Chapter 3

Warning: This chapter contains scenes that are not suitable for young readers. Some scenes contain self-harming that may be too disturbing, which could act as a trigger for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.-----------

"Oh, look. The bitch is here."

I looked at the person who blocked my path. I saw the Powerpuff Girls standing in my way. I sighed. I carefully adjusted the fastening of my shoulder bag.

"What else do you need, Blossom?" I asked, and I immediately saw the anger on her face.

"It's Tiffany, you bitch!"

I just nodded. The truth is that I know her. I just called them the Powerpuff Girls because the three of them are always together. And it's funny how they always want to ruin my day.

Tiffany is one of the top two in the batch at our college. I am the top one. She does everything to get over me. And when I say everything, I literally mean everything. But she can't pass me because I don't give up. She only has the thing between her legs, while I have my brain. And I won't let her be the top one. That's all I have for everyone to respect.

"What do you need, Blossom?" again, just to annoy her. I have too much restraint not to correct her because of the things she calls me.

It worked. I saw that her face was even redder because of the thick makeup and because she was annoyed with me.

"You flirt! First, Artemis, and now Apollo? Isn't it enough that you stole my first place title?" She said it angrily, and I frowned.

Come on. What does it say?

"If this is about me being the top one, I suggest you just move on, Blossom. I know what you are doing. But look at you. Still in second place. Why don't you use your brain instead of spreading your legs?"

I saw how my words angered her, but I didn't care. Everyone knows what she does for grades. To beat me. Spreading her legs and stooping low to get high marks. She lowers her dignity just for that matter.

So unlike me. clinging to intelligence and personality just to get the respect I couldn't get from my own mother.

"Bitch! I'll do everything to beat you! I'll do everything, Madrigal! Everything! Bitch!"

"Are you calling yourself bitch, bitch?" I said, grinning, which angered her even more. She was about to hit me when someone stopped her hand.

I looked at the person who stopped her and saw that it was Apollo. He looks so serious while gripping Tiffany's hand. I saw that Tiffany paled when she looked at Apollo. Then the man let go and looked at me with a smile.

"Artemis is looking for you." Apollo said while smiling at me. Then he looked at the Powerpuff Girls. "I'll let it go, but if you do it again, I'll send you to hell, okay?" He smiled sweetly at the three girls, but I could see the blade in his eyes, so the three nodded one after the other with pale faces.

I couldn't help but be shocked when Apollo pulled my hand away from the Powerpuff Girls. I don't know why he intervened in the women's fight. It's just so weird that Gallagher would get involved like that.

I only came to my senses when I saw that a student saw us with wide eyes. I tried to yank my arm away from Apollo, but he wouldn't let me. I don't want anyone to see him with me. Apollo is a playboy and a happy-go-lucky guy, but he's also a Gallagher. The news that we were seen together would definitely spread, and that would ruin the reputation I was keeping.

"What?!" I said it angrily while pulling my arm. Fortunately, he also let go of me. When he faced me, I could see the annoyance in his eyes.

"Why didn't you fight back? You're about to get hurt, but you're still thinking about being Miss Prim and Proper?" He said it angrily, which surprised me even more.

"What's the point? Then you're still going to insist that I'm the girl you saw at the bar?"

He didn't pay attention to what I said and just stared at my face. His stare was so intense that I almost trembled where I was standing, so I averted my gaze from him. But he cupped my chin and stared at my face really hard.

"What happened to your cheek?" he asked weakly. I removed his grip on my face and stepped away from him.

"None of your business." I said that and slapped him. But before I could get away, he spoke.

"You're my twin's best friend, so you should take care of yourself. She will be sad when something bad happens to you."

I quickly walked away from him. I know. I know Artemis will be sad. That's why I don't tell her. That's why she didn't know who I was until now. What I do at night she doesn't know. Because I don't want her to sympathize with my problem.

When I got home, I saw my mom drinking alcohol again. I saw that there were newly bought wines on display near the kitchen. Maybe that man sent it again. So now Mama is getting drunk again.

I just held my breath. I'm so tired and sick of my life. When I go home, this is what I see. I don't want this anymore. I'm fed up.

