Little Girl

Disclaimer: I was not this little girl. Those of you who are close to me might be able to determine who this little girl is, but I (and she, I suspect) would appreciate it very much if you didn't disclose her identity. Thank you (from both of us).

There once was a little girl. Her parents loved her very much. They loved her siblings, as well. When this little girl (let's call her Beth, shall we?) was about 12, all sorts of hell broke loose. Up until then, she was a happy <12 year-old.

Eventually, after a few non-mentioned (and I hate to ask) issues, Beth figured out that her mom was seeing her highschool sweetheart, and that's why she wasn't home when she should have been. Beth started working more than she should have, to keep up with the bills that her mom was wracking up - just by not working. She did her part - and more, to keep the things they had. Her older sister moved into her boyfriend's house. It relieved some of Beth's stress, but also instilled a sense of lonliness that she'd never known before.

When Beth's dad found out what was wrong (what was really wrong), he moved to the trailer next door. Beth found herself trying to keep him from suicide, almost daily. Her parents got divorced, and her mother continued to starve herself.. trying to please this married man whom she'd re-fallen in love with. Beth's dad continued to beat himself up about it.

Beth worked. She worked from the time she was 12, just trying to help with the bills. She continued working when there was no supplimental income (from her parents). She fed and clothed someone 7 years her junior, when she was only 14. Her little brother. She cooked dinner for him, and told him everything was alright, until her mom got off of her selfish ride and got a job again.

One morning, before the ride had stopped, Beth woke up to an empty house. She looked around, and realized for the first time that things had been empty for a week. She looked around, and knew that she had been abandoned. She'd been living in this house, by herself, for 7 days, and no one had called to check up on her. That is when she knew she was really alone.

Her sister had taken her brother into the boyfriend's house. Her dad was suicidal next door. Her mom was off with her highschool sweetheart, trying to avoid the wife of said man. She was alone in the house for a week, and no one bothered to check up on her.

Why I love Beth:

• She will always do everything to make sure that no one around her feels this sort of despair.
• She knows what she's learned from her past, and stubbornly refuses anything but the best (more importantly, most sincere) of people.
• She will never ever let those she loves feel the way she felt, ever.
• She retains her optimism

She's taught me so much, about what to be grateful for, and about what to appreciate in others. I know what to love in the people I love, thanks to her.