Post by Violet Ripley on Aug 21, 2014 23:40:54 GMT -5
A slightly grainy you-tube video blog starts up, the unreadable face of Evelyn Taylor fills the screen. Not much of her body can be seen besides the top of her cleavage above the scoop neckline of her tank top. Her hair is pulled back into a pony tail, although some hair has fallen loose around her face. She fills her lungs with a deep breath before speaking
"Seems that Miss Roberts likes to make assumptions and exaggerate the truth. I can't say I'm exactly surprised. I did call it. I don't expect someone that had everything handed to her to understand and know hardships. I wouldn't expect a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth to know what it felt like to have to fend for herself."
She takes a deep sigh
"She played exactly how I expected she would. Taking cheap shots at a topic she knows nothing about. She says I ran from a difficult situation, tell me something Mackenzie, did your father beat you? Did you father lock you in closets? Did he hit you with belts, throw things at you? How many broken bones did YOU suffer at the hands of your father? The answer of course is that none of those things have befallen you. Actually I'm pretty certain that the ONLY thing you've ever had to work at in your life was learning to walk in those knock off designer shoes."
Evie offers the camera a smirk
"If you had any idea what you were talking about you'd know that NO-ONE would willingly stay or go back to a man that beat you. Well maybe that's not entirely true, plenty of abuse victims show sympathy for their abuser because they loved them, so guilt trips with words of sorry and promises of change drew them back home. One thing you should know... I didn't love him and he NEVER felt remorse for his actions."
She closes her eyes, its obvious from the strain on her face that she's trying to keep her emotions in check
"Now, you decided to take this one step further over the moral line by assuming my birth was a mistake. No... It wasn't. But if you had bothered to verify your words before spewing that verbal diarrhea you would have known that the cause of my parents issues was from unemployment. See not everyone is born into wealth. Most people have to work hard and prove themselves. You know Mackenzie, I gave you an opportunity to prove that my initial assumptions about you were un-true but instead you've only validated them. There is not a humble bone in your body."
She shrugs
"All that being said doesn't change the logistics and pure statistics for this match... Wait... Are these words too big for you to understand sweetie? Let me break it down into socialite speak. "
She smirks again before continuing
"Like I'm totally stronger and better prepared for this than you. And also that crown totally clashes with your skin tone anyway, like duh."
Evie flips her hair and tries to appear serious to the camera before bursting into hysterical laughter. Once she regains her composure she continues.
"Now I am pretty easy to get along with. I am usually a really nice person. That is of course until you prove yourself a liar. I have no patience for people that hide from the truth. I have been open about my past. I hope my story will give other young girls the courage to get help when faced with the same challenges. I didn't use it to get sympathy or for you to use to try and make me seem weak. So I have to thank you Mackenzie because all you've done is make me look better and made yourself look like a callous, petty and jealous child."
She gives a sympathetic half smile
"Better get your crying towel ready my dear because not only will you not be going to be wearing a legitimate crown, you won't even make it past me. In fact I hope I can use my very special finisher against you. I hope you're a pretty fainter."
She goes to turn off the camera but stops
"And just a word of advice to the other ladies, I'm playing to win so better bring your best or get out of my way. I will be walking out of this the Queen."
She smiles, leaning forward she smiles before the scene fades out on her face.
.::November 21, 2002::.
"....Evelyn. In my office again?"
He's a middle age man, the principal. He always had this look in his eyes whenever I sat across from him, which was always at least once a week.
I could only nod before avoiding his eyes. He sighs before steepling his hands on the desk, leaning forward.
"Nothing to say about the incident today?"
I had shook my head. It was what I always did. Usually my reason for being in his office was because of fighting. Kids always started things with me, whether it was because of my clothes, my father's obvious obsession or sometimes the fact that my arms and legs were usually littered with bruises. I'd always claimed to be clumsy even if my physical education grades were always my best, or that I excelled on both the school basketball and softball teams. For a while, I ignored the caterwauling, the dirty looks, the obvious whispering. It's true what they say....children really are the cruellest of all human beings, other girls especially.
