A Labyrinth of lies chapter 2.

I sat on The chair and Mrs. Cheerlie looked disgusted by my appearance, I stared her in the eyes and she spoke in a soft, almost concerned voice.

"Hey… I just stopped by to see how your project was coming along."

Oh… the project…. I had neglected it for so long because no one had wanted to work with me, I didn't even have my partner yet! I couldn't create anything worthwhile anyways…. I reluctantly lied to her.

"oh… it's coming along great… I have been working hard….

"Oh my do you not have your partner still?"

At this point I was holding back more tears, the other kids didn't want to work with me and the things they said swirled around in my head. Things like, Oh my… you have to work with HIM? I had to work with him once… Or things like, Oh please Mrs. Cheerlie don't make me work with HIM. Again I formulated another lie.

"I decided to work alone because I'm planning something…. special…"

She looked into my eyes with extreme disbelief, and spoke again, even more concerned, and her voice made me feel guilty about lying.

"Listen Dj… it's not too late, I can place you in another group, you will still get full credit."

"N- no… i'm fine…"

"Are you sure…?"

At this point I could hardly talk, but I didn't sound like I was crying, but I still looked at the ground. The glass in my lung made me uncomfortable and I was hurting everywhere, I looked into what I assumed were her eyes and I some in the weakest voice I had ever used.

"Yes… I'm fine…."

"Alright then Dj… But if you want to be put in a group just come let me know."

"Yes ma'am, I will."

She looked at my mom and then at me, she then got up and left my house and I ran upstairs to my room. This is the only safe place I have now… I felt the familiar texture of my wall, jagged, like the skin of a reptile. I let out a muffled scream and I cried against the wall, I could swear someone was standing in my doorway, but as I looked, the hall was empty, I think… I never saw a moving blur as I usually would when someone moved… After staring at the doorway for some time, I sat on my bed and picked up one of the statues on my nightstand. It still looked like my house to me, but it was probably just a clay block with holes poked in it… I took it and I set it next to the sculpture of the "heart" I made when I was young, it was a gift for my mom after dad passed away, but… although she loved it… she told me to hold onto it, I know she didn't like it… She probably didn't know what it was. I put a pillow over my head and cried for an hour before being called down for dinner. I sat at the table and faced my mom who was just poking her food, did she see the injuries? I eventually managed to speak a few words to her.

"Do you miss dad too…?"

"I do, Dj…"

"He was an amazing dad…"

Mom stopped moving, or at least I didn't see her move and she spoke almost in tears, I knew exactly how she felt.

"They never found the killers…"

"I know they will some day mom, I know dad will be avenged."

Im fairly certain at this point she was trying to smile at my cute comment, did she believe me?

"I can only hope Dj… So tell me about this project you were supposed to do."

The change of subject almost startled me, as well as her sudden change in attitude, but nonetheless I forced an answer out, talking was getting harder and harder because my lung was on fire.

"Well… Mrs. Cheerlie gave us a project to make a present for the earth ponies harvesting season…"

"Oh my, that's certainly a huge occasion..."

I started crying, I have had enough today, so I let it all out in one long breath.

"It is but nobody wants to work with me because of my vision problem and I have nothing and I'm too stupid and blind to create something worthwhile and I can't craft anything and i'm going to fail this assignment and I just…. I just don't want to live anymore, I don't want to be bullied and the doctors said my sight cannot be cured…"

It took my mom a long time to digest what I said, but when she did, she stood up from the table and pulled me into her arms, a feeling that I missed with all my heart. I felt her tears hit my head and she started rubbing my hair and I could hear her right in my ear.

"Dj… Sure you have a few problems…. but you are my SON, you are special and they don't understand you… Even with your sight you have more potential than they ever could, I know it. You are friendly and I see you reach out to other ponies, and I see them push you away, but what makes me proud is that you keep trying… You keep doing what you love, remember how you learned that you could hear the harmony of the moon and sun…? Well that's something that they wish they could do, do you hear me Dj…? Your life is worth all the bits that Equestria has and I wouldn't even give you up for that, you are the reason that I keep going every day and if you… if you took your life I wouldn't know what to do…"

I took all of this in, at least I had someone who loved me, she was right. If I keep trying, then I will be successful, right? We both cried for a while, and we never got around to finishing our dinner, it just sat there while my mom let me lie in her lap while she stroked my hair next to the fire. We managed to survive without dad for so long, so we couldn't give up now. Then I coughed up the glass.