Chapter 1

it was a cold chilly Saturday morning. Ariana, a young black girl of 16 left her home early and headed to her workplace. She delivered milk and newspapers in the morning. After that, she worked part-time at a coffee shop. In the evening she worked at the gas station.

Evening came quickly and she rounded up her day's pay and happily headed home. Ariana had to work everyday and even during school days just to raise money to pay her mom's hospital bills.

Her father died recently. While he was alive, he made sure that her brother and her attended the best schools in the city.

After he died, her mother fell ill and her brother had to drop out of school. She has been working her ass off just to provide for her family.

"Mike I'm home!" Ariana announced as she opened the door and walked inside.

Her little brother Mike ran to hug her. "big sister Ari!" he shriek excitedly. Ari hugged her little brother tight. She squatted down and kissed his forehead.

"How're you doing buddy?"

"I'm fine".

"Did you take good care of Mom?" she asked. Mike nodded his head. "Yup, I also drew her a painting of our family. Come see" Mike dragged her hand. Ariana chuckled as she picked up her brother in her arms.

"Okay, let's see what you drew big guy" she tickled Mike. Mike giggled and also tried to escape from her arms. They arrived at Mike's bedroom. It was a small bedroom with only a bed and his books and also a table and stool in the room. Mike always make sure to keep his room clean even though it's small.

"Put me down" Mike insisted.

"Fine" Ari dropped Mike on the ground. Mike ran with his little legs to the table and he grabbed a cardboard paper as he ran back to Ariana.

"Here you go" Mike handed the paper to her. Ariana gasped at the painting. Mike loved art since when he was much younger. Who knew that a seven year old can draw a painting like this.

Her father and mother were in that painting. They all sat down on the park having a picnic. She felt warmth, how she wished that her father was alive. How she wish she could work hard to send her brother to school. He has such a great talent of painting.

"I love it, thanks love" she kissed his forehead again.

"Sister Ari, do you love me?" Mike asked with those round innocent ball eyes.

"Of course. You're my first love and nobody can replace you".

"I love you too Ari" Mike hugged her sister tight.

"Buddy, we're having pancakes tonight".

"Yay, pancakes!" Mike joyfully screamed with a huge smile on his face.

"Now go wait for me in the kitchen. I'll be with you shortly". Mike nodded his head and ran out of his room.

Ariana left Mike's room and walked to her mom's room where she saw her mom lying on her bed.

"Mommy, I'm home" she sat down on her bed and hugged her mom.

"How was your day sweetie?" her mom asked with a smile.

"Fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay" her mother coughed.

Ariana tears were threatening to fall. Her mother is in a very bad condition and still the money she has is not enough to take her mother to the hospital.

"Did you take your drugs today?" she used her palm to wipe the drops of tears from her eyes.

Her mother weakly nodded her head. "I'll go make dinner for Mike" Ariana got up from the bed and walked to the door. Just when she's about to leave the room, she spotted the empty containers of drugs. Her mother drugs has finished and she needs to have those drugs until she can raise the money for her mother's treatment.

She picked up the empty container from the waste bin. "Momma, you didn't take your drugs today. Why didn't you just tell me it's finished?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me dear, stop spending money on buying drugs. Aren't you worry about your school, your fees is due, don't you want to continue going to school".

"Mom please, forget about my school, you're more important. Do you want to die and leave Mike and I alone in this world, mom you know I can't do anything without you and I'm trying...I'm trying my best to raise the money for your treatment and I...I'm trying to raise money to send Mike to school. I'm doing everything I can, I'm delivering food and working at a coffee shop and also working at the gas station so please, please just appreciate what I'm doing and stop bringing up my school!" The tears rolled down her beautiful face. She's exhausted and angry and also hurt. Why is life so unfair to her.

Tears also rolled down her mother's face, her poor baby is trying her best to help this family. Her baby is carrying all the burden and she's just laying down on this bed helplessly doing nothing. How she wished she's not sick, how she wished that her husband is alive. She just can't lay down there doing nothing when her baby is suffering.

"I'll go buy the drugs and buy you hot soup" Ariana wiped her tears and left the room. She slowly walked to the kitchen where Mike is happily waiting for her.

"Buddy, I'll go buy mom some drugs. I'll be back, in the meantime, go be with Mom, okay?"

"Okay!" She smiled and ruffled Mike's hair.

Ariana left the house to the nearest grocery store. She bought the drugs for her mom and also bought some chicken soup for her mom.

She bought some candies for her brother. She know that Mike must be hungry because he only ate breakfast and will wait for her to be back before he can eat again.

Arriving home, she entered the house and walked to her mom's room where she found Mike sleeping on her mom's bed while her mother patted her head.

"You're back" her mother whispered.

"Yup, I bought your drugs" she walked to the bed as she dropped the bag she's holding on the table.

"Buddy, I'm back" she shook Mike gently to wake him up. Mike slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

"Here, I bought you candies" she brought out a candy from her pocket. Mike fully opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Thanks Ari" he collected the candy and tore it open.

"Let's go make pancakes!"

"Yay!". The two of them ran from the room and towards the kitchen. They both made pancakes together and ate. Ariana read Mike some bedtime stories and tucked him in. She took her bath and walked to her mom's room, fed her mom the chicken soup and gave her, her medications. After making sure that her mother is sleeping, she headed to her room.

She brought out her textbooks and decided to do a little reading. She wants to remain in school but no money and probably nobody to sponsor her in school. Next month, she know that she's going to drop out from school. As long as she manage to raise the money for her mom treatment, she's fine without going to school.