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Chapter 1 my first memories

My earliest memory was when I was three or four. I was wearing a tattered pink T-shirt and jeans crusted with dried mud.

I was in a park. There were lots of people, kids playing with all sorts of things. Different kinds of balls being tossed between groups of children, flying disks, jump ropes being skipped and sung over, but it was none of these things that captured my attention.

The thing that most held my gaze was the picnic tables where someone was throwing their child a party. There was lots of food and drinks. I remember the hunger pains in my stomach were so bad it felt as if it were turning inside out. I was so Focused on the food I didn't notice the little boys coming up behind me.

I screamed when the cold liquid hit me from there Super Soakers. One of the women jumped up when she heard me.

I remember her rushing toward me yelling "Jason Alexander what have you done!"

Jason responded "She stinks! We were just giving her a bath."

She scolded him"Jason that is rude. Apologize to the little girl."

He yelled "NO!" and ran off.

The woman looked at me with a tight smile "Hi sweetheart, would you like a cupcake?" She asked sweetly.

I nodded my head so enthusiastically I was surprised it didn't fall off my shoulders. She brought me over to the tables and handed me one. I was just about to take a bite out of it when a hand smacked it to the ground. I looked up to see my mother, she was furious. She grabbed my arm and started tugging me, dragging me away.

"You know better than to take food from strangers. What is wrong with you? I swear you are the stupidest child that ever lived!" She was yelling so loud and made such a fuss that everyone in the park stopped and stared at us. Some of the kids laughed while the adults watched with narrowed eyes. I hung my head so they couldn't see my face, or maybe it was so I couldn't see theirs.

My mother dragged me all the way to the small car we spent most nights sleeping in. As I climbed into the car I could hear her mumbling about what a disappointment I was. How I did nothing but embarrass her and give her grief.

When she got into the driver's seat she looked at me with frustration. "Oh for goodness sakes Isabella, why are you crying now!"

I kept my gaze down as I quietly said.. "I'm hungry."