Elina's Misery

(Facing the back of the camera)

Why dad? Why can’t you just do what I tell you to do for one day? For only today?

Fine. Whatever, I don’t care about you anymore either!

Well, look! I am a bad girl now. You didn’t even care about me anyway, ever. I don’t need you!

(She slams the door and plumps down on her couch. Facing the camera)

Today is a very special day for me… (sighs)

But I think I should celebrate it alone again as usual…

(Gets a piece of candy from her backpack)

Celebrating Elina Walker’s 7th birthday. Happy Birthday to me… (claps)

(Rips open the wrapper and eats the piece of candy)

At school, nobody likes me. Today, I tried to talk to the kids because I wanted to give them some candy. But they kept walking away from me when I tried to talk to them. I think I’m too weird for them maybe. Maybe because I listen to songs that other kids don’t even listen to, do weird stuff, and just other things. Maybe because I can only get good grades and can’t do anything else well. I really want to make friends and have some fun. Like we can go to the playground together and play or we can have a tea party with our stuffed animals. But… That won’t happen because I don’t have any friends. I am alone… No, not necessarily alone because I still have my bestest friend in the world sitting next to me right now. My teddy bear. I am able to go through this because I have my teddy bear.

(Holds up her teddy bear)

But one thing that does make me sad is my daddy. My daddy doesn’t love me. He doesn’t care about me at all because he doesn’t keep any of the promises he makes with me. He makes me really, really sad. I wish he loved and cared for me today because it’s my birthday, but he doesn’t… I asked him to eat cake since it’s my birthday today, but he said that it only makes them waste money. All I wanted was cake… All I ever wanted was for him to celebrate my birthday today and give me kiss on the cheek or just a hug or just even saying happy birthday to me. But he doesn’t want to give me any of it. Maybe I’m just being greedy and annoying for him. But don’t misunderstand me! I tried everything so that I can be a daughter he can be proud of. I am a good girl in school. I don’t talk loudly to my classmates when my teacher is teaching, I pay A LOT of attention during class, and I do my best in everything I do. Like I don’t even ask my daddy for help on homework that I don’t know. Most of the time, I sit alone in my room and try to figure it out. But when I can’t figure it out, I go to my mommy and ask. But I don’t ask my mommy for help a lot either because my daddy says that my mommy has other things to do, so I shouldn’t bother her. But my mommy is nice. She loves and cares for me. I’m not really sure how being loved feels like, but my mommy says she loves me, so I love her too. I love my daddy too but all he does is yell at me for doing something wrong. Like touching his stuff or putting his stuff somewhere else from where it was so he gets really scary sometimes. I wish he knows how much I love him. I wish he knows how much I am trying so that I can be his good little baby girl. Then, maybe he will start to love and care for me. Maybe… I should start today.  Since it’s my birthday, my wishes will come true right? Don’t worry,I’m just going to use a little teeny bit of magic power. Okay, then I wish for daddy to love and care for me a lot! No no no… That’s too big…. I wish for my daddy to love and care for me just a little bit. That’s good enough. I hope my dream comes true...

(Smiles)