Youthful Bliss

Lovely Letter

"Wow, this is so amazing! Mia really likes it!” Mia, a spirited six-year-old, swayed happily as she devoured his meal.

“Mia, if you like it, I'll do it often. But promise me, eat slowly." Diana’s smile was gentle as she spoke. Just then, she saw Rachel Morgan, Mia’s determined single mother, emerge from the bedroom. Diana’s eyes lit up with anticipation.

"Alright, alright, don't look so eager. Here, this is your letter. You should better be careful with it. If your parents find out I've been helping you, who knows what they'll do." Rachel, now fully dressed in bold makeup that surprisingly suited her, handed over the letter. Despite her mature and striking appearance, Rachel was only in her early thirties. Her hands, calloused from hard work, revealed her struggles.

"Thank you, Aunt Rachel. You look amazing!" Diana couldn't wait to read the letter from her dear friend, Emily Harper. It had been so long since they last saw each other.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. Anyway, I need to go out. As usual, I'll be back around ten tonight, and I'll take you home then." Rachel picked up her black handbag and headed for the door.

"Okay, Aunt Rachel, take care." Diana waved with a smile.

Rachel glanced back at Diana’s smile and teased, “Diana, you should smile more often; it suits you." She ruffled Diana’s hair playfully before leaving.

Diana stood there, her eyes welling up with tears that she stubbornly refused to let fall. Rachel's playful words were a reminder for her to live more freely, to be less restrained and serious. But Diana couldn't afford to be carefree. She was already mired in darkness, struggling through life. Any hint of brightness would only attract more predators. Shaking her head, she decided to focus on the letter.

"Dear Diana,

I miss you so much. How have you been? Are your foster parents still giving you trouble? I worry about you living alone. It's been a year since we parted, and every time I think of you, I'm afraid the past might repeat itself, and I won't be there to help you. But at least we can communicate now. Please don't bottle things up. Tell me if anything's wrong; I'll stand up for you! By the way, I'm moving to Veridale Springs soon. We can see each other then! Looking forward to your reply.

Love, Emily.i”

Although it was a short letter, Diana could picture Emily, the spirited girl with a high ponytail, writing it with a furrowed brow. The thought made her chuckle. It was a challenge for the usually impulsive Tong Ji to sit down and write a letter. Determined, Diana decided she needed to speed up her plans to buy a phone. Her foster parents had refused to get her one, citing concerns about her studies. She sighed and decided that she needed to discuss this with Aunt Rachel.

"Dear Emily,

I'm fine. Looking forward to seeing you.

Love, Diana”

Diana couldn't help but drift into memories. Her relationship with Emily had always been this way—Emily the talker, and Diana the listener. It had been like this for eight years since they first met. At ten years old, Diana had just survived a horrific car accident, losing her entire family. She became an orphan, viewed by others as a harbinger of bad luck. Even the children in the orphanage shunned her, and the staff barely paid her any attention. Despite her mother's teachings to be kind and make friends, every attempt to join the group left her wounded by cruel words. She gradually got used to curling up alone, drawing simple pictures of her parents and sister, gently touching their faces as tears fell. She longed to ask her parents when she would see them again, but she didn't dare. She was afraid they would worry about her.

One sunny afternoon, little Diana was napping in a small, shabby room. The other children hated her and forbade her from resting in the dormitory, so she had to lay on some cardboard in the corner. Poor Diana hadn't had lunch, and if she missed dinner, she would go hungry again. But a bully always blocked her way to food, and she could only endure the hunger.

"Bang! Bad luck charm, get up! You're the reason Jason fell into the water. It's all because of your bad luck. Why don't you just leave? No one wants to adopt you, you jinx! Let's throw out her stuff before she drags us all down!" A group of children burst into the room, kicking down the door. Before Diana could explain, they dragged her to the yard and started beating her. Her unhealed wounds from the accident reopened, blood staining the petals that had fallen to the ground. Diana didn't fight back, only protecting her head, knowing that resistance would only bring more pain. It wasn't until a girl took out her bracelet and examined it that she reacted.

"Put it down! Put it down!" Diana shouted, struggling violently. "Don't touch my mom's bracelet!"

"It's just a dead person's thing. No wonder it's so unlucky." That girl sneered. "I have an idea. Let's burn these for her, so she can thank us for sending them back to her family."

"Yes! These unlucky things shouldn't stay here. Do you want to curse us all?" The others agreed.

"Please, no! I'll take them away. Just don't do this." Diana’s face was wet with tears. She couldn't even protect the belongings of her family.

"Bring the lighter!"

Three or four girls held Diana down, her eyes dimming. She felt like the world was desolate, with no one to accompany her, only danger to swallow her.

"Why?" Diana asked, her voice hoarse.

"Because I hate you! No reason. Hurry up!” That girl's smirk cut into Diana’s heart. There was no unprovoked kindness, only malice. This was the first harsh lesson Diana learned.

"Wait! Are you sure you want to destroy someone else's belongings without permission?" A bright, cunning voice interrupted, cutting through Diana’s defenses. She looked up to see Emily. With a high ponytail and a sports outfit, Emily chewed gum nonchalantly.

Diana stared at her, thinking how cool this girl looked. Though they were the same age, Emily seemed fearless, her eyes sly like a fox plotting mischief.

"Who are you? Mind your own business!" That girl snapped.

Emily didn't answer, just kept chewing her gum. "Oh, my phone's being naughty, it started recording. I wonder if I should show this video to that couple interested in adopting you?"

"Crazy! You all just wait!" That girl, threatened, backed off and left with her group.

"You okay? Get up." Emilyi extended her hand.

Diana remained silent, studying Emily’s face lit by the sun. Even though she couldn't see clearly, she wanted to trust this girl.