Chapter One.

❤️ ALYSSA’S POV ❤️

Waking up to be welcomed by the usual arguments and fights in my family has become normal, it isn’t new to me that my mum or dad or even my elder brother will be exchanging one word or another every morning and to be sincere, it’s getting tiring and after every argument's Mum will remain indoors doing nothing but crying, and I hate it. I hate it when they fight because there isn’t any food in the house, I hate it when they fight because there is no money to pay for the light bill or water bill and that’s why I keep telling myself to go get a better job since my elder brother doesn’t want to work.

“You don’t always have time for your family Marco, what kind of man are you to leave your house when you know your family is starving and at the end of the day, you’ll still come back with empty hands.” I heard Mum yelling.

“I’m busy, Lucy,” Dad replied nonchalantly, and that fueled Mum’s anger more.

“Busy, busy you say, Marco, yes that’s what you always say busy, you are always busy and there is nothing to show off from it,” Mum yelled, and even if I was in my old room I could still hear her voice, she was breaking down, and she will hold on until dad leaves the house before crying, she won’t cry in his presence and when I asked her why she said, and I quote * I won’t lower my self-respect by crying for or in front of a man * and what she said made sense, from that day I took it as my key point that whenever I start dating I won’t cry in front of him to give him the satisfaction that he’s hurting me.

“You say you are starving, you have a grown-up son old even to feed you for Christ’s sake but no, he just sits around doing nothing. I didn’t train him like that, Lucy.”

“Oh so now you are blaming me for his upbringing should I remind you who he takes after, you know how Frank is no matter the condition we are in he will never work,” Mum explained tiredly, everyone is tired of Frank, and he doesn’t seem to have the slight urge to change.

“Then you talk more sense into him, you know what am tired am fed up with all your nagging.” I heard the front door open and closed with a bang, which indicated that dad left home angrily.

“Leave, that’s what you know how to do best, you lazy man.” I sighed tiredly. Sporadically I wonder how they got married in the first place with the way they are quarreling every day and have not one but two children.

I got down from the bed and did a little stretch before going out to the living room and, as always, met Mum crying silently.

“Good morning Mum.” I greeted her, and she immediately cleaned her tears like I hadn’t seen them before, looking at me with a sad smile.

“Morning Aly, how was your night?” she asked.

“It was fine.” both of us know it was a lie, Mum and Dad argued all through the night and I guess they did the finale this morning.

“Go freshen up, so you can eat before going your job hunting.” I nodded and smiled at her before returning to my little room, one would think it belongs to a baby with how little it is, but am happy I’ve my room and privacy, I can lock the old wooden door if I don’t want to see anyone, and it’s cool.

I’m Alyssa Brown, twenty-three years old, and I can’t say am perfect because nobody is perfect, but I’ve got the right shape and body any man, I repeat any man would die for. I have a dark black long hair which I took from my beautiful Mum and also an elder brother who is the black sheep of the family who I call a lazy ass, Frank is my one and only lazy brother who, at the age of twenty-seven still depends on his family for food, money, and shelter. I sometimes wonder if it was Mum who birth to him, or if he was adopted.LOL. Enough about me.

I freshened up quickly and then wore my best clothes for my hunting before going back to the living room for my breakfast. I ate the little pancakes Mum made, then took my CV before stepping out.

“Morning Aly.” Mr jolly greeted and I smiled. His name is actually Mr. Damien, but I nicknamed him Jolly because, well due to the name, he was always jolly, even in old age.

“Good morning Mr. Jolly.” he was our neighbor and did I mention that he wanted me to marry his son, I guess I didn’t, but Mr. Jolly wanted me to get married to his boy Tristan which I wasn’t in support of, I mean I have a dream and career to pursue before thinking about getting married.

“Where are you off to?” he asked, and I smiled again, Mr jolly is getting old.

“Oh dear sorry I forgot, but I wish you success,” he said as soon as he remembered.

“Thank you, sir.” I turned to leave, but someone stopped me.

“Aly, Hey Aly.” I turned and rolled my eyes, speaking of the devil.

“Morning, Tristan.” I greeted Mr. Jolly’s son.

“Same to you, c... can I give you a ride.” he offered nervously, and I shook my head

“No, thanks I’m fine.” I lied and turned to leave, but he held my hand.

“You are looking for a job, right.”

“Yes.” “Then hop in, I’ll drop you off in town.” he persuaded, and I gave in.

“Fine.” I entered his car, and we zoomed off.

A few minutes later

“Thanks, Tris.” I waved at him as I came down.

“You are welcome, so see you later,” he said, and I nodded as I watched him zoom off.

I started my hunting at 10:25, and now it’s 3:45, yet there isn’t any progress, I went to different companies, supermarkets, and even schools but no one employed me it seems they all have something against me today. I was frustrated and hungry, so I took the public bus with the little money I had at home.

“Aly you are back,” Mum said as I walked in.

“Yes, Mum.” I slumped lazily on the worn-out couch.

“How was it?” she asked, and I sighed.

“No one employed me, either am not qualified or they do not need my service.” I groaned out my frustration.

“There is a reason for everything Aly maybe God has something big for you,” she said, holding my hand and I felt refreshed immediately, there is nothing in this world like having a nice, sweet, and caring mother, and am grateful I got one.

“I just pray so, where is Frank?”

“He went to his usual place.” I scoffed, I don’t know the day he will change, always gambling, and occasionally I wonder where he gets the money to gamble from.

“And dad,” I asked, and her face changed a little bit, but she quickly masked it.

“I don’t know, he isn’t back from his outing.” I know Mum is in pain. I mean who wouldn’t be, mum’s married life sucks well I can’t tell from when I was little but at the age of ten, I know her (married) life sucks and I keep on praying not to encounter any of it in my life.

“Here I know you must be hungry after your long walk, please manage this it’s all I’ve got.” Mum stretched two dollars at me.

“No, mum, you can have it. I’ll be going to Maddy's mum's restaurant then do a little job, get paid, and, of course, something to eat.” I said, and she smiled.

“Thank you, Aly, I better keep this money before Frank comes in.” and speaking of the devil, he walked in looking drunk. Yeah, that’s what he’s good at, going to clubs and gambling his life away with those useless friends of his.

“Someone called Frank,” he asked and belched out loudly.

“No one called you Frank,” I said, and he glared at me.

“I wasn’t talking to you Aly or whatever your name is,” he yelled and truth be told I was hurt, but I knew that this wasn’t Frank speaking, it was a drunk Frank.

“And you are not the only frank on earth.” I fired back, already pissed.

“Aly you better shut that tiny mouth and brain of yours this instant else you won’t like what I will do to you.”

“I agree my mouth and brain are small but yours is big and you can’t do anything meaningful with them apart from drinking and gambling, grow up Frank,” I yelled out and walked out angrily.

This is our life always fighting, I always fight with him and I don’t like it but what am I to do when my elder brother is a douchebag. I just don’t understand him, he’s gonna be someone's husband and father one day except he decides to be a priest but I doubt if God will accept someone like him. Just joking, I changed before leaving the house to Mady's restaurant after notifying Mum.