When I think back to my time living with Leria, I don't remember much. What little I do remember, I usually don't want to. You may want to know who Leria is. And who I am for all that matter. My name is Riven. Leria is my mother. And this, is my story.
I was born on a plant called Ellmiris. I lived with my mother, Leria in a very small apartment. My father left before I was even born. I never met him. Leria used to have some old pictures of them together. She never told me it was him. I just figured it out on my own. I look just like him. Except I have Leria's hair and eyes. Sometimes I wish I didn't look so much like her. If my friends knew her, they would know she was my mother. Luckily, I haven't see her for years. Leria is never coming back. She could be dead for all I care. Just as long as I never see her again. For five long years I lived with Leria. Five long miserable years. Of course, being a little kid, I thought my mother loved me. That's what most kids think. It's usually true. But not for me. Leria hated me. I know that now. But then unfortunately, I didn't. I always gave her things. Rocks, pictures. You get the idea. 5 year old stuff. She always accepted the gifts I gave her with a smile. When she smiled, I really, really thought she cared. But I was wrong. Here I am today, 19 years old and I've never seen Leria since I was five years old.
When I was really little, Leria always stayed at home with me. Maybe at one point she loved me because would actually have a lot of fun together. She taught me a bunch of games. She would always make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and then read me a story before my nap. I'm not sure when she started to hate me. It just sort of happened one day. I think it was the day she got fired. She came home from work one day when I was about 4. I had been playing with our next door neighbor's daughter Jenna Radclliff who was the same age as I was. That was normal. I often went over there when Leria went to work. But when she picked me up later in the afternoon, I knew something was wrong. Leria was really tense and she barely said two works to Mrs. Radcliff. She just thanked her and dragged me out the door, none too gently, by the hand. When we got into the apartment, Leria sat down at the table and sighed deeply. She took a small piece of paper from her purse, which I know now was a pink slip. Leria crumpled it up and threw it at the wall. Then she took out a large wad of bills and counted them slowly. I remember asking her what they're for. She smacked me with the flat of her hand, telling me to mind my own business. She was totally drunk, I know now. But it still scared me.
Sometime after that, Leria started going out a lot. At first, only at nights. Then she started leaving all day. Most of the time, she would bring men home with her. Some of them were nice to me, some weren't. Then one day, she brought home a guy named Surna. I could tell he hated me right away, but my mom didn't care. She was happy again. She went out with Surna almost every night. Then they started talking alot. They would be deep in conversation, when I came in the room, they would suddenly stop. One day, I found two bus tickets on the table. I'd bet my life the other one was for Surna. The next day, she was gone.
I don't know where she went, or why. But she was gone. Forever. For awhile, I was sad. Eventually, all that love for her turned to hate, and I finally reaized she'd been trying to get rid of me as soon as she could. It had only been love. Love at a price.
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So uh, this has been in the works for quite sometime. It turned out pretty good. Not as well as I'd hoped. But Jenna's in it! And everyone loved Jenna!