Chapter 2
673 Words
The rest of the day wasn't any better.
I had barely taken my seat in the cafeteria when I heard a familiar voice.
"Seriously? You're wearing that?"
I froze.
Vanessa.
Surrounded by her usual group of perfectly dressed friends.
My stepsister looked me up and down before wrinkling her nose.
"You look like you got dressed in the dark."
Her friends burst out laughing.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
I looked down at my oversized hoodie and faded jeans.
Maybe she was right.
I never had time to care about clothes.
Or makeup.
Or hair.
Every spare minute was spent studying, working, or dealing with Carla's endless chores.
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You know, Ava, if you actually put some effort into yourself, people might notice you."
More laughter.
I gripped my books tighter.
The funny thing was that I wasn't ugly.
At least that's what my best friend always insisted.
I was short, soft-curved, and naturally pretty beneath the exhaustion that followed me everywhere. But nobody noticed those things.
Most days my hair was tied into a messy bun.
My clothes were old.
My confidence was practically nonexistent.
So people looked right through me.
And honestly?
Sometimes I did too.
Vanessa tossed her hair over her shoulder.
"Come on, girls. Let's go."
The group walked away still giggling.
I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
One day, I promised myself.
One day I'd prove every single one of them wrong.
By the time classes ended, my feet ached.
The walk back to my dorm felt longer than usual.
Thankfully, the moment I opened the door, a familiar voice greeted me.
"There she is!"
I smiled instantly.
My best friend, Mia, sat cross-legged on her bed with a bag of chips.
She took one look at my face and frowned.
"What happened now?"
I dropped my backpack onto the floor.
"Do you want the short version or the Vanessa version?"
Mia groaned dramatically.
"Oh no. Not the Vanessa version."
"The witch attacked again."
Mia tossed me a pillow.
"Sit down and tell me everything."
For the first time all day, I felt myself relax.
Maybe tomorrow wouldn't be so bad after all.That can definitely make Ava a very sympathetic character, but I'd suggest one small change for realism:
A full-time college student working four jobs every single day while raising a toddler and attending classes would be extremely difficult. Readers might find it more believable if she works several part-time jobs throughout the week instead.
You could write it like this:
Mia's expression softened as she watched me collapse onto my bed.
"You look exhausted."
"I am exhausted."
That wasn't an exaggeration.
Most students worried about assignments and exams.
I worried about keeping a roof over our heads.
Every month there was rent.
Electricity.
Water.
Internet.
Groceries.
Diapers.
Toddler clothes.
Medicine.
The list never seemed to end.
My two-year-old brother, Ethan, depended on me for everything.
And I would do absolutely anything for him.
Anything.
Which was why I worked more jobs than I cared to count.
Early mornings at a coffee shop.
Evening shifts at a restaurant.
Babysitting on weekends.
And an online store where I sold handmade accessories whenever I had spare time.
The money was never enough.
No matter how hard I worked.
No matter how many hours I sacrificed.
There was always another bill waiting.
Another expense.
Another emergency.
Sometimes I wondered how much longer I could keep going.
Then I would look at Ethan's smiling face.
And suddenly quitting wasn't an option.
Never had been.
Never would be.
"He misses you, doesn't he?" Mia asked quietly.
I smiled despite my exhaustion.
"Every day."
"Then all this hard work is worth it."
I looked at the picture hanging beside my desk.
A tiny boy with bright eyes and a grin big enough to light up the world.
My little brother.
The reason I kept fighting.
The reason I got out of bed every morning.
The reason I refused to give up.
No matter how hard life became.
- Writer
