Earlier today I read some really ugly things that people said about Billie and and another mother on Facebook, the kind that really hurt a lot. I'm starting to get extremely worried about whether Billie is going to survive this.
I don't think Billie did anything to Hailey. I just have this incredibly strong belief that Hailey ran away to be with a boy--much stronger than I remember ever having in a case like this. I was a good girl, a good student, too, but I ran away at 13. I had wonderful parents. But there was a 16 year old boy... All I wanted was for it to be him and me in this kind of play marriage. Maybe someone can explain it better, but I know that some of you must know what I mean. it was like I changed overnight. My poor parents didn't know what hit them. I couldn't live without this guy (and now I can't remember a single good thing about him, lol). It had nothing to do with my mom at all. I just thank God that my mom found a way to survive it.
I think we should all put our protective arms around Billie for this HUGE reason: If Hailey ran away to be with a boy, and the criticism ends up driving Billie to commit suicide, it will ruin Hailey's life forever. She'll hate us, she'll hate herself. Guilt will destroy her whole life.
I'm not suggesting that people don't have the right to their opinion, or to express it. I just think we need to keep in mind that we're dealing with someone who is very fragile and who doesn't have much emotional support. When I think of how much it affects me when just one person says something harsh to me... I don't see how Billie can take much more.
All the criticism has a cumulative effect. It's not this remark, or that one — it's that they keep adding up and adding up, and it's the sum of them that's killing. It makes people think that the whole world thinks they're worthless. I really think it could drive Billie over the edge. Billie's not worthless. She must have given Hailey love, or Hailey wouldn't have said such loving things on her old myspace account. I just hope and pray that Hailey comes home soon.