Shira grew up in a family of four, being the only girl until her younger sister arrived. With overprotective parents and two older brothers, she had a lot of attention. Her mom worked out of state and was rarely home, leaving Shira with her dad and her aunt, who took care of them. However, Shira and her brothers faced harsh treatment, often feeling like they were being treated like slaves. They received little food, were not allowed to play with other kids, and their aunt took any gifts sent by their mom for her own children.
Shira often felt lonely and sad watching her peers play while she was stuck doing chores. She wished her mom was around, wondering if things would be different, and felt a mix of missing and resenting her. Jealous of the other kids, she stayed on the sidelines at school, scared of rejection and sometimes laughed at.
Shira's mom returned after two years and noticed her kids were malnourished and mistreated. To be more present, she took a job that kept her close to them. Shira had always been close to her dad and only had her brothers as friends. Although she and her mom got along well, they never really bonded. This affected their relationship greatly. Even when Shira's mom was trying to do what's best for her in her own way, Shira perceived it as her mom being selfish and not truly loving her.