Chapter 3 - All my life

Eliza POV

As I stand before my mirror and do my celebratory make-up I cannot help but think about what I saw last night. It was breaking dawn, but still, it was dark and I saw something or should I say, someone. Maybe, it's just exhaustion from constantly running from one workplace to another, but it felt somehow... familiar.

I shake my head and focus my mind on the present, where I go out and have some fun since I found out I will have a meeting at this famous filmmaking company to discuss the script I finished in the last two weeks. And fun I mean walking alone in the nearby park and drinking a cinnamon latte, occasionally I buy a pie. So, it's not too fancy but since I have no friends or family members, it's the only fun I get. 

Do you want to know why am I all alone in this big world? Well, the thing is I was only 8 years old when I got into an orphanage due to the fact I have amnesia. I have no memory of who I really am or who I belonged to before then. I didn't even remember my name, so I was called Jane Doe for a while when I lived in the orphanage. I think they didn't even bother to name me 'cause everyone hated or ignored me while I lived there. I never really understood why was that, but after asking it once I learned I shouldn't have.

They loathed me so much I got reprimanded or slapped every time I was doing something wrong. I mean, doing something wrong in their eyes, or just being existed was a crime itself... So, I was drowning myself in books, different cultures, different universes, and different people. Maybe that was the reason I got excited that I have a chance of a scholarship in a prestigious private school in Hungary. 

I was only 14 and I was so amazed by the fact I can go, it overrode all of my fears. I was lucky I met a teacher there, who was so nice to me. Her name was Abigail Cromwell and after learning about my past, she adopted me and named me Eliza. She chose this name because she loved the name and the meaning behind it. 

The name, Eliza means God's promise, and it was like I have got a mother. I did, and we enjoyed each other's presence. She was someone who I can learn from and she loved me, and not just tolerated me. Abigail taught me many things about life and taught me to have my own opinion and how to express it.

The subject I wanted to learn was limitless, she never drew a line about where should I stop or what I shouldn't learn. Thanks to her I realized my passion for writing. But I didn't want to write articles or novels, I wanted to write scripts. And she was always so supportive, I nearly couldn't believe it.

When I applied for college, Abigail told me she has someone. I was happy for her, she deserved happiness. Carl was nice to her and always there for her, but he hated me - that I will never know why -, so he took every opportunity to make me a villain in their life. At first, she didn't take it very seriously until it was too late to even talk things out...

One day, he was sleazy and told me he would ruin my relationship with Abigail if I don't sleep with him. I refused and that was the last night I spent in her loving environment.

When Carl got home the next day I was in my room and he came straight to me. He said, it's my last chance and touched my butt with one hand, and with the other, he pulled my skirt up and his fingers grazed my inner thighs. I was so taken aback by his sudden act, I tried to pull away, but his hands grabbed my hips and he rubbed his hard erection into my stomach. I pushed him away but I lost my balance and fell on my bed. He jumped on me and dry-humped me and I felt so disgusted my tears fell and then he tried to kiss me. I said no, but he didn't listen. His grip on me became violent, grabbed my hair, and pull my head to his. He only licked my open mouth for a moment when I kneed him where the sun doesn't shine.

Carl's hands let me go immediately and slide to the side, murmuring a "Bitch", when I heard a low gasp. When I looked up, Abigail stood there, her hands before her lips and a tear slipped from her eye. I felt ashamed and violated and at the same time, my heart broke for her.

"Abigail..." - I started, but when she looked at me, it was clear she hated me on sight. She ran to Carl and tried to help him up, but what she said shook me to the core.

"Go... and never, ever return..." - I felt a bit of relief. After she took me from the orphanage, she always chose me over anything, and I never hoped it would happen again because I knew she loved this sleazy garbage of a man. But I was happy she understood the situation.

But it wasn't long before I realized she talked to me. When I didn't move from my spot, she lifted her face to me, with the cruelest expression I had ever seen on her.

"I give you an hour" - she said while she helped Carl, still holding his most precious thing in his hands. "Pack anything you want" - her voice was so dangerously quiet, a shiver ran down my spine. "But you're not my daughter anymore..." - she silently shed a few tears while they walked out of my room. Carl looked at me with a smirk on his face, like he was saying: I told you.

I packed while tears ran down my face. I finished it in half an hour, I only took the clothes I bought myself. I had a job before I went to college, didn't want to rely on Abigail too much. I still had some from it, I took them too, then went down to the living room. She sat there, her dried makeup still on her face.

"I know you don't want to see me but..." - I said fighting my tears as I stood at the archway. My hands were shaking, so I just fisted them and continued: "I didn't do anything, only defended myself. Even if you don't believe me, this is the truth." - I took a deep breath, and a traitor tear slipped from my eyes when she looked up. "I'm grateful to you. You raised me, you shielded me, and taught me to be a proud woman who uses her brain." - I took a deep breath, looking straight at Abigail's teary eyes. I saw she fought with tears as well, but I decided to leave. I realized that was the only way.

"I won't bother you anymore, I will send you money to pay you back everything." - she just stared at me but didn't say anything. "Farewell, Abigail..." - and before I started to cry, I lifted my bag, turned around, and walked out of the door.

Even the weather mocked me, as it started to rain the moment I was out of Abigail's house. And as I dragged my feet from the house I called home the last few years, I bitterly asked myself: 'is it really my fate to walk alone?'