'Hello! Can I have one loaf of bread?'
It's Cynthia Graciano. She is eight years old. Her mother trusted her that much, even sending her to buy things from the shops.
'Sure!' The shopkeeper grabs the money and gives her the loaf of bread.
'Hum-----, excuse me sir, my mum sent me to buy the sliced one?'
Cynthia tried to correct the mistake. She gazed into the eyes of the seller with unsatisfactory eyes.
'Sorry miss, the sliced ones are done. You came late?'
The shopkeeper explained nonchalantly.
Cynthia figures out that she can't afford to go back empty-handed.
'OK, I will take this same one.'
Cynthia accepted what she didn't want and began walking back home. She was pissed and curses in her heart. She prefers the sliced bread because she can get two pieces from the middle and eat, and her mother, at home, does not notice at all.
However, today things are different. What will she do? She opens the loaf and starts eating. The people passing by are amazed at this scene, 'Hey dear, look at that girl, eating a whole loaf of bread by herself?'
An old woman said, expressing complete surprise.
'She must come from a rich family?' Another woman jumped in.
Cynthia laughed heartily. It's not because they were rich, she ate because of the predicament they were passing through.
They are definitely exaggerating things. Cynthia thought.
Cynthia ignores her surroundings and, without paying much attention to their comments, she finds herself home.
'Did you manage to get bread?' Rosemary, her mother, asked.
'Yes.' Cynthia replied, with fear, knowing quite well the wrong she had committed.
Her mother looks at the bread curiously, 'What happened to the bread?'
'Ma, I was hungry, so I ate a little bit.' Almost a quarter was missing.
'Alright!'
Her mother brushed off the matter like it never happened. Cynthia was expecting a beating, perhaps a scolding, but her mother portrayed indifference to her stupid action.
That evening, Rosemary cooks dinner, she prepares the table, and invites everyone. There were three of them; Rosemary, the mother, Marcelino, the younger brother to Cynthia.
Rosemary began as they ate, 'Cynthia?'
'Mum?'
By this time they were already into the meal.
'What is your father's surname?'
Rosemary questioned mischievously. Cynthia scratches her head. She has no idea. Rosemary laughs, 'As big as you are, you don't know your father's surname?'
Honestly, she didn't know.
'Tell me, mother?' Cynthia pleads with begging eyes.
'You are the cleverest person I know, but also very stupid at the same time.' Rosemary commented and then chuckled.
'Mum please?'
Cynthia implored, her face clearly expressing what she wanted to know.
'I am sorry you will have to figure out that by yourself.' Rosemary denied her the pleasure of receiving things on the silver plate.
Cynthia gave up on pursuing the topic.
It was a beautiful dinner. Of course, dad was missing because he worked late hours. On some days, Cynthia had to bring dinner for him. After supper, they all went to sleep.
Next morning, Rosemary prepared breakfast. Its smell weft the entire house, she served Marcelino tea and bread, and Cynthia was offered just tea without bread.
'Mum?'
'Yes Cynthia, my child?'
Rosemary responded. You could see her curved lips giving a mischievous smile.
'Did you forget to give me bread?'
Cynthia looked at her mother with a face full of surprise. She breaks out with hysterical laughter, 'You ate your share yesterday, the remaining is for me and your brother.'
This was an explosion in Cynthia's ears, which came with a loud thud. Cynthia could not have predicted this, and she knew that she couldn't win. She was in the wrong, she endured tea without bread.
After breakfast, there was nothing to do. Cynthia was on holiday. That meant not going to school and no homework, so were most of her peers. Later on that day, Cynthia finds herself among her friends, and they are playing when Xievia comes to disturb their fun, 'You guys are boring? Mum says I should not hang out with you, because you are miserable and poor.'
Cynthia got up from the ground where she was seated as they were playing, 'Then why are you here? Scram?' Cynthia commanded him. She was younger than Xievia, however, that didn't matter to Cynthia, she was not a respecter of nonsense.
Xievia was used to bullying the weak, Cynthia was new in town, they both didn't know each other well.
'Who are you to command me to go away?'
Confronted Xievia. Jane comes from behind Cynthia and whispers in her ear, 'Forget about him, he is a fool, he is looking for a fight.'
Cynthia nods her head.
'What did you say?' Xievia snapped.
Cynthia re-echoed Jane's words with exaggeration, 'She said that you are a mad fool, so what are you going to do about it?'
That caused Xievia's anger to boil. He made a move to hit Jane, who hid behind Cynthia. To quench his anger, Xievia thrust a heavy fist intended to hit Cynthia, who dodged her head without moving her body, and gave an encounter blow striking Xievia's stomach, and he screamed, 'Ouch!' As he fell down.
Cynthia's friends cheered for her, 'Beat him up, he has been bullying us like forever?' Shouted Emily. Another joined, 'Yes beat him up, he thinks he owns the entire city!'
Xievia got up, now with so much fury in his bosom, you can tell from his heavy breathing, 'You are a dead person Cynthia?' Roared Xievia as he rushed out with a flying kick. Cynthia ducked down and swiftly swooped the remaining leg of Xievia, who was knocked flying a little bit before hitting the ground with a clunk.
Xievia cried in pain. He crawled backwards, Cynthia relaxed, she knew she had won the fight no doubt, Xievia picked up a broken bottle and threw it toward Cynthia when she had been distracted by one of her friends, 'Look out Cynthia!' shouted Lillian.
The moment Cynthia twisted her head to look, it was too late, she was hit on the forehead. Right away, a huge cut was made and blood began gushing out like a hot spring in a fountain, the cut was so serious. One of her friends ran home to report, 'Auntie?'
Rosemary turned to look at the young girl who was failing to catch her breath, 'Cynthia is hurt, she was stabbed with a broken bottle, and now she is bleeding badly.'
Reported Cynthia's friend worriedly.
'Where is she?'
Rosemary inquired, getting agitated but trying to calm herself down.
'Come, I will show you.' Lillian explained with a quick, sharp voice.
Rosemary and Lillian came running to the position where Cynthia was, for it was not far from her house. Rosemary knelt down and turned Cynthia's head to take a look at the cut, 'Oh no, this appears deep, we need to go to the hospital?'
Cynthia didn't know what to do, because she was losing so much blood. Xievia had already run away by this time. Lots of people were gathered murmuring how ruthless Xievia was.
Rosemary stopped a cab driver, tied up the wound with a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding, and she was put in the cab. They started off for the hospital.
'Cynthia, I always tell you not to fight, now look what has happened to you?'
Rosemary seemed very upset, she definitely could have beaten her up if she had not been injured and Cynthia smiled from the inside.
Fifteen minutes later, they had reached the hospital, Rosemary went to the reception, registered, a nurse came over, 'Let me see what we have here?'
Twisting Cynthia's head to take a look at the cut, 'Oh, go and line up in the queue, this is not an emergency?' Instructed the female nurse.
'Really? Mum?'
Cynthia complained, hoping Rosemary would jump to her aid.
'You will be fine Cynthia.'
Commented Rosemary, dragging Cynthia to the queue to wait for their turn to meet the doctor, because there was just one hospital in the whole town. While standing in the queue, Cynthia collapsed.