Jesse Schellden / Maybe (District Twelve)

Before the tales may have been true, when Jesse was much younger and held the clueless innocence of an angel that people occasionally title her still. Now though it had slipped away and the only thing that remand was the angel’s eye. Once a plump porcelain face had now sunken in to only slightly resemble its old beauty with her scraps of makeup. It’s difficult to believe the scrawny girl could afford such a thing, but as her family had their different drugs of choice, as did Jesse in her odd sort of way of needed beauty. With that tax and the bigger concern over her new family’s welfare, the supply of food was not daily, leaving the girl with little to no strength.

It didn’t help that intimidation was not conceived through height as Jesse stood a little below the average of 5’3, though it felt as if she was the shortest in the district. The small structure enhanced the length of the only thing Jesse found valuable about herself; her long blonde hair with strips of brunette. With miniature everything at least the availability of hammy-downs was an option, clothing never being at the top of Jesse’s to-do list. There are always two sets of nice outfits, a conservative reaping dress, and the not-so conservative attire. The slutty look was only for the rare occasion of desperation to put food among the table, but following in her mother’s footsteps was something she refused to regularly do.

Everyone holds their story at a certain place; some in their muscles and are constantly seen stretching and appearing uncomfortable, others behind their beautiful lips that either stay closed or flowing with lies. As for Jesse it has been told it lays among her eyes, said to be piercing through people’s souls or recalling a memory in silence. Being quiet and unseen is what she did best, as most of her time was indoors to make the household perfect for her family. Though once people got to know her they would never guess the girl was as shy as she is when first meeting someone. But no one quite knew Jesse as much as they believed, a giant brick wall always blocking the ability to get close to anyone, for the exception of Rainbow slowly but surely.

Making final decisions was always a difficulty for Jesse because of conditioning. Never being allowed to have a bit authority or respect from her past, genetic family being able to answer things was nearly impossible. The nickname ‘Maybe’ was given to her from her new family, after clear understanding that you’d never get more of an answer from her. Well there was one person that forced her to have a backbone; once again Rainbow was the rare case. They both managed to help one another with their problems, Rainbow’s inability to find true happiness and grow past her addictions, and Maybe’s problem of having a voice and failure to trust. The same-sex attraction was the only issue straining them.

At least it felt as if Maybe now had a purpose, something that Jesse could never discover. Her new family needed her; there was no one else to do the tasks of cleaning and cooking, nor someone patient enough to deal with each individual’s problems. Everyone in the family had their own issues, something that Maybe was fully willing to concentrate on because it kept her from her own problems. As the other’s followed down the dark path of prostitution and drug selling, Maybe stayed pure as to save having to do such thing for the desperation of caring for her family. Maybe was the only one doing it only for the sake of necessities, but then again it also toke a lot for her to pick up a drink or a pill. There was only one that primarily stayed sober and kept it together, the one thing that ‘Maybe’ actually takes pride in.

One might believe if pregnancy was strongly NOT desired the proper precautions would be taken to prevent such an event. But in the career of prostitution such measures were rarely taken in order to put alcohol on the table. Five unwanted children were conceived through these many mistakes, two little girls and three baby boys. Even being a single mother, with an insane lifestyle, Colleen Schellden kept the tradition of the roles that ladies and males contained. The first girl brought the mother of the household that Colleen could never fulfill, and with the other girl being the youngest and there for the baby, the role was never slightly shifted off older Jesse.

Cleaning the household and fixing the meals became a necessity especially with the punishment if one thing was done incorrectly. Maybe it was because Colleen wanted Jesse to be perfect in the ways she wasn’t, or the anger over her inability for a better life couldn’t be taken out on the brothers or baby girl. Multiple times a week the mother’s drunken stupor left Jesse with physical and mental scars that the others rarely had to deal with. Understanding was Jesse’s best quality though and as much as the scars tortured her she could see the pain in her mother’s eyes. That was until one day it was brought too far.

Realizing the option of distance lowered the rate of abuse at age sixteen Jesse quickly toke grab of it. The first meal missed brought a brutal beating from the mother and oldest brother, surely putting Jesse into her place. Several weeks later the second meal was accidently forgotten and brought even a harsher punishment. Letter by letter “Property of the Schellden Family” was ironed into the young girl’s lower back in ordered to have her claimed. It was the final draw for Jesse and as soon as the household fell into the silence of slumber she had her bags packed prepared for an escape. There wasn’t much distance with the barricade of a fence, but it was decent enough to keep away from the supposed-to-be family and attempt to create a better life.

Face Claim: Amalie Kardyb