple yet very beautiful and clean. All furnitures are made of wood. Aunt Alicia has no appliances but a small radio. She has two spare rooms and offered my mother and me to occupy each.

“No, no Alicia. That’s too much. We will share a room, besides Emerald can’t sleep without me.” Mom said.

That day Aunt Alicia took me and my mother. Being homeless again my grudge for the man who abandoned me doubled ten times more. If not for this kind lady where did we go? Maybe we would end up in the streets which never happened before. God has been good to us despite of everything because he never lets us live in the streets. 

We have been going to apartments to another or a very indecent house but at least my mother always finds a way to have a roof over our heads. I cursed him and that day another same promised I made to myself: 'He will pay!' I said these words on my mind over and over each and everyday like it is my prayer 

=Sarsi=