A young six year old Suzy, hiding herself from a wall and peeking as her mother snapped wildly at her father, accusing him of cheating on her with another woman, grew very anxious.

“Why did you go see her?” Mrs. Bae questioned her husband maliciously, her eyes filled rage, clenching her fist, gritting her teeth as if it was about to break.

“We just had a little lunch together. That’s all.” Mr. Bae said in protest, creating many gestures.

“Oh really you only had a little lunch?” there was a mocking tone in Mrs. Bae’s voice. “So touching her legs ually and having your bodies so close to each other that it’s touching is just having a ‘little’ lunch together? Wow you’re really something!” she shouted at him, turning the other way as she was about to leave but, was caught in her husband’s grasp.

“Let me go” Mrs. Bae was trashing around the place, trying to escape her husband. “No I need you to listen to me.” he said. Mrs. Bae didn’t listen. All she wanted to do is erase her husband’s face. He was holding her tightly too hard that it left marks on her wrist. Mrs. Bae trashed and kicked her husband.

“Will you stop and listen to me?!!” Mr. Bae shouted at his wife. His eyes were filled with anger. He wanted his wife to shut up and listen but, she wasn’t that kind of woman to listen to a man who sheared her heart into tiny pieces. Mr. Bae had enough of her nonsense but, his wife didn’t stop. Unconsciously, Mr. Bae raised his hand, slapping his wife across her face. Everything grew silent.

The six year old Suzy gasped at her father action causing tears to form in his daughter’s eyes. Suzy wanted to go help her mother but, never had the will to. Her mother stood there in shock; there were tears rolling down her eyes. She looked at her husband who looked flabbergasted as well but, the anger washed it all away. Mr. Bae approached her, trying to touch his wife but, Mrs. Bae shouted at him. Without thinking, she grabbed the vase on the counter beside her and smashed it on her husband’s head.

Mr. Bae stood up still then, slowly fell to the ground. Mrs. Bae just watched as he did. Suzy screamed at the blood oozing down. Mrs. Bae’s world grew silent. All she heard was nothing not even the cry of her own daughter. She was bewildered of her doing and she knew from that point on, nothing was ever going to be the same.

“Mommy” Suzy cried, shaking her mother. “Mommy what have you done? Mommy what’s wrong with you? Do something! Mommy!” Suzy kept shaking her mother but, her mother heard nothing; she could hear anything except for her own heartbeat.

There was a knock on the door. “Hello” a friendly woman’s voice said behind the door. The voice belonged to Mai, Suzy’s babysitter. She knocked on the door again then the door was opened. Mai stepped inside, having a warm smile shining across her face but, the sight of blood and a broken vase along with a dead husband erased it. Mai screamed and shouted horrible things at Mrs. Bae. Mai ran outside.

* * *

The police and ambulance arrived. The whole neighborhood watched everything that was happening. The police handcuffed Mrs. Bae. Everyone is the neighborhood gasped as she was taken into the car. Suzy came out of the house, running to her mother.

“Mommy” she called for her but, her mother didn’t listen. Her mother ignored the cry of her helpless daughter. Mrs. Bae was in the car; she gave no emotion.

“Mommy” Suzy cried desperately but, again, her mother gave her no attention. The police car drove away.

There was much chatter among the neighbors especially among the older women.

“I can’t believe she did that.” a women with long curly black hair and a petite body.

“I never knew she was that kind of woman.” Another one said.

“She’s such a vile woman” another said, shaking her head in shame.

Suzy heard the commotion among the women and grew anger. They didn’t know the reason why her mother did that. They had no right to say such horrid things about her! Suzy ran to the women. “Be quiet” she yelled at them, clenching her fist, puffing her cheeks. “You don’t deserve to say those things about my mother! You don’t know half the story. Leave her alone!”

After lecturing the women, Suzy ran off. The women looked at her. “That must be her daughter.”

“I feel bad for her daughter. She must have gone through so much with her mother.”

“Her mother is a bad influence on her. Just look at her. She came at us and yelled at us. That little girl has no respect.”

* * *

Suzy’s grandmother arrived and took Suzy to her house. Suzy spoke no word to her dear grandmother. The reason being her grandmother, before they drove to her home, explained that she won’t see her mother for a while and Suzy lashed out at her grandmother. Suzy had no intention of living with her grandmother and leaving her mother alone but, she was only a young girl. She didn’t know that much of what was going on.

They reached her grandmother’s home, leaving the car, and heading inside the house. Suzy went up to the spare room and slammed the door shut, making sure no one was going to bother her.

Her grandmother knocked on the door softly then, opened it, walking into the room. Suzy was facing the wall with a stoic face. Her grandmother sat next to her, smoothening her hair.

“Everything is going to be alright, Suzy” her grandmother said. Suzy didn’t smile at her grandmother’s word but, she took it to heart that everything was going to be alright.

* * *

The six year old Suzy walked to her school, trying to smile after everything that has occurred last week. She walked in the gate of her elementary school but, as she walked in, she received many negative looks from the parents of the children. She had an uneasy feeling rushing down her stomach. Suzy ignored them and continued her day.

Suzy was drawing peacefully. She drew a rose and tried to show it to her teacher.

“Look what I drew Mrs. Chan” Suzy smiled brightly, showing her drawing off. But Mrs. Chan ignored the innocent little girl. Suzy tried showing her again and again. She followed her teacher around.

Finally, her teacher faced her. “Stop” her teacher demanded. “Stop following me” her tone was filled with anger. Suzy looked at her, scared of her teacher. She nodded and left her teacher. Why did her teacher act like this? 

During recess, Suzy walked happily to her best friend IU, or that’s what she thinks she is. IU noticed Suzy walking to her.

“Hey IU” Suzy said with glee. IU didn’t reply to Suzy’s call; she only continued to play in the sandbox. Suzy was bewildered by her response. “IU” Suzy stood next to her. IU stood up and walked away. “Hey” Suzy ran after her.

“Stop” IU demanded. Suzy stopped and looked at her friend. “What’s wrong IU?” Suzy asked. IU didn’t dare to look at Suzy. “I can’t be your friend anymore.” IU said.