Chapter 01_MARIANA

Elsa walked out of the room looking as grumpy as usual. 

“Good Morning Mum, Dad” She said and sat down.

“Good Morning Elsa” her father said while her mum rolled her eyes.

 It's not new, Elsa is used to being ignored by her mother. She sat down at the dinning room and waited for her elder sister Marina to get down. Her mum is never going to serve her food except her favorite daughter Marina is there.

Elsa wondered why her mother always treat her so differently, despite her trying to be a good girl. She soon stopped when she sees her mother is never going to stop treating her like a piece of sh*t.

 Her father is the same too, but not always. Sporadically, he treats her right, and every so often he treats her like she isn't a member of the family. 

Elsa wondered why they'll birth her and then treat her like she was picked up from the gutter.

Argh! She hated the fact that it was affecting her mentally and physically.

 “Good Morning mum, Good Morning Dad!” Marina greeted as she pecks them on their cheeks.

“Good Morning, My favorite, how was your night?” Her mother patted her and Elsa rolled her eyes.

 Her mother doesn't hide the fact that Marina is her favorite daughter, and Elsa wondered why a mother should have a favorite.

“It was fine mom, I slept well” Marina said.

She pulled out a chair and sat down as Mrs Smith, their mother, started dishing out food.

“Good morning Sister” Elsa said.

“Good Morning Elsa!” Marina said.

 Elsa will say, Marina is just the second copy of her mother. She doesn't treat her right, either. In fact, she's the worst, the fact that they both go to school together worsened it.

At times, Marina will drive Elsa out of the compound, so their dad will believe they went to school together, and then she'll drop her off on the road and ask her to trek.

 Elsa has no say. She was just a naive girl who is being bullied by her family.

She sniffed, forcing the always rolling tears back to her eyes.

 Mrs Smith served her husband and Marina breakfast, excluding Elsa.

“Mum, Where's my own?” Elsa said.

“Is mum your maid? Why asking her about your breakfast?” Marina snapped and Elsa swallowed.

“But she served you!” Elsa insisted.

“Because I'm not your mate”. Marina said.

“I wasn't talking to you, Marina. I'm talking to Mum”

“Whatever” Marina rolled her eyes.

 “Mum! Where's my breakfast?” Elsa faced her mum who remained silent and just eat her pasta.

“May, You didn't serve Elsa her breakfast” Mr. Smith said to her wife.

“Well, I cooked the food and I decide whom to eat it. Besides, there's no more food, she can fix one herself” Mrs Smith rolled her eyes.

“May…” Mr. Smith was saying.

“Daddy, Let her be. I'll fix something to eat” Elsa said and stood up walking to the kitchen.

 She was starving and can't go to school without eating. As she placed the pot on top of the fire, she finally let go of the tears she had been holding so wrong. