UNTIL WE MET ( Pain Was My Companion).

"I am so proud of you Acapella." My mum said while rubbing my hair softly. I was so happy with the attention I was receiving right now.

Mum and Dad are so pleased with me right now and I am happy I pleased them for the first time ever.

Everyone is so proud of me and are giving me compliments, all except for Cruella. The black sheep of this family but unfortunately it's only I who knows her true behavior. To the rest of the family and outsiders, she is the perfect, pure and lovely girl who can't hurt a fly.

Funny right? For that's is the total opposite of her. Even at school, she is the most popular girl going out with the most handsome and popular guy in our school Austin Tucker who happens to be my crush. But somehow Cruella found out about it by sneaking into my room when I was not around and reading my diary and till now she does not hesitate to rub it in my face she is dating a guy that I can never have and could only dream of dating.

Cruel right? but to other people, she's not. In fact, everyone in school wants to be her friend and that sickens me a lot. Why could not they just see her for who she is, A witch.

"Well, I guess being a nun is the only good thing life has to offer you, I mean who would want to date an ugly, shapeless lady like you more so of marrying you?" She asked.

"So, being a Nun suits you since that's the only way you can bring honor to our family" She snickered.

I always wondered what I ever did to her to always want to hurt me in words and treat me like an outsider. Ever since we were young, she had always pushed me away and treated me like trash.

If I told you that people from our high school only knew that we were siblings on the day of our graduation when our parents came to support us, would you believe me? I doubt so. Even when we entered college, she went around telling people I was adopted, she also added.

"How can such an ugly duckling like her be my blood sister?" Those words hurt me so much when I heard them.

Immediately we got home, I dragged her to my room with her struggling of course, and asked her why she hated me and what I ever did to her to treat me like trash. Her response was simple. She said "I hate you because I have to call someone as ugly as you my sister!"

Of course those words hurt me to bones but I just faked a smile and left her room. It's was only Sundays when we were in church I get to be happy because I always get to listen to the word of God.

I mean is not't it fascinating that Jesus walked on water, brought people back to life and turned water to wine and so many more miracles. But then I always asked myself this question.

' If God could do all those, then why did he make me ugly and my sister beautiful?'

Then one day I had the answers to my questions. It was a Sunday afternoon, after service our priest came to announce the form for those who wanted to become nuns were out. And then it hit me, being a Nun was what I was meant for.

Apart from it bringing good image to our family name, it will also make me the bride of Jesus and would also make me be able to get closer to him and learn a lot more about him. So immediately we got home, I told my parents about my decision and I could say for the first time ever, they gave me a genuine smile and ever since then, they have been pampering me a lot, giving me everything I wanted but that did not 't sit well with Cruella.

She loves getting all the attention and is so pissed off at the thought of our parents giving all their attentions to me now as it was supposed to be since I'm the last born anyway.

When we got to school, she went ahead to tell everyone about my decision to be a Nun, a lot of people mocked me saying it was what fitted me especially her minions and she did not 't even bother stopping them, she even joined them in making fun of me and that still hurts even though I am used to it, but lately something surprising has been happening.

Austin, my crush has always been there to defend me anytime some of cruella's minions comes to bully me and he has also been hanging out with me lately and this got Cruella so mad for two days ago she confronted me in front of the whole school but Austin came again and defended me in front of everyone and also scolded her.

Then she furiously told him to choose between her and I . To the utmost shock of everyone including me, He picked me and also declared his love for me in the process. I was so shocked that I almost fainted but he caught me while Cruella ran away in tears with her minions following right behind to console her.

To be honest,I was happy with all that just happened. Finally someone chose me or so I thought.

After we left the scene, I took him to the back of the school and explained to him he didn't have to lie just to save me and then he shocked me again by saying he wasn't lying and was saying the truth. Then he tried to convince me otherwise not to become a nun saying he knows I feel the same way as he does for Cruella told him.

I declined his proposal and told him I already made my choice but he insisted and asked me to think about it for two days and then come and give him my reply at his place then he left before I could refuse.

I was confused and did n't know what to do but then when I saw how my parents were bragging to people about me and the look of pride on their faces, I couldn't do it and immediately texted Austin I was coming to give him my reply tonight.

When it got dark, I left for his house and when I got there, he led me to his sitting room and then I told him of my decision. "I am sorry Austin, but I am going to continue with my wish" I said. "Are you sure this is really what you want?" He asked and turned to look at me. I nodded.

If that's your wish, then I have no choice but to abide by it." He said.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief for I expected insults and disgust.

"Yes" He nodded.

"Oh! Thank you so much" I said smiling at him in appreciation.

"It's okay but to celebrate you having your confirmation tomorrow, let's have a drink" He said. Well since it's was just a drink, I agreed but I told him non-alcoholic and he agreed and got me a fruit juice while he took beer. We drank, laughed and chatted and then suddenly I started to feel sleepy so I got up and told him that I was about to leave and he said okay that he would drive me home and I nodded but suddenly I collapsed against him and he swept me in his arms and headed to what looks like his bedroom where he dropped me on the bed and started taking my clothes off.

Immediately I realized what was happening and started struggling with him but he was far stringer and besides I was drugged.

' He drugged me?' I wondered in fright finding it difficult to believe. I felt my dress leaving my body exposing my chest to the cold air. I started struggling again and muttered.

," Please" I could feel tears threatening to fall but I guess he didn't care for he just ignored and roughly tied my hands up. I winced in pain at his brutal strength,tears rolling down my cheeks.

" Please" I whispered again hoping it will move him but sadly no. He took advantage of me and raped me taking away my virginity in the process.

Why did I have to trust him?

' Oh no' I thought as I passed out.

The bright shinning light brought me awake. I opened my eyes slowly and raised my hand up to prevent the light from blinding my eyes then I realized I was naked and wasn't also in my room.

" Where am I ?" I muttered and tried raising up a little to scan my environment but yelped instantly due to the throbbing pain in my thighs.

Then everything that happened last night came crashing back and hit me. I instantly turned to the side of the bed but saw no one except a note. I summoned courage and picked it up with trembling hands. I opened it slowly and broke down into tears at what I saw.

" Thanks for Pat night, can't remember the last night I popped someone's cherry especially a soon to be Nun" .

I can't remember how long I stayed on the bed crying but it must have taken hours for I heard the 9pm bell ring meaning my confirmation was in an hours time. I immediately jumped out of his bed and got dressed before dashing off to church.

At the entrance,I was stopped by a smirking Cruella.

" Here comes the nun" She mocked but I just ignored her and was walking pass her when she held me back by my hand.

" I don't have time for this Cruella" I said angrily yanking her hand off me. She gave a stunned expression for I had never done that to her before but soon it was replaced by a glare.

" Where are you coming from?" My heart skipped a bit at her question but I managed to control my expression and replied.

" None of your business" I attempted walking pass her again but froze at her next words.

" Did Austin give you a nice time?" She asked sarcastically.

' What did she mean by that?' I thought. Then it hit me and I hastily turned to face her. She had a victorious smile on her face at my expression.

' Lord please no, do not let it be what I am thinking' I pleaded in mind.

" Cat got your tongue" She mocked. I was about replying her when I heard Mum's cheerfully voice.

" Acapella, there you are." She said and I turned slowly to see her mum with a smile plastered on her face, Dad too was behind her and they were all giving the ' I am proud of you' look.

' Would they still be after I told them what has happened?' I wondered and scoffed at my naivety.

" It's will Soon be time" Mum said holding my two hands in hers. I struggled to hold back my tears at such gesture.

' How long I had wished for this,their love. I finally got it and now it's about to be taken away ' I thought.

" Let's get you dressed" Dad said and mum nodded. They totally ignored Cruella's presence and when mum saw I was not moving,she attempted pushing me towards the dressing room.

"Mum, dad" I called out slowly with fear. "I have something to say" I told them while releasing my arm from my mum as they looked at me confused.

"What is the problem Acapella? "Dad asked. "Are you nervous about your dedication? If it's about that you don't need to worry because we would be right there beside you." He said while mum nodded with a smile.

"It's not that." I said.

"Then what is it? There is not 't much time left." Mum reminded me impatiently and I gulped .

"I am no longer pure." I broke the bombshell.

At first they did not 't get me, they looked confused and I think suddenly it hit them for they both screamed while Mum rushed to me and held my shoulders.

"Acapella, this is not the time for jokes." Mum said obviously praying inside her for me to be telling a lie, even I wish I was, but too bad it's was the truth, I was not telling a lie.

"I don't think she is." My dad said noticing my sad look and looking at me in disbelief. My mum moved back from me and then suddenly she rushed towards me and gave me a resounding slap even Cruella was shocked by her actions.

I put my palm on my cheek and looked at her stunned with tears rolling down my cheeks.

"You whore!" She screamed as she struggled for dad to free her so she could do more than just slapping me. My cheek stung badly.

"Why do you always bring disgrace to this family, why are you born with such bad luck?" She asked fuming and still struggling to release herself from dad's hold.

"It's okay honey" Dad pleaded.

"Yes mum, Dad is right." Cruella said as she came closer to where we were standing. "Don't waste your energy on her, she is not worth it." She added.

Suddenly my dad turned to look at me with a disappointing gaze and that stung me so much because I felt like a failure. God, what am I saying? I am already a failure. I have been one from birth, I mean nothing ever worked out or went as I wished.

"Acapella" Dad called with a disappointed voice. "I am so disappointed in you." He said as both mum and Cruella threw me a look of disgust.

"As your punishment for disgracing us, you will go out there in front of the whole congregation and priest and tell them of what you have done and then ask for forgiveness."He said and I gasped.

"We will not let you soil our family name anymore!" He added and I nodded to his words.

You guys might be wondering about why I did not 't tell them about the rape or who did it but no one will believe me.

Austin's father was the mayor of this town and besides even if it was true, what is my excuse for going alone to his house at night and not informing anyone about it except I was looking for something?

Besides they did not 't even bother asking how I lost it, they just assumed I did it willing which means they would not even believe me if I told them the truth so why should I bother wasting my time arguing about it.

"I wish you were exchanged at birth, if that had happened, we would not be experiencing such disappointment and disgrace right now." Mum spat with sneer in her eyes as she finally wiggled out of dad's embrace and left the room with dad following her leaving just Cruella in the room with me.

As I expected Cruella busted into laughter the moment Mum and Dad left.

"I see Austin did a very good job." She said.

"How is he in bed?" She asked with a dangerous smile on her face.

I ignored her and continued weeping silently.

"Aww, did mum and dad's words hurt you?" She mocked..

"Sorry, I am sure they did not mean it especially the part where you should have been exchanged with another baby at birth." She mocked again and started laughing while more tears just rolled down my cheeks.

"Why did you do this to me?" I asked her as I faced her completely.

"I never did anything to you so why can't you just leave me be!" I yelled at her startling her for I had never raised my voice at her before,I mean I never had the guys to but this time,she had gone over board.

All she did was punish me away. "Don't you get it?" She asked, hatred laced in her voice.

"I hate your mere sight" She explained and rolled her eyes at me before continuing.

"Just because you were going to be a Nun, you felt at the top of the world, now it's has been snatched from you like a piece of paper, how do you feel?" she asked.

"Down of the world? You know it would be better if you actually die, I am sure no one will miss you, you would not even last a second in their memories for you are not important to anyone and you have no friends." she said and made to move out but suddenly stopped and turned.

"But wait! Your books might miss you, nerd." She added.

All I could do was stare at her and shed tears. I mean she was right, if I was dead, no one would remember me because they all hate me and wish I had never been born most especially my parents, so I guess that's an option.

Mum suddenly entered the room and when she saw Cruella, she gave her a pleasant smile but when she turned towards me, she gave a deep disgusted look like my mere presence irks her, well I am sure it does.

"You would be out to announce your disgrace and embarrassment in five minutes." She spat with bale and I nodded.

Then she turned to Cruella with a smile and said "Let's go, don't let her influence you with her bad luck, she is filled with it." She added as she took Cruella's hand and left the room leaving me there in pain.

I slowly fell to the ground as I cried my heart out. "Why me?"

5 MINUTES LATER.

I stood shaking deeply in the confession box while everyone stared at me with judgmental faces. Almost everyone from school including Austin were here to witness how I would disgrace and embarrass myself.

"Miss Johnson, is it true about you being defiled?" The priest asked me.

"Ye-Yes." I stammered as everyone gasped, while Cruella smiled widely.

"Would you mind sharing the details of how it happened?" The priest asked. A question my own parents never bothered to ask about and I turned to look at Austin and he was staring back at me with remorse.

' Oh don't be a fool again' I cautioned myself. ' He probably has another evil up his sleeves' I thought.

I looked away from his face and looked at the priest.

"Miss Johnson, would you mind giving us an answer?" The priest asked again.

