𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 : 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢'𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚

The blaring alarm ripped Valentina from the shallow depths of sleep. She opened her eyes to the familiar, claustrophobic confines of her storeroom, the thin sheet beneath her offering little comfort. Another day. Another battle.

She folded the makeshift mattress neatly, a small act of defiance against the chaos of her life, before moving to the grimy bathroom. Her gaze fell upon the mottled bruises blooming across her torso, a fresh reminder of her 'father's' latest lesson. A dull ache settled in her chest, but she stifled it. Pain was a constant companion.

After a quick, cold wash, she dressed in her worn-out hoodie and faded jeans, the only clothes she truly owned. Her slender fingers combed through her hair, tying it into a low ponytail to avoid the headache that always accompanied a high one.

Quiet as a shadow, she descended the stairs, relieved to find the house still steeped in silence. Her 'parents' were still asleep. This was her window. She slipped into the kitchen, quickly preparing a simple breakfast for them before grabbing a single apple for herself. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it, taking a bite as she stepped out into the pre-dawn chill.

The alley stretched before her, a familiar path to school, a temporary reprieve from her personal hell. But even here, trouble found her.

“Thud!”

A sharp pain shot through her nose. She looked up, rubbing the spot, to see Zack, her bully, smirking. Another day, another hit. She picked up the discarded book, carefully placing it on a nearby bench, a small act of respect for something that wasn't broken like her.

She made her way to the back row, her usual spot, where invisibility was a small comfort. But Zack followed, his voice a venomous hiss.

“You ignore me, didn’t you bitch?!”

“No, I didn’t, Zack,” she replied, bracing herself for the inevitable. The slap across her cheek was swift and brutal. She clenched her fists, biting back a whimper, refusing to give him the satisfaction.