Chapter One: The Stranger by the Hillside
"WAAAAHHH" I shouted when I felt a cold water run down my face. I quickly open my eyes and there she is my stepmother standing beside my bed.
"wake up you sleep head, prepare me a breakfast I need to be in the office before 7:00"
As she walk out my room, i glance at the clock. Its still 5:00 in the morning and still dark outside.
I prepare to go to the kitchen and made her a breakfast. My father is not home, his on a business trip for 3 months. she's nice when my father is around, but when his not around the devil will come out.
She treat me as one of our maids. in fact I'm her favourite maid.
As I am cooking breakfast, granny comes in the kitchen. She's the head maid here.
"Coleen my dear, why are you cooking? Its still early, you know that you can wake me up any time if your hungry I will prepare you food." she said.
"Its ok granny Graselle needs to eat breakfast before going to work." i replied
"Why do you let her do this to you? why not tell your father how mean she is to you."
"I know that papa loves her so much granny, he's happy with her. I can see it in his smile. i can't ruin that happiness granny, i just can't."
"your such a good girl Coleen."she said." alright enough with the drama. you sit there, let me finish what your doing." she added while pointing at the chair.
"but granny" i mumbled
" no buts young lady" she push me to the chair and gave me a hut chocolate drink.
After a while
"hey you where is my breakfast??" said graselle
"here's your breakfast madam" Granny replies.
Graselle just rolled her eyes and starts eating
" I have to prepare for school granny" I whisper
"yeah you should be, ill prepare your breakfast. Don't leave without eating ok"
"yes granny" I replied and kiss her on the chicks.
2hours later
after eating breakfast i rush to the front door and ride on the car. I have my own car but papa don't let me drive by myself. I have my own driver.
I have 3 step sisters
thier older than me. Sometimes their kind, many times their mean mean.
I'm about to enter my car when I hear Gretta called me.
" Coleen, I want to use your car. i well fetch Aileen and Tony."
"what will I use?" i ask her
"walk" she grab me away from the car and she ride quickly.
as if I have a choice. I get my phone and call a taxi. What a life, I have a happy one, the next thing I know it is horrible.
My father is a business man, my mom is a writer. I don't have much memory with my mom, they got separated since I was 3 years old. I have an older brother she's with mom. I'm hoping that one day I will see them again. Its almost 18 years since they left us.
i don't know where to find them, I don't even know what their look like.
"mom please comeback" I whisper and a tear run dun my chicks.
My father is a businessman—always in meetings, always chasing the next deal. My mother… she was a writer. At least, that's what I've been told.
I don't remember much about her. They separated when I was just three years old. She left, taking my older brother with her. And ever since then… silence.
Eighteen years.
Eighteen long years, and not a single letter. No phone calls. Not even a photograph to hold on to. I don't even remember the sound of her voice. I wouldn't recognize her face if she stood right in front of me.
But still… a part of me waits.
Hopes.
Wonders.
Where did you go, Mom? Why did you leave me behind?
I looked out the car window as the taxi rolled through the morning haze, my fingers curled tightly in my lap.
"Please come back," I whispered so softly the words nearly vanished into the air.
A single tear slipped down my cheek, tracing the hollow ache I'd carried for years—an ache no one seemed to notice.
Not Papa. Not Graselle. Not my stepsisters. Not even the mirror that shows me a face that doesn't know where she belongs.