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MIA : I just want you to know , that I ’ m not happy all the time , or perfect for that matter … But you ’ re right , I am lucky …. well , lucky I realized that hope was real …( pause , sighs ) I knew I was different ever since I was little and my mom would have pretend weddings for me with my dolls . I never wanted to marry the Ken — I wanted to marry Barbie instead . My mom thought I was just being a funny kid , but I wasn ’ t . The fact that she might be disappointed in me terrified me . My dad was never around , and she was my whole world . I couldn ’ t let her down . So I spent my entire life hiding , locking myself away from the world , concealing everything . That was until I saw two guys openly dating at my school . They were happy , in love , and … unashamed . Everything I wanted to be . I realized that by shutting myself off from my mom , I was hurting both of us . I told her who I really was , and she couldn ' t have been happier . I had been worried she wouldn ’ t accept me , but all that despair just blinded me from having hope in my mother ’ s love . I never want to waste my time like that again … and you shouldn ’ t either Ruth .
RUTH : Well , I tried that already … my story doesn ’ t end in happy rainbows .
MIA : No story does . Hope is the best thing people can have . I know things don ' t work out sometimes , but there ’ s always a way …
RUTH : I don ' t think so , Mia . Look around , and you ’ ll see it ’ s pretty bleak !… I ’ m in a janitor ’ s closet .
MIA : And I ’ m holding a flashlight , aren ’ t I ? ( Sighs ) Look , sometimes hope is blurry , or distant , or hard to see , but even when despair and darkness overwhelm you , the light will always be there . You just have to see it , and once you do , the world doesn ’ t seem like such a scary place .
RUTH ( softening ): I don ’ t know … its always been a scary place for me — with , and without you … People are never gonna stop telling me I made the wrong choice , are they ?
MIA : No one gets to choose who they are , and I hope that everyone can realize that someday . But you do get to choose every single thing that lights your way . Even when choosing despair is easier , hope will always wait for you . If you can find that light — small hopes that make you happy — then you ’ ll come to see the good things that are right in front of you .
RUTH : Like what ? Tell me , besides you , what does humanity have to offer ?
MIA : Remember how you told me about how horrible Jenny was to you ? Well , she did make some big mistakes , but the fact that she actually apologized means a lot . Ruth , hearing that one , simple statement , gave me so much hope . Hope that , deep down , everyone can recognize that we ’ re all human , and deserve just as much as anyone .
RUTH ( shakes head in disbelief ): She really did say sorry , didn ’ t she ? … ( soft voice ) Do you think my mom ever will ?
MIA : No one knows . That ’ s up to her . That ’ s a choice she can make . All we can do is hope . But , for now , you know you can always stay at my house , right ?