The Truth Between Our Lies

Lost in the Middle

I became rebellious. During those years, I started feeling the emptiness, anger, loneliness, and the sense of being unwanted that I had kept inside for so long. I hated my mother, and I blamed her for everything that was happening to me.

Days passed, and my uncle was pushed to his limits. One night, we had a serious fight. It escalated to the point where I fought back when he hurt me with a broom and other cleaning tools. That was the first time I ever fought back. Despite being hurt so many times before, I had always chosen to stay silent. But that night, I realized that I was the only one who could protect myself.

Because of what happened, he got sick the next morning, and sadly, it was his birthday. His best friend became very angry with me. They decided to set a date for me to return to my father, saying that they were tired of trying to fix my life.

The day finally came, and I was sent back to my father’s family after so many years.

When I arrived at their home, I found out that his wife had gone abroad to work. Instead of feeling frustrated, I felt relieved. For me, it meant that my high school life might finally be different because she was no longer there.

Most importantly, I was happy because I would see the people I loved most—Mama Beatrice and Granny Francois.

But things were not the same as before. When I returned, everything felt different. My grandmother, who once loved me deeply, felt like a stranger. I could no longer see the excitement in her eyes when she looked at me. I later realized that they had a new favorite—my sister, Rihanna. It made me feel sad and angry. In my mind, she had taken everything that once belonged to me.

During my stay there, my father and grandmother decided that I would live with my father. It saddened me deeply because all I wanted was to hug my grandmother the way I used to.

As days passed, I continued studying, but my father and I argued all the time. I felt like he was only using me to lessen his responsibilities at home. He would ask me to cook, wash the dishes, and take care of the children, while he went out with his friends.