LAUREL’s POV Tears stream down my face as I run through the woods, ignoring the dry branches and twigs that scrape my feet. In my haste to leave the house earlier on, I had forgotten to put on my shoes. But it doesn’t matter. The pain from the scrapes is nothing compared to the agony my heart feels inside. Growing up, I kept telling myself that my parents loved me, that they were just stricter with me because I am the oldest, and that they wanted only the best for me. But who am I kidding? No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. Never. So, I studied harder, trained harder, and worked harder than everyone else, hoping that one day, my parents smile at me and say, “We’re proud of you, Laurel.” And when today finally came, I thought that I would gain their favour, that they would finally acknowledge their daughter. But they never did. Even the blind can see that they do not love me. Soon I reach the lakeside, deep in the woods and fall to my knees. T
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