A Simple Mistake: Prologue (edited)

Authors Note: this is sort of a mix between Other Fiction and Romantic Fiction. There is a side note of romance, but the main story line is just simply about a girl becoming a woman. We'll just call it a coming of age a little late

And for those that want it Original

Isn’t it interesting how those little moments from your past will affect your future? How just one little instance will stick with you until you’re a grown adult, and for some reason, no matter how many years go by, you still dwell on them?

When I was six years old I dropped a glass plate on the kitchen floor, watched it shatter, and simultaneously burst into tears. It had been an accident, of course. An unintentional case of severe butter fingers, but my mind wouldn’t let me believe it.

Why did you do that?

Now it’s broken and it’s all your fault.

My mother stared at me, blinking repeatedly. “What the hell is wrong with you? You dropped a plate; it’s not a big deal,” she said, rolling her eyes and picking up the pieces of glass.

I sniffled a few times and dried my tears. Nothing was ever said about the broken plate again, but I always remembered that moment.

Thirteen years later and I still take that mentality with me, I have heard on numerous occasions by countless people that it’s no big deal; I am just being crazy.

They’re right, you know?

There is this overly dramatic state of being that has plagued me my whole life. People have always called me an attention whore, and it’s probable that they are right.

I stared at my locker, utterly dumbfounded, and then checked my pockets once more. No key. My head hit the metal with a thump and I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose and trying to keep tears from welling up.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

The key to my locker was, naturally, inside of my locker. I thunked my head against the metal a few more times for good measure.

I sighed heavily and trudged to my boss’s office. “Ray, if—hypothetically, of course, I accidentally locked my key to my locker inside if my locker, who would I speak to about that?” I asked with a cheeky grin.

All humor on the outside, that was me, but inside I was mentally destroying myself.

What the hell is wrong with you?

How could you make such a moronic mistake?

You’re disgusting.

The problem was that it was a simple mistake. A little blunder that thousands of people had made before me and thousands would make after me. It was easy; unlock locker with key, set key inside of locker, forget, close door, lock locker. I ridiculed myself mercilessly for it.

My boss glanced up from his computer. “Talk to Jean. I think he handles all the keys.”

“Thanks.” I smiled again; a fake cheesy smile that everyone believed.

I talked to Jean, and the problem was fixed immediately. I should have let it drop right then, but I didn’t. I continued the self torment all day, torturing my own mind with harsh bitter insults.

Over a simple mistake.