"I wanted to be her, so badly."

Summary

A sweet small girl with a big heart. Bethany's only want in the world was love and she never got what she was owed. Convinced at suhc a young age that she had to deserve affection, that she had to be worthy of it. Bethany wanted her father to see her so badly that she began to act like him. She learned everyone's name, she copied his movements and grand gestures, she forced herself to be interested in his work, she wanted people to respect her like they respected him. But it never came. She was always just the baby. The girl left to her devices.

While her desire to be wanted manifested itself into her being seen as "bossy" she really is a kind girl at heart. Weird definitely, what Afton isn't, but kind. Despite their flaws and their scraps and fights she wanted to love her siblings. Michael was mean and Chris was quiet but they were her family. Bethany never got to know her mother like they did and with no friends they were simply all she had. She loved drawing and crafts. She would hang up her own pictures on the fridge for everyone to see until they were taken down because they were "in the way". Most of all she loved that girl her father was making. He called her 'Circus Baby'. After months of prying from Bethany she was told the lie that she was for her, so that she may not see her just yet. Bethany believed this with all her heart and how could she not? A friend finally made for her. By her father who she knew always loved her deep down, surely. She would dream about that girl and how lonely she must have been. That she needed someone to braid her hair and play with. Little did Bethany know the girl she was dreaming about was herself.

Bethany's final breaking point was Chrisopherson's death. That was our brother, her brother, what did he do wrong? It was when she learned this family was wrong and that she couldn't be safe in a house with Michael. So much so that she tried to strangle him in his sleep. She was yanked away before it could happen. She lived in this dread for years when it became too much. That's just when she ran.

She ran away.