All's Fair in the War of Love and Hate | Teen Ink

All's Fair in the War of Love and Hate

February 15, 2017
By brianna.richardson3399, lafayette , Oregon
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brianna.richardson3399, Lafayette , Oregon
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He had nothing. A bed that was falling apart, and the odd shingle on the roof to prevent the rain from dripping. But, he was taken care of, his mother and father worked all day, every day at the factory. But times were hard. Hourly pay dropped and so did sales. People were scared, but of what he didn't know. But, of all in the town, he never despaired. His heart didn't know sorrow. He strived to help others feel the love he believed they so deserved. He was a mascot of sorts, a smile plastered on his face at all times. His mother and father often came home too tired to do much more than eat the meager soup he made for them and fall into bed. But they never failed to notice how hard he tried for them. Now, looking from the inside in, one would see two severely depressed persons, and one unjustly happy child. Only, I knew the truth. I was that happy child. But it wasn't unjust. I knew my parents loved me. Every night, no matter how tired, or hungry they were, the very first thing they always did when they walked into our home, was hug me tight to them, kissing the top of my head, murmuring how much they loved me. I was their light in a dark time. My father's pet name for me has always been Sunshine, and I strived to live up to it. I knew my parents needed something in their lives to keep their heads up. And it had always been me. But I was ok with that. In fact, I lived for it. I knew someone had to do it. I was my fathers rock when my mother died. And I was my own rock when my father died. I grew up quickly. The work is what killed my mother. The sorrow is what took my father. I think those two years were the only time I wasn’t, Sunshine. I was just, me. I moved away from that ramshackle house. I got a job, just as the sales and pay skyrocketed. I ended up living in a house, with three other young adults. We never wanted for anything. We were taken in by a private company, who helped young people get on their feet. I got my job as a sales manager, being the youngest by far. I was worked ragged, tested and poked and prodded, figuratively of course. But just like when I was young, no one got to me. I was happy. Because I knew how far I had come, and how far I could go. My chin stayed up, and so did my morales. Many a young man or woman, resorted to, less pleasant ways of making their money. Smuggling, selling things they had stolen. Much worse had happened.  I was the one they picked on. I never did anything to mess up the opportunities I had been given so generously. Eventually, I met a girl. I saw the sun rise and set in her eyes. I finally understood what my parents saw in me, she was my own personal Sunshine. My heart soared for years.  But once again, my life was cruel, and took her to soon. But I lived. And I lived my life to the fullest. I traveled, I got jobs, I moved often. I saw sights many people could only dream of. I loved and I lost. But I was, happy. I was Sunshine.

He had nothing. A bed that was falling apart, and the odd shingle on the roof to prevent the rain from dripping. But, he was taken care of, his mother and father worked all day, every day at the factory. But times were hard. Hourly pay dropped and so did sales. People were scared, but of what he didn't know. But, of all in the town, he lived for the bitterness. All he knew was sorrow. And anger. He bullied, taunted, tease and hurt people. The town grew to fear him, a scowl his permanent expression. His mother and father often came home too tired to do much more than make a meager soup he refused to make for them, and fall into bed. They skirted the angry child who lay in the shadows each night, if he decided to come home. Now, looking from the inside in, one would see two severely depressed persons, and one unjustly angry child. Only, I knew the truth. I was that angry child. But it wasn't unjust. I didn’t know why my parents made me live in such squalor. I was their child. They hated me. They spent all their time at that stupid factory, “working”. But I knew they did it to avoid me. I was their mistake. They had had a happy life before me. I saw that in their eyes when they looked at me. But I was ok with that. In fact I  lived for it. It made me stronger. Someone had to be strong in this family. I was overjoyed when my mother died. My father followed not a year later. I think those years were the only time I was even close to being happy. I was finally free from their unjust hate.  I moved away from that ramshackle house. I was taken in by a organization that pitied me with three other so-called adults. I got a job, just as the sales and pay skyrocketed. I was forced to do this crap job for crap pay, and was expected to be ok with being worked ragged, tested and poked and prodded. I finally quit, throwing and screaming at the man in the big office upstairs. I left with the satisfaction of seeing glass shattered on the floor, papers ripped and thrown haplessly. Many others had found jobs, stealing, smuggling, selling stolen things. It sounded like just the kind of thing I could do. And do well. And I did, I ruled over these operations. I was the king of smuggling. Until I was caught. I had done some pretty bad things in my life, and I grinned at the police officers, thinking about them reading my rap sheet in court. I could see it now. The officer or whoever was reading it, would come up empty handed. The thought of them looking foolish had me grinning again.  They wouldn’t convict me. They couldn’t. It was all speculation. This was the first and only time I had been caught. The court session ended quickly, me having to pay a fine, which I knew I never would. Not two weeks later, I was set up. Caught, and framed for murder. I had been convicted, and I had two options, plead innocent, and serve life without parole. Or, I could plead guilty, pleading death row. I think we can all tell what I chose, since here I am to tell this story. My life had always been dark, and my heart followed it.He had nothing. A bed that was falling apart, and the odd shingle on the roof to prevent the rain from dripping. But, he was taken care of, his mother and father worked all day, every day at the factory. But times were hard. Hourly pay dropped and so did sales. People were scared, but of what he didn't know. But, of all in the town, he lived for the bitterness. All he knew was sorrow. And anger. He bullied, taunted, tease and hurt people. The town grew to fear him, a scowl his permanent expression. His mother and father often came home too tired to do much more than make a meager soup he refused to make for them, and fall into bed. They skirted the angry child who lay in the shadows each night, if he decided to come home. Now, looking from the inside in, one would see two severely depressed persons, and one unjustly angry child. Only, I knew the truth. I was that angry child. But it wasn't unjust. I didn’t know why my parents made me live in such squalor. I was their child. They hated me. They spent all their time at that stupid factory, “working”. But I knew they did it to avoid me. I was their mistake. They had had a happy life before me. I saw that in their eyes when they looked at me. But I was ok with that. In fact I  lived for it. It made me stronger. Someone had to be strong in this family. I was overjoyed when my mother died. My father followed not a year later. I think those years were the only time I was even close to being happy. I was finally free from their unjust hate.  I moved away from that ramshackle house. I was taken in by a organization that pitied me with three other so-called adults. I got a job, just as the sales and pay skyrocketed. I was forced to do this crap job for crap pay, and was expected to be ok with being worked ragged, tested and poked and prodded. I finally quit, throwing and screaming at the man in the big office upstairs. I left with the satisfaction of seeing glass shattered on the floor, papers ripped and thrown haplessly. Many others had found jobs, stealing, smuggling, selling stolen things. It sounded like just the kind of thing I could do. And do well. And I did, I ruled over these operations. I was the king of smuggling. Until I was caught. I had done some pretty bad things in my life, and I grinned at the police officers, thinking about them reading my rap sheet in court. I could see it now. The officer or whoever was reading it, would come up empty handed. The thought of them looking foolish had me grinning again.  They wouldn’t convict me. They couldn’t. It was all speculation. This was the first and only time I had been caught. The court session ended quickly, me having to pay a fine, which I knew I never would. Not two weeks later, I was set up. Caught, and framed for murder. I had been convicted, and I had two options, plead innocent, and serve life without parole. Or, I could plead guilty, pleading death row. I think we can all tell what I chose, since here I am to tell this story. My life had always been dark, and my heart followed it.



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