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Aimee’s eyes squinted as the sunlight hit her face. The light from the sun might be quite blinding, she always loved the warmth it brings as it touches her skin. For her, it’s a light and calm embrace, just like what her mom does before.

After a long day at the cake shop, she took a nap and finally removed the ‘Ameira’ in AMEIRA’S SUGAR PLUM SWEET CAKES before the real owner arrived to take over. Sure, the shop owner was confused at first with the girl’s request to rent the shop during October but knowing how excellent Aimee’s baking skills are, she agreed and was not disappointed. The sales of the shop hit the roof at this time of the year, and with this, the real owner thinks she does not need to know the true reason behind this rent a shop plot, anymore. Ameira set a single important condition which the owner agreed; Aimee must not do the deliveries. She must not be seen by many though she could still do the customer service at the shop. Ameira did such to keep ten-year-old Aimee safe, in case whatever happens.

Her alters come out unexpectedly, especially when triggered. But neither does she know which one of them will control her next.

Staring at the sky, young Aimee’s mind wandered, gone was the huge jolly grin printed on her face earlier. The way her thoughts were reminiscing her childhood feels like Ameira currently shares the body with her as a co-conscious.

Being raised with limits and trained to be always aware of her actions, Ameira was locked in a dark room. She’s caged by her own emotions. Scared, she distanced herself from people thus worsening her situation, and now she ended up hiding behind six people of different names and characters, all compressed in her petite body; the six of them using the same face as they travel around the city in pursuit of their own desires.

Aimee got back to her senses when a little kid bumped onto her.

Eyes wide open, the kid immediately said, “I’m sorry!” And ran away when he was chased by other little kids while they chuckled.

Aimee smiled at the sight of kids playing. Families were talking, friends laughing as they strolled, and noises of vendor’s bells as they attracted customers, sounds that little Aimee recognized. The Circle Park in Quezon city is her go-to place to have fun. Sometimes she would play with the kids or simply watch them chase each other around while she satisfies her childlike cravings with ice cream.

A familiar sight quickly draws pure delight to Aimee’s face. 

“Cotton candy!” 

But instead of rushing toward the vendor, her lips pouted when she saw a kid taking big bites from a hotdog on a stick in her left hand and panda-shaped cotton candy in the right. She skipped toward the kid with a smile.

“Cute! Your cotton candy is so cute! C-Can you give me some?” Aimee pleaded with a pout and sat beside the kid. 

The kid blankly stared at her; her mouth gaped open as it was about to bite on her cotton candy. She just threw Aimee a side-eye before casually moving away from her.

Little Aimee only pouted more when the park’s joyful noise went silent after a loud slap.

“How many times should I tell you that our problem will only be OUR problem! You don’t have to tell your parents about it, Celia! Why don’t you use your brain sometimes? What you did only worsened the situation between us!” A man screamed in anger after striking his wife with his palm.

With a hand on her right cheek, the wife cried in agony, “I-Is it wrong to tell my parents the truth? Is it wrong to seek help and tell them I’m a battered wife? Everything I’ve told them was true, you were never a good husband to me and not even a good father to your children! I’m the one who pays the finances, takes care of the kids, and cooks food for you! I don’t think I deserve to be beaten to death every time you enter our home’s door!” The woman chased her breath, trembling in both pain and anger. “I-I’m trying to revive this family…when will you realize your own mistakes?”

Her husband shook his head and sneered. “You’re getting insane.” He carried his child with him, turned around, and was about to walk away when his wife, unbothered by the eyes around her, grabbed him by the shirt. 

“Don’t you ever turn your back on me! We’re not done talking, yet.  See! This is the problem with you, instead of trying to fix our problems, you walk away! And where are you going? To your mistress? You have children other than Yana, remember that!” 

The man removed his wife’s hands gripping on his shirt and faced her. 

“Those are not my children. And I wish I really do have a mistress; I want you to know how much I desire to leave you—!” 

“BULLSHIT!” she yelled and slapped him. “I gave you my everything! Is this what you’ll make me feel in exchange for my love for you, you selfish bastard!” She sobbed hard and almost fell to her knees. Two young boys rushed beside the woman, both crying innocently while holding onto their mother. “W-Why? Why are you doing this? Why did this happen to u-us?!” The woman shrieked, throwing weak punches at her husband.

Boiling with anger, the latter pushed her with all his strength. And the woman fell on the floor with a loud thud. She could hardly breathe. The little boys wrapped their tiny arms around their mothers, without a single knowledge of what was happening.

“Now, you want to know why? Your attitude! Your past relationships ended because of how bad your attitude is! Your friends turned their back on you because of that filthy attitude of yours!” he growled, veins popping out his neck. Furious, he walked away with his little girl.

The woman’s wailing, the young boys’ sobs, and the loud gossip of those who have witnessed, all together entered Aimee’s head and kept repeating over and over like a broken disc track. Aimee closed her eyes hard. Her hands gripped on her head, even pulling hair from the scalp until she heard a loud, long, ringing sound from her ears.

“A-Aaaaah…” Aimee silently groaned in pain as flashes of the past began to play in her head.

“Allen? Where are you going? Why are your bags with you? W-Why wouldn’t you answer me?!”

“Can you please stop acting like you know nothing?!”

“But w-why are you leaving?! Are you just gonna leave us to rot here? Am I not e-enough?”

“I can’t stand you anymore! I do not want to see your face ever again!”

“M-Mom…Mommy please get out of the room. Let’s eat, you need to eat. I want to see you, p-please…” The little girl sobbed as she tried to open the door of her mother’s room. After she finally found the key, she opened the door only to witness a horrible sight: her mother bathing with her own blood as she tried to kill herself.

“Excuse me, are you okay?” A lady approached Aimee that was writhing in pain.

“Is there anything wrong? Are you hurt? How are you feeling?” Another one went near and checked on her.

“That man was terrible. Where did he get the guts to argue and abuse his wife, and in public!”

“They could’ve just talked about it in private, there are kids here, they have kids too! Men are horrible! Poor lady.”

Aimee’s hands halted from pulling her hair, her body froze from trembling and squirming.

“Hey, are you okay—"

“Of course, I’m okay,” she said, nonchalantly. She removed the old lady’s hand on her shoulder using only two of her fingers, extending her pinky finger. Her face showed disgust as she wandered her eyes to those around her and stood up.    

The concerned women were extremely astonished. They were just trying to help but were rather insulted by her bratty attitude.

“You don’t have to care for me, I can handle myself. W-Where am I?” She looked down and her eyes grew wide. “What are these?! Who wears clothes like—argh! Aimee!” Her face crumpled as if she was nauseous.

“She definitely has a loose screw in the head. Weird kid,” the other old lady blurted out.

“Well, I’m going! I refuse to be infected with such,” another one said, and they marched away from her, still throwing her with deadly glares.

“Whatever!” She rolled her eyes on them and shook her hands off her clothes. “Oh, my god! Calm yourself, Misty! Just calm yourself. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, ex—argh! Where are her bills? I need a makeover!”