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Navigating Life's Challenges and Misunderstandings

The document appears to be diary entries or messages from someone named Pree discussing their relationship with someone named Yvan over time. Pree expresses missing Yvan but feels he has become distant. The entries also describe Pree's home life, including being physically punished by their Aunt Lyn which causes pain and soreness. Pree has a misunderstanding with their friend Flaira after Flaira pinches Pree's already sore arm. Later at home, Pree's cousin Oxus helps with chores and they play a game of hide and seek, though the game may lead to disaster.

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Blaire Ocampo
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
6 views7 pages

Navigating Life's Challenges and Misunderstandings

The document appears to be diary entries or messages from someone named Pree discussing their relationship with someone named Yvan over time. Pree expresses missing Yvan but feels he has become distant. The entries also describe Pree's home life, including being physically punished by their Aunt Lyn which causes pain and soreness. Pree has a misunderstanding with their friend Flaira after Flaira pinches Pree's already sore arm. Later at home, Pree's cousin Oxus helps with chores and they play a game of hide and seek, though the game may lead to disaster.

Uploaded by

Blaire Ocampo
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Living in a Troubled Life

mikmws

Chapter 7

‘Are you having your exams now?’


Sent 8:47 a.m. 10/03/2016

‘Good luck! I miss you!’


Sent 10:38 a.m. 10/03/2016

‘Just finished having exams. How about you?’


Sent 4:28 p.m. 10/10/2016

‘Tell me if when’s a good time for us to talk. I love you.’


Sent 11:11 p.m. 11/15/2016

‘Hey’
Sent 5:15 a.m. 11/28/2016

‘Are you still busy?’


Sent 6:59 a.m. 12/03/2016
‘You’re not ignoring me on purpose, right? Please respond’
Sent 8:20 p.m. 12/10/2016

‘I’m not. I’m sorry, I was just too busy at home and school, I
don’t have much time to hold my phone.’
Received 9:15 p.m. 12/10/2016

‘I see. Well, at least you’re not ignoring me. I love you,


Yvan.’
Sent 9:17 p.m. 12/10/2016

‘I love you too, Pree.’


Received 9:30 p.m. 12/10/2016

‘Merry Christmas! I love you!’


Sent 12:01 a.m. 12/25/2016

I couldn’t tell but I’m starting to feel that Yvan’s being too
busy this past few months. He’s not usually this unresponsive to
me even when he’s busy before, but since he said so himself that
he’s just too busy, then I will believe him.

I just miss him so much that I am thinking of some negative


thoughts of why he’s being unresponsive to me.

So now I just need to brush off this thought.


I was walking in the hallway of our building when I feel like my
arm is going to separate from my body because it feels so heavy.

This is the consequence of what I did when I made coffee for Aunt
Lyn and for accidentally hitting Aria when Aunt Lyn was hitting
me.

I was too absorbed in my own thoughts when I was making her


coffee that I didn’t realize that I was putting more sugar into
it than usual so I got pretty scolded and was hit by her baton.

However, what shocked all three of us was when my arm that was
being hit by Aunt Lyn involuntarily moved itself brought by the
force of the baton which landed on Aria’s cheek, looking at it as
if I hit Aria. She was the nearest to me since she’s recording
every time I was being scolded by Aunt Lyn so she could make fun
of me and blackmail me whenever she wants to, that’s why she was
hit spot on by my hand when it followed the force of the baton.

Of course, Aunt Lyn hit me more than ever, saying that I’m an
ungrateful child and that I don’t have the right to hit anyone in
the family.

Reaching for my usual seat in the room, Dan and his friends
intentionally hit me on my shoulders whenever they passed me
before laughing with each other. The last guy hit my shoulders
too much that I almost stumble on myself, thankfully I was able
to balance myself. I was in pain the whole time they are hitting
my shoulders but I don’t show any pained expression so they would
leave me alone.

As soon as I reached my seat, Flaira pinched my arm so hard that


I almost lost control of my beaten arm.
I slapped her hand so hard that I almost shouted at her just so
she could release my pinched skin.

“Why did you do that for?!” she asked me.

“You were pinching my arm so hard, my muscles are sore,” I


reasoned out. I was almost crying as I spoke to her.

I thought that she’d be able to understand me but she became mad


at me for slapping her hand.

“You could have just told me to stop! Why did you have to slap
me?!”

I gasped. She’s being unreasonable!

“Why were you pinching me in the first place? You could have just
called me if you want my attention,” I answered, teary-eyed.

Flaira rolled her eyes. “Grow up, Pree. You’re being so dramatic
over there just because I pinched you,” she said.

“How would I be so dramatic when you pinched my arm so hard when


my muscles are sore?”

“You’re too emotional,” she said before clicking her tongue. She
grabbed her things and left her seat before transferring to
another seat in the lower area of the room.

I sighed.

I should be the one getting mad at her, not the other way around.
This is the first time that we’re having this kind of
misunderstanding and I don’t even know how long she will stay mad
because she has never been mad at me nor at anybody else.

I wanted to approach her but my arms were too hurt that I


couldn’t make a single move without grunting.

I just hope we’d be able to clear this misunderstanding sooner.

Arriving home, I started folding all the pillow covers that Aunt
Lyn had sewn. This is another punishment that she’d given me
aside from hitting my arm.

Truth be told, I can just skip this work and rest until I can
move my arms freely since Aunt Lyn allows me to rest for 1-2 days
whenever she beats me, or at times extending the length depending
on how heavy the physical punishment to me is. But then, I don’t
want to wait for a few more days to fold these pillow covers
since they look like a mess at the top of the couch.

I was busy folding and silently cursing all the pain when someone
covered my eyes.

Basing on the amount of body spray I could smell, this is no


doubt Oxus.

“Spring rolls and bacon,” he said, lowering his voice to match


Toper. Spring rolls and bacon are what Toper and I used to call
each other when we were kids and he usually will cover my eyes
before saying our nicknames.

I didn’t know that Oxus still remembered those nicknames. He was


our bread, and Aria was our egg, although she hated that
nickname.

“I know you, bread. You’re Oxus,” I answered.

He curled his fists and accidentally hit my left arm, causing me


to flinch. I tried my best not to make a sound when I flinched
and luckily, Oxus was too busy to have his childish tantrums to
notice me flinching.

“How were you able to still recognize me when I basically lowered


my voice?! I sounded like Toper, aren’t I?”

I laughed. He really did sound like Toper there, but thanks to


his body spray, I already recognized him from the start.

“Consider matching your body spray to Toper’s perfume then I


won’t be able to recognize you,” I said.

He grunted then sat beside me. He helped me in folding all the


pillow covers so we were able to finish folding them after few
minutes.

“You still suck at folding, Oxus,” I told him. He just looked at


me side-eyed as he finished folding the last piece. Then he
stretched his body.

“I’m bored. Want to play?” he asked.


“We’re too old to play,” I groaned. I stretched my body and
released the pain by making a loud noise.

“Your body needs some exercise. Come on, let’s play hide and
seek. You’re it!”

As soon as he said that, he started running even though I didn’t


say yes yet.

“I didn’t say I accept being it!” I yelled. But then I started


counting one to ten since I know he won’t allow me to refuse.

I started looking for him in the kitchen before I went to the


dining area.

Oxus loves playing hide and seek so much that he was able to
blend himself to wherever he’s hiding so whenever we play, he’s
always the last one to be found.

I moved slower than usual to prevent my arm from hurting so much.

The door in my room was open so I initially thought that Oxus was
hiding there.

I didn’t know that our simple game would lead to a disaster.

Common questions

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Non-verbal communication in the document plays a critical role, often conveying more truth than spoken words. Pree's silence during bullying and abuse indicates an attempt to mask vulnerability. Her flinch when Oxus accidentally hits her arm silently communicates pain that she tries to hide from others to avoid drawing attention. This highlights a coping mechanism where facial expressions or body language reveal emotional states and experiences that spoken words may disguise, particularly in volatile or abusive environments .

The narrative explores themes of resilience through Pree's ability to maintain composure and continue functioning despite the constant physical and emotional abuse she faces. Her decision to fold pillow covers despite her physical pain and to endure bullying at school without showing weakness are testament to her inner strength. Pree's resilience is further exhibited in her capacity to engage with Oxus in a lighthearted manner, suggesting an ability to find moments of reprieve amidst adversity, highlighting her psychological endurance .

The document illustrates the psychological impact of bullying and physical violence on Pree through her emotional and physical reactions. She internalizes the pain from being physically hit by her peers and family, opting to hide her emotional distress to avoid further conflict, reflecting a coping mechanism often seen in victims of abuse. Her account of incidents at school and home, such as being hit in the hallway and pinched by Flaira, coupled with her efforts to maintain composure, suggest underlying trauma and the impact of constant victimization .

The text highlights the theme of misunderstanding through the miscommunication and conflicts between characters like Pree and Flaira. The pinch incident, where Pree reacts defensively due to physical pain, and Flaira's subsequent accusation of overreacting, reveals a lack of empathy and communication. This misunderstanding results in hurt feelings and a rift between friends, underscoring how misinterpreted intentions can escalate tensions and lead to unnecessary conflict among young adults .

Pree navigates the challenges of balancing familial obligations and personal well-being by internalizing her struggles and prioritizing family demands. Despite enduring physical pain, she chooses to complete tasks like folding pillow covers as part of her punishment, reflecting a sense of duty and fear of repercussions. However, this focus on familial obligations often comes at the expense of her personal well-being, as evidenced by her physical suffering and emotional distress, indicating a detrimental imbalance that prioritizes duty over health .

The recurring theme of communication challenges between Pree and Yvan centers around misunderstandings and lack of responsiveness. Yvan's unresponsiveness due to his busyness raises insecurity in Pree, as indicated by her wondering if Yvan is ignoring her on purpose. This challenge influences their relationship by creating a sense of doubt and longing, yet it also demonstrates reliance on verbal assurances of love to maintain emotional connection, seen in their exchanges where they reaffirm their affection despite the communication gap .

Childhood nostalgia plays a comforting and escapist role in the interactions between Pree and Oxus. It offers a contrast to Pree's other more traumatic relationships, as it allows moments of playfulness and connection through shared memories. Their use of childhood nicknames like 'spring rolls and bacon' evokes a sense of familiarity and trust, which stands in stark contrast to the hostility and complexity of Pree's relationships with characters like Aunt Lyn and her peers. The nostalgic element provides a temporary refuge from her present conflicts .

Aunt Lyn's character embodies an authoritarian figure within the family, wielding physical punishment as a means to maintain control and correct perceived mistakes. This is evident when Aunt Lyn scolds and physically hits Pree for making coffee incorrectly, demonstrating a domination-based relationship. The dynamics suggest a toxic environment where authority is exerted through fear and punishment rather than through understanding or empathy. The absence of mutual respect and support in these interactions highlights an abusive family dynamic .

The physical interactions and play habits between Pree and Oxus reveal a more carefree and supportive relationship compared to her relationships with other characters. Oxus engages Pree in playful activities like hide and seek, which contrasts sharply with the harmful physical interactions she experiences with Aunt Lyn and her peers who bully her. This playfulness suggests a bond rooted in mutual affection and familiarity, providing a sense of stability and childhood innocence absent in her other relationships burdened with abuse and control .

Shared childhood experiences within Pree's relationships provide a foundation for stable and enduring connections. Her rapport with Oxus, anchored in childhood games and nicknames, offers continuity and a sense of security lacking in her interactions with other characters. These shared memories allow Pree to momentarily escape her stressful present context, fostering bonds rooted in nostalgia and familiarity, which can adapt and hold their comfort over time against external challenges .

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