Chapter 2: Mask
We all know that our mothers always give us that confidence we need to smile, to continue with our lives, and to keep enjoying life with the people we love.
But...
What happens when you lose that person who makes you feel special?
One year later.
The sky was cloudy, the gray clouds covered the warm sun, giving way to cold, desolate rain.
In the city cemetery, Bianca screamed and cried uncontrollably as she clung to the coffin that held the person who gave her strength every day, the one who had supported her in front of her peers, the one who always put a smile on her face and told her magical stories that made her dream of a better world. She didn't want to let go of the coffin, didn't want to let go of her mother. She had passed away, and Bianca couldn't react until she saw her mother's lifeless body. She couldn't believe it, and it was there, in front of her, when the painful reality hit her.
When she saw her in the coffin, Bianca couldn't bear it. Her mother was gone, and there was nothing she could do to fix it. Her father picked her up to pull her away from the coffin of his beloved wife. Now he had to be strong; it was the only thing left to him: his daughter.
Bianca didn't want to see the gravedigger throw dirt on the coffin. There, buried underground, was her mother. She didn't want them to bury her. The most heartbreaking and painful screams, the deepest ones that no one had heard, echoed that gray afternoon.
Days passed, and Bianca didn't get any better. Every night, she felt an immense loneliness. She hoped to hear the door open, her mother's soft voice reading her a bedtime story. Clutching the ring her mother had given her, she felt empty, no longer feeling the spark she used to have, that sparkle in her eyes that her mother loved so much. In her fencing classes, she no longer had the same motivation, and at school, it didn't help. As Bianca grew older, she realized that the kids her age began to leave behind their innocence, their hopes, and their dreams. All the friends she once had started to change and were no longer the same kids she once knew. Her inner voice told her, "Don't follow their steps, you're not like that," but her mind said, "If you don't change, you'll lose more people you care about."
Bianca didn't know what to do; she was torn in two, and the indecision was driving her crazy.
It was on one of those days when she wished the earth would swallow her up that she made a choice. When she arrived home after school, she heard a sob coming from her father's room. Curious, she quietly approached and saw her father crying. It surprised her. Her father never cried; he was the strongest man she knew. What had happened?
"I'm sorry, Rebecca, since you left, I haven't been able to do anything for our daughter," his tone was melancholic, sad. He was looking at a picture of the happy family. When they got married, he promised her that he would protect his wife and children, that they would never be sad. But he failed. He couldn't keep that promise. He also couldn't make Bianca happy. Despite his efforts, he couldn't see his daughter smile. "I'm a failure. I tried to make her laugh, I tried to tell her your stories, but it's not the same for her." His words came out softly, sincerely. He had done everything he could to make Bianca feel better, to be strong in front of her, but when he was alone, his pain came out.
Bianca heard those words and understood what they meant. I make Dad sad, she thought. She didn't want him to suffer because of her. Even though she knew they didn't look alike much, she loved him deeply, just like her mother. She didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
What should she do?
She thought carefully and then had an idea. Quietly, she walked back down the hallway and stairs to the entrance of the house, still unsure whether her idea was right or not, and shouted loudly:
"Dad, I'm back!" Her voice echoed through every corner of the house.
Her father, surprised, quickly wiped away his tears and ran down the stairs. When he saw his daughter at the door, he couldn't believe it. Bianca was smiling. How is this possible? he wondered, a thousand thoughts crossing his mind.
"Today, a classmate told me my hair is really pretty. That made me really happy. We talked about what kinds of things we like, and in the end, we became friends," Bianca said cheerfully, like never before.
"Really? That's awesome! We have to celebrate it," her father replied. Finally, Bianca had made her first friend. It seemed like the smile she had been missing had returned.
"Can we go get ice cream later?" Bianca asked, her smile full of hope.
"We can go for as many as you want, my princess," her father said, happy.
Even though Bianca showed her father a smile, it wasn't sincere. Her mother had taught her that lying was wrong, and even worse, hiding her feelings. But is it wrong to hide how you feel to keep up a "normal" life? She remembered the words her mother had once told her—"Daughter, you should never lie, especially when hiding your emotions, because once you hide your feelings, you no longer know who you are." These bitter memories were not easy to digest. Was it wrong to lie to someone, even if it made them happy? Her father seemed happy just because she was happy. If she kept smiling, sooner or later, she could fool everyone—her father, her friends, and especially herself—by hiding her feelings behind a mask that concealed the sad reality in her heart.