Epitome Of Uselessness

Madison leaned closer and hugged Ava, "don't you one minute ever think that you are not beautiful. That guy is just a confused fellow who doesn't know what be wants."

Ava's lips broke into a smile, "thank you, my friend."

"Have you had something to eat? I left some food for you in the kitchen," Madison said.

Ava released a breath, "I will eat later, I'm not feeling quite hungry. Aren't you supposed to be on a date with Rickie?"

"Yeah, I was waiting for you to return first, I wanted to make sure that you were okay before I left."

"Aww, thanks, I'm good, so you can go out now."

"All right then," Madison got up from the bed and walked over to their closet, she started to dress up. When she was done she came and kissed Ava on her cheek.

"I will see you in the morning,"

"You aren't coming back tonight?" Ava asked Madison.

"It's Valentine baby girl, I need to enjoy it with my man, so see you in the morning," Madison said with a wink.

"All right, have fun."

After Madison had left, Ava lay in bed thinking about her life, and all the things that she has been through. She was just 24 but she felt like she was 34. How long was she supposed to continue this way? How long was she supposed to continue with this struggle of cleaning up her mother's mess? She was missing out on life. She can't enjoy life like the rest of her age mates, and there seemed not to be any hope in sight for her.

"You are the reason why my life got ruined, you are the reason why I am this messed up. So you have to pay for its consequences!" These were the words of her mother to Ava when Ava had asked her to stop gambling and leaving her to pay up her debts.

Her mother had gotten pregnant with Ava when she was in high school, and because of the pregnancy, she had to drop out of school to take care of Ava. Her mother never ceased to remind Ava about it every single day.

Ava wiped tears from the corner of her eyes, she never asked to be born. Why bring her into this world only to hate her for every misfortune that befalls you? All her life she has been made to pay for a mistake that wasn't even her fault.

Her mother is a drug addict and a gambler, she sold everything that they had to fund her lifestyle, and one day when there was nothing more for her to sell, she tried pimping Ava out. Ava was just fourteen back then, the man was almost having his way with her, thank God for her father who came in to rescue her. It was after that day that her father took her to go live with him, but unfortunately he died in a ghastly motor accident, three years later. And Ava had to come back and live with her mother. Something in Ava died that same night and since then, she hasn't been herself. She still has nightmares from that night.

"First you ruin my life, and now you've got your father killed! You are full of I'll luck!" Her mother had said to her.

Ava's phone started ringing, pulling her out of her thoughts, she picked up from the bed and glanced at the screen, a strange number was displayed on it. She hesitated before answering the call.

"Hello?"

The person on the other side of the line was silent.

"Hello?" Ava said again. She could hear the sound of someone sniffling, it was as if the person was crying.

"Mum?"

"Ava...." Her mother called out in a shaky voice. "Ava, I need your help," her mother cried out.

Ava exhaled in exhaustion, had she known her mother was the one calling, she wouldn't have answered the phone, because the call was only about one thing, money.

"What do you want?" Ava asked, trying to control her anger.

"I need money. I'm in some trouble and I need money to get myself out," Ava's mother said.

Ava looked at the screen of the phone, wishing she could see her mother. Has she no shame? First, she borrowed a huge sum of money and ran off, and now that the money was exhausted she is calling her to send her more money.

"Ava, did you hear what I said?"

"I don't have any money to give you," Ava said in a firm voice.

"What do you mean by you don't have any money to give me? I need money and you would have to give it to me! I don't care how you do it, but I need money and you are going to get it for me!" Her mother was no longer pleading, she was making demands.

"Mum, I'm still trying to find a way to get out of the debt that you incurred before running away, and now you want me to get you more money. From where exactly?"

"Watch your tone when talking to me, I'm still your mother!"

"Then act like it, stop putting me in debts, stop calling me to demand money! I don't have any money to give to you!"

"If you don't have it then go look for it, I'm not asking for too much, I only need $500, I'm sure you have it, so give it to me!"

"I already told you that kind of money, I don't have it!"

"You've always been useless to me, I wonder why I bother calling you. Epitome of uselessness!"

As her mother ended the call, the phone dropped from Ava's hand and she burst into tears. 'Epitome of uselessness!' The words kept ringing in her head.