"You know this is the third time in the last few weeks I've had you in here for fighting." He shakes his head but he still doesn't appear angry at me. I didn't recognize it then but I've seen that look before many times in my adulthood. It was a look of knowing, compassion and a look that said they wanted to help. "You know I have to suspend you, right?"
My face dropped. I assume now that it must have been complete and utter terror at the prospect of not only the punishment I would endure at my Father's hands for getting in trouble again but also that I would be locked inside that house for an entire week. No escape.
The principal closed his eyes. I know it had been him that had called Children's aid the last time but my father had fooled them into thinking he was a model parent. He pulls out a piece of paper and scribbles down something, folds it and pushes it across the desk.
"I'll give you an in-school suspension and that..." He goes back to pushing his fingertips together, "That's a phone number. Its a hotline for kids. If you ever want to talk to someone, you can call. Its 24 hours. Anytime."
I'd reached forward to take it and my sleeve had ridden up, revealing a brand new purple bruise on my forearm. He notices this and the concern on his face is evident, although at that time I was more scared that I would get in trouble. I immediately pull the sleeve down before whispering, "I fell..."
"You know Evie, I have a hard time believing that. I can't make you tell on him but I hope you call that hotline. There are a lot of my former students that work there. You don't have to be scared anymore."
I remember standing, nodding my head and leaving the office. I stuffed the paper to the bottom of my bag, getting on my bike and riding to Walmart. Hiding there almost all night. It wasn't until months later that I'd found the number again, and finally being at the end of my rope had called. Part of me wondered why I had waited so long. Looking back I guess my final straw broke that summer.
I may have ran for a long time but sometimes its better to run when faced with the impossible. A 12 year old girl can't be expected to know how to handle that...in fact no girl should have to, no matter their age or stature in life. I chose to survive over trying to fight a battle I couldn't win. This battle is not like that. This is something I can definitely win and I'll go right to the end. Expect greatness from this girl, the one that stood up for herself. The one that survived.
"Seems that Miss Roberts likes to make assumptions and exaggerate the truth. I can't say I'm exactly surprised. I did call it. I don't expect someone that had everything handed to her to understand and know hardships. I wouldn't expect a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth to know what it felt like to have to fend for herself."
She takes a deep sigh
"She played exactly how I expected she would. Taking cheap shots at a topic she knows nothing about. She says I ran from a difficult situation, tell me something Mackenzie, did your father beat you? Did you father lock you in closets? Did he hit you with belts, throw things at you? How many broken bones did YOU suffer at the hands of your father? The answer of course is that none of those things have befallen you. Actually I'm pretty certain that the ONLY thing you've ever had to work at in your life was learning to walk in those knock off designer shoes."
Evie offers the camera a smirk
"If you had any idea what you were talking about you'd know that NO-ONE would willingly stay or go back to a man that beat you. Well maybe that's not entirely true, plenty of abuse victims show sympathy for their abuser because they loved them, so guilt trips with words of sorry and promises of change drew them back home. One thing you should know... I didn't love him and he NEVER felt remorse for his actions."
She closes her eyes, its obvious from the strain on her face that she's trying to keep her emotions in check
"Now, you decided to take this one step further over the moral line by assuming my birth was a mistake. No... It wasn't. But if you had bothered to verify your words before spewing that verbal diarrhea you would have known that the cause of my parents issues was from unemployment. See not everyone is born into wealth. Most people have to work hard and prove themselves. You know Mackenzie, I gave you an opportunity to prove that my initial assumptions about you were un-true but instead you've only validated them. There is not a humble bone in your body."
She shrugs
"All that being said doesn't change the logistics and pure statistics for this match... Wait... Are these words too big for you to understand sweetie? Let me break it down into socialite speak. "
She smirks again before continuing
"Like I'm totally stronger and better prepared for this than you. And also that crown totally clashes with your skin tone anyway, like duh."
Evie flips her hair and tries to appear serious to the camera before bursting into hysterical laughter. Once she regains her composure she continues.
"Now I am pretty easy to get along with. I am usually a really nice person. That is of course until you prove yourself a liar. I have no patience for people that hide from the truth. I have been open about my past. I hope my story will give other young girls the courage to get help when faced with the same challenges. I didn't use it to get sympathy or for you to use to try and make me seem weak. So I have to thank you Mackenzie because all you've done is make me look better and made yourself look like a callous, petty and jealous child."
She gives a sympathetic half smile
"Better get your crying towel ready my dear because not only will you not be going to be wearing a legitimate crown, you won't even make it past me. In fact I hope I can use my very special finisher against you. I hope you're a pretty fainter."
She goes to turn off the camera but stops
"And just a word of advice to the other ladies, I'm playing to win so better bring your best or get out of my way. I will be walking out of this the Queen."
She smiles, leaning forward she smiles before the scene fades out on her face.
.::November 21, 2002::.
"....Evelyn. In my office again?"
He's a middle age man, the principal. He always had this look in his eyes whenever I sat across from him, which was always at least once a week.
I could only nod before avoiding his eyes. He sighs before steepling his hands on the desk, leaning forward.
"Nothing to say about the incident today?"
I had shook my head. It was what I always did. Usually my reason for being in his office was because of fighting. Kids always started things with me, whether it was because of my clothes, my father's obvious obsession or sometimes the fact that my arms and legs were usually littered with bruises. I'd always claimed to be clumsy even if my physical education grades were always my best, or that I excelled on both the school basketball and softball teams. For a while, I ignored the caterwauling, the dirty looks, the obvious whispering. It's true what they say....children really are the cruellest of all human beings, other girls especially.
"You know this is the third time in the last few weeks I've had you in here for fighting." He shakes his head but he still doesn't appear angry at me. I didn't recognize it then but I've seen that look before many times in my adulthood. It was a look of knowing, compassion and a look that said they wanted to help. "You know I have to suspend you, right?"
My face dropped. I assume now that it must have been complete and utter terror at the prospect of not only the punishment I would endure at my Father's hands for getting in trouble again but also that I would be locked inside that house for an entire week. No escape.
The principal closed his eyes. I know it had been him that had called Children's aid the last time but my father had fooled them into thinking he was a model parent. He pulls out a piece of paper and scribbles down something, folds it and pushes it across the desk.
"I'll give you an in-school suspension and that..." He goes back to pushing his fingertips together, "That's a phone number. Its a hotline for kids. If you ever want to talk to someone, you can call. Its 24 hours. Anytime."
I'd reached forward to take it and my sleeve had ridden up, revealing a brand new purple bruise on my forearm. He notices this and the concern on his face is evident, although at that time I was more scared that I would get in trouble. I immediately pull the sleeve down before whispering, "I fell..."
"You know Evie, I have a hard time believing that. I can't make you tell on him but I hope you call that hotline. There are a lot of my former students that work there. You don't have to be scared anymore."
I remember standing, nodding my head and leaving the office. I stuffed the paper to the bottom of my bag, getting on my bike and riding to Walmart. Hiding there almost all night. It wasn't until months later that I'd found the number again, and finally being at the end of my rope had called. Part of me wondered why I had waited so long. Looking back I guess my final straw broke that summer.
I may have ran for a long time but sometimes its better to run when faced with the impossible. A 12 year old girl can't be expected to know how to handle that...in fact no girl should have to, no matter their age or stature in life. I chose to survive over trying to fight a battle I couldn't win. This battle is not like that. This is something I can definitely win and I'll go right to the end. Expect greatness from this girl, the one that stood up for herself. The one that survived.