"I'm here." I said that and was about to go straight to the stairs when I saw Mama stand up and walk towards me. She was really drunk because he almost fell while walking. And I know what will happen.

Mama becomes more violent when she is drunk.

I was not surprised when she rushed at me and suddenly strangled me. We both fell down, and I immediately felt pain in my back when it hit the floor, but Mama didn't care. She immediately put me down and choked me tightly.

"Die! You devil die!" she said while gradually tightening her stranglehold on my neck. "I wish I never had you as a child! I wish I had killed you before!"

I held her hands to remove the stranglehold on my neck because I was short of breath. I shouldn't do this. I should have let myself die, but here I am trying to fight to breathe.

I immediately took in a lot of air and coughed when she let go of my neck. But that only lasted a moment because she held my hair tightly and hit my head on the hard floor.

"Die! Die!"

I felt my eyes roll due to repeatedly hitting my head on the floor. I screamed loudly and stopped myself from crying, even though my chest hurt because of what my own mother was doing to me.

"I hate you! You demon father! Go to hell together!"

I tried to stop her, but I was too dizzy. I was also weak and unable to defend myself.

Maybe I deserve to die anyway.

"My God, Clarita! Stop it!" I heard Manang Rosi's voice, and then my breathing eased. It looks like she took Mama off me.

"Manang! That girl must die! She must die!" I heard Mama say it while crying.

I felt that Manang Rosi was supporting me to get up. Even though I was weak and had a headache, I forced myself to stand up. I saw my mother looking so pathetic while crying her heart out. She was sitting on the floor and crying.

"I'm sorry, Daphne. I'm late." I heard Manang Rosi say it, and she tried to fix my messy hair. I stopped crying when I felt her sweet caress. "Alright. Go up to your room."

I quickly grabbed my bag and hurried up the stairs. I immediately threw my bag back where it was when I entered the room. I entered the bathroom and locked it before staring at myself in the mirror.

All I can see in the mirror is a girl looking so broken and helpless. Looking so hurt, tired, and sad about her life.

I looked at the cutter that was there by the bathroom in my room. I guess I'll use it again, huh?

I hate my life. So much. If I could change my life, I would have done it. But I know that my personality will also chase me. I am the result of a sin.

I wanted to end my life. No matter how I look at it, I know I shouldn't have lived anymore. Especially when you see your own mother trying to kill you every day.

But I can't do it. I cannot do it. I don't have the courage. Every time I try, I get discouraged and can't go through with my plan. Even though I know Mama will be happier when I'm gone.

I took the cutter and took out the blade then. I put it on my wrist on my left hand. I immediately saw my scars there, which I could hardly count.

I'm not doing this so I can kill myself. I'm doing this so I can feel the pain. I'm doing this so I can see my blood. This is how I know I'm still alive. even though I wanted to give up. But I know that there is a part of me that hopes that my life will change.

I plunged the blade into my wrist and sliced my skin. Deeper, more blood. deeper and more painful. I felt a sense of peace when I saw my blood dripping down the white tiles. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt the pain.

I didn't mean to, but I just realized that I'm crying. I don't want to cry. I feel my weakness. But I couldn't stop now. Maybe my chest really hurts and feels like it's going to explode. I feel like I'm just a ticking bomb. A bomb is about to explode.

My tears are falling at the same time as the blood is dripping from my pulse. I felt my chest tighten, so I stopped myself from crying. I can take the pain if it's physical. But when I'm emotionally sick, I can't do it. I feel like I'm going crazy. So I transfer emotional pain to physical pain.

Weak, I sat on the floor and leaned my back against the bathroom wall. The bleeding has stopped, but I can feel my weakness. Maybe a lot of blood came out of me, so I became weak. I'm used to it. This is not new to me, so I know that eventually my strength will return.

I laughed weakly at my life. Why do others have a happy life? Why am I sad and full of pain? My own mother has treated me like that since I was a child. I thought I was used to it, but it still really hurts.

I have been asking God for a long time to make me happy. I hope my life will change, but nothing has yet. Either he doesn't listen to me, or it's not true that God exists.

I don't know if I will continue to hope that my life will change. I hope someone can help me. I hope someone can help me get out of my hellish life.

Someone. Someone, please. Help me escape. I cannot take it anymore. Help me.