Michelle, a determined teenager, embarks on a journey to prove she’s not a burden after her mom abandons her and her stepdad. Despite countless obstacles, Michelle eventually faces the woman who left her.
Michelle never suspected anything was wrong until she saw her stepfather, Eugene, crying on the couch. They returned home to find a note from her mom on the coffee table, now lying on the chair next to Eugene.
Wheeling herself between the armchair and the sofa, Michelle reached for the note.
“Michelle, don’t,” Eugene pleaded, trying to stop her.
Ignoring him, Michelle grasped the paper, needing to know what was happening. As she read her mother’s words, her hands shook:
“I can’t do it anymore. I never wanted children, but I tried to care for Michelle. This burden has taken the best years of my life. Now that she’s sixteen, I’m pursuing my dream of becoming an actress before it’s too late…”
Michelle didn’t finish reading. Tears streamed down her face as she crumpled the paper. Burden—that’s all she was to her mother? She looked at Eugene.
“What about you?” Michelle asked. “Am I a burden to you too? No one would blame you if you dumped me somewhere.”
“Never!” Eugene rushed to Michelle, hugging her tightly. “I love you like my own, Shelly, and I’ll never abandon you.”
Though comforted, Michelle couldn’t shake her mom’s words. She never wanted to be a burden.
Eugene wiped her tears. “Listen, Shelly. This is awful, but you’ve done nothing wrong. It’ll be tough, but we’ll carry on without her.”
Michelle resolved to prove her mother wrong. She excelled in school and earned the highest grades, even though she chose to study cinema instead of accepting scholarships from other prestigious programs.
Over dinner, Eugene questioned her choice. “Are you sure this is what you want? You have so many options.”
“I want to be a director, Eugene,” Michelle insisted. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, as long as you’re not doing it because of your mother.”
Michelle shrugged. “I like movies, and I want to get into cinematography. She has nothing to do with it.”
But in truth, Michelle often imagined her mother’s shock if she ever auditioned for one of Michelle’s films.
One day in class, Michelle disagreed with Lila, a girl with magenta hair, over the merits of digital versus physical film. This led to a heated argument, and Lila and her friends later cornered Michelle in a hallway.
“You’re not welcome here,” Lila sneered. “I want you out of my class.”
“Get over yourself,” Michelle retorted, trying to maneuver away. But Lila grabbed her wheelchair and pushed her into a closet, locking her inside.
A janitor found Michelle half an hour later, and Eugene was furious. “You shouldn’t go back until she’s expelled,” he said.
“I’ve already pressed charges,” Michelle replied, thanking Eugene for his unwavering support.
With the help of her attorney, Mr. Abubakar, Michelle fought back against Lila, who came from a wealthy family. Despite the odds, Michelle’s determination led to Lila’s sentencing to community service.
Mr. Abubakar praised Michelle’s resilience and even suggested she consider a career in law, seeing her natural talent for research and argumentation.
Though Michelle remained focused on her dream of becoming a director, she faced ongoing harassment at school. Her classmates posted humiliating photoshopped images of her, and she realized the administration was indifferent.
Calling Mr. Abubakar, Michelle decided to switch her major to law, inspired to fight against bullies and injustices.
After seven years, Michelle graduated as a lawyer and worked at a big firm before starting her own practice, offering free legal services to the underprivileged. She underwent surgery to improve her mobility and returned to her office, ready to help her first client.
To her shock, it was her mother, Iris, seeking free legal help after a DUI accident. Iris didn’t recognize Michelle, who had changed her appearance significantly.
As they worked together, Michelle waited for her mother to realize who she was, but Iris never did. Eventually, Michelle helped reduce Iris’s sentence, even paying her fine.
When Iris finally recognized her, Michelle left, saying she no longer needed her mother’s validation. She had built a successful life helping others and had moved past her painful childhood.
Lessons from the story:
- Revenge doesn’t bring happiness. Michelle found joy and success only after she focused on helping others.
- Accept your past. Letting go of pain is essential for moving forward.
This story is inspired by real-life events. Any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental. All images are for illustrative purposes only. Share your story with us, and it might inspire someone too.