I did not reply and only continued to look around suddenly I felt hot all over my body with headache, stomach pain and dizziness. Looks like the poison is finally taking effect.

Yes! I had a bottle of poison with me just in case something goes wrong and since Cruella also suggested it, I decided to take it and wait for the effects. I felt the priest voice became distant and I collapsed on the floor, that was the last thing I remembered.

" Beep-Beep-Beep" I heard the beeping noise of the machine and woke up only to find myself in an unfamiliar room, I looked towards my side and saw drips attached to my palm.

'Please, no!', I gasped the realization. Don't tell me I am not dead. My question was answered when the door to the room opened and the doctor entered with a clipboard in his hand and a stethoscope around his neck.

"Miss Johnson right." He called.

. "Please, just Acapella." I struggled to say.

"Alright, Acapella it is" He called as he gave me a warm smile. "It is said here that you took a deadly poison." He said and I turned to look away.

"In fact I am still surprised how you are alive!" He said. ''Looks like God really favours you!" He added as he looked into his clipboard. I scoffed inside me at the doctor's remark.

Favours me indeed! If he truly does favour me, he would not have allowed all these to happen to me, I mean I thought God always stand behind his followers like he did for Elijah at Mount Carmel but why did he not do so for me?

' Did he want me as his bride?' I wondered. Maybe he did not. I smiled sadly at the thought of even God not wanting as his bride.' Am I that bad,Why did he create me then?' I chuckled sadly as I kept having countless thoughts.

"Acapella" The doctor called. I turned to look at him curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you try to take your own life?" He asked.

I turned away and faced the other side.

"It's okay if you don't want to answer" He said. "But just remember there are times when we feel so lonely, there are times when we feel so left out, when we feel like everyone has abandoned us including God but just remembered he never does and he never did, there is this saying 'everything happens for a reason' so he might only make bad things happen to us so as to prepare us for a better and special thing." He added. "Remember that." The doctor said and left.

I admit that was a great speech but he somehow made no sense to me.

' I mean how would God abandon us and cause us pain just to prepare us for special things?' I wondered.

It does not sound right to me. Anyway, that's his own opinion.

Suddenly the door opened and the person who walked in surprised me.

"Hey!" He greeted.

"If your girlfriend sent you here to come and check if I am still hurting, tell her I am and she should come here herself next time so I can rip her face with my sharp fingers." I said to him in fury.

" Whoa, easy tigress, nobody sent me and I did not come here to fight." He said.

. "What are you here for then?" I asked. "To mock me?" I asked again.

"I am here to check how you are doing." He said and I suddenly busted into laughter, but deep down,immense fury was building in me .

He looked at me confused as to what was funny.

"Austin, you and your pitiable sense of humor!" I commented. " Look, don't bother pretending to care for me." I said. "Just tell me what you are really here for." I added.

"I just told you what I am for 2 minutes ago " He reminded "To check your health if you are doing okay."He added.

"Or to check if I am dead?" I asked giggling but he just ignored me and continued.

"But why would you want to kill yourself like, to take your own life?" He asked in wonder.

"Go and ask the goggle machine, I am sure it would love to tell you why Acapella Williams tried to take her own life." I said sarcastically. Austin looked at me like I have grown two heads.

"Acapella" He called in disbelief.

"Since when did you start talking or replying this way?" He asked while I just snorted and ignored him.

"I guess I owe you an apology!" He said and I looked at his face and he had somewhat like a guilty expression on his face but I just scoffed out loud, he was not going to fool me again.

" Save it and I think you should make use of the door" I said as I turned on my side.

"Wait! Are you trying to ask me out?" He asked with a gasp.

"No" I replied and he sign in relief.

" I am not trying to ask you. I already did and now please do so and get out before I scream security!" I said obviously annoyed with his presence.

"Acapella, it has not come to this. " He pleaded. "Please let's sort all these out" He begged.

I suddenly turned to face him startling him. "There is nothing to sort out, get out." I screamed.

"Acapella, please!" He begged.

"Out!" I screamed again alerting the nice doctor and the security, because they both rushed into my ward.

" What is going on here?" The nice doctor asked.

"Please send him out!" I begged.

"Acapella, it's has not...." He tried to say but the nice doctor cut in

"You heard her loud and clear, she asked you to leave!" He said while Austin looked at me one last time before finally leaving.