1.3 Djodie History

TW! Death, loss of family members, bullying...

"Sweet girl, I don't know how to explain this, but..." There was a silence from the woman kneeling at the chair Djodie was sitting in. "Tell me what?" The young girl's voice sounded. Her aunt placed a hand on Djodie's knee and tried to squeeze away her tears. The big blue eyes of the child looked at hers. "I am afraid your mother isn't coming back." Djodie looked at her, confused, as the six year old could not understand.
"Not coming back?" Her aunt shook her head, a faint smile on her face to still try and comfort the little girl.
"I am terribly sorry, sweetheart. I will explain later, I promise. Uncle Louis and I agreed you can come live with us, okay?" The woman stood back up straight and held out her hand for the little girl to grab hold of.
Djodie did so, reluctantly sliding of her chair and walking with the lady.


"I heared her mom ran off when she realised her child wasn't gonna be any better."
"I heared her mom ran off 'cause she couldn't stand to look at that ugly face."
"Nah, y'all are wrong. Her mom didn't run off, she jumped man." Djodie tried to manouvre herself through the school hallways. Just to get from one classroom to the next, without being pushed into the lockers, or have her clothes pulled left and right.


"Darling, did you really think I had any feelings for you? It was all a dare, sweetheart. See how stupid you would be." This couldn't be, right? Maybe if she changed. If she hold onto him and she changed, maybe he'd stay. Maybe he wouldn't leave her, like everybody else had left her. "I - I can be better," the redhead whispered, only to be laughed at.
"Oh no, you can't. You'll never be good enough from anyone. It would be wise to remember that."


"What is this?" Her uncle stood there, with her grade chart in his hands. Djodie had thought she hadn't done terribly, but obviously the man didn't agree with her.
"B, C, B, A, A, F." He stopped to look at her. "An F?" If she wasn't already sitting she probably should be now, as his piercing gaze would be enough to make her crumble. "We don't expect anything less than an A. Get it better next time, or perhaps your Aunt and I have to think again about you living here." He threw the grade chart to her face, turned around and walked out of her door, which he locked.  The young girl quickly got her way to her feet and ran for the door. Her little hands wrapped themself around the doorknob as she tried to push it open with all her might. Panic started to make itself known to her.
"Stop that noice." The voice on the other side of the door was calm, collected. "Stay there, on your own and think about how lucky you are to still be here."
She was alone. She was alone and it was her own fault. She should do better. If she had tried harder, payed more attention in her classes, she wouldn't be here, locked in her room right now.