Chapter 4

After school that day, I was pushing my bike, silently reciting vocabulary words.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Stanley standing with a few older boys.

I didn't want to get involved, but then I heard Stanley behind me say, "See her? That's the worthless girl my parents sold off."

One of the older boys clicked his tongue, "Tsk, poor thing..."

Stanley scoffed. "Poor? She asked for it.

"And that butcher... Well, there are plenty of women in the town, but he just had to pick a skinny girl. Bet he gets jabbed by her bones every night."

Those words were way out of line. Even if I wanted to stay out of it, I just couldn't hold back anymore.

I rolled up my vocabulary book into a tube and whacked Stanley right on the head.

"Stanley, shut your filthy mouth!" I snapped.

"Did you just hit me?" Stanley clutched his head, staring at me like he couldn't believe it.

"You bet I did!" I snapped back.

"Aren't you scared that I'll tell Mom on you?" Stanley shot back, trying to sound tough.

Back then, whenever he said stuff like that, I'd just apologize right away.

Or else I'd get a real beating for sure.

Even when it wasn't even my fault.

But now, I let out a cold laugh.

"Mom? She's your mom, not mine," I shot back.

Todd was my guardian now. She had no say over me anymore.

Stanley couldn't stand being put in his place. He lunged at me, trying to fight back, but he was still just a shrimp compared to me. He didn't stand a chance.

I grabbed his ear and dragged him over to the water spigot, shoving his head down.

"Your mouth's so filthy that it needs a good wash," I snapped.

Stanley's mouth was all twisted from the water, and he was crying and hollering like crazy.

Two of the older guys nearby jumped in to help him out.

They grabbed me, and Stanley took advantage of the distraction and kicked me right in the gut.

I doubled over in pain, curling up like a wounded animal.

Stanley snatched up a branch and started beating me with it, swinging as hard as he could.

Some students ran to get the teacher, but by the time the teacher arrived, Stanley and his buddies had already bolted.

I stuck to long sleeves every day, just to cover up the marks.

But word still somehow reached Todd.

He turned up at my folks' place with a knife in his hand.

He plopped himself down on the doorstep and started sharpening his knife, not saying a single word.

My parents were scared stiff, hiding inside and too afraid to step outside.

They tried to reason with Todd, saying it was just kids fooling around and there was no need to get worked up over it.

But Todd didn't pay them any mind. He just kept sharpening his knife, not even looking up.

Finally, my parents just couldn't take it anymore. They dragged Stanley out and gave him a real thrashing.

That day, Stanley's cries could be heard all over the town.

"Dad, you really are the best dad ever!" I couldn't help but blurt out.

When I realized Todd had stood up for me, my heart was overflowing with gratitude.

I knew it. He actually cared about me. He really did.

But Todd just kept a straight face and said flatly that he wasn't doing it for me. He just needed to sharpen his knife.

Sure, like I'd believe that.

Such a stubborn, hard-headed butcher.

It didn't matter if Todd wanted to admit it or not.

Either way, I was in a great mood all day.

I was so happy that I even did two extra sets of exercises and didn't feel tired at all.

It was the first time I'd ever felt like someone was really looking out for me. It felt weird, but also really warm and comforting.

The high school entrance exams were coming up, so I was studying even harder, burying myself in my books every single day.

People in the town started to intervene, trying to convince Todd to stop paying for my schooling.

"Girls don't need all that schooling," they said. "Better off just getting married while she's still young."

Honestly, most girls in the town had their parents trying to marry them off once they hit fourteen.

If someone made it to high school, it meant her family could actually afford it.

Todd wasn't poor, but covering my school fees was still tough on him.

I was a bit anxious, afraid Todd might get talked into it by the others.

But one day, I happened to overhear Todd chatting with one of the older women.

She tried to convince him not to throw his money away on something pointless, but Todd just said, "Boys and girls are the same. If they study hard, they can both make something of themselves.

"Besides, my daughter is every bit as good as any boy."

He called me his daughter.

I kept rolling those words around in my mind, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Did that mean he'd accepted me?

A smile slowly crept onto my face, but I quickly got back to studying.

Time was running out, and I had to make every second count.

Out here in the town, there wasn't much in the way of schooling.

Even though I was the top student at my school, the high school entrance exams meant I'd be up against kids from all the surrounding towns. It was going to be tough.

I had to give it everything I had.

Nobody in the town thought I'd amount to anything.

Stanley was just waiting for me to embarrass myself.

He snickered, "So what if you're top of your school, Mara? In town, kids like you are a dime a dozen. Seriously, don't get ahead of yourself."

My parents thought Todd was out of his mind for letting me take the high school entrance exams.

"Even if she gets into high school, so what? She'll just end up getting married anyway. No point throwing money away for nothing," my parents sneered.

Stanley put up all his pocket money, betting with his buddies that I wouldn't get in.

On the day the results came out, some people from the city came over and posted the acceptance list on the town bulletin board.

People all crowded around, eager to see who got in.

Stanley used his small size to worm his way right up to the front.

Soon, Stanley's cocky voice echoed from the crowd.

"Mara, your name's not here. Ha! See? I knew it. Pay up!" Stanley shouted, gloating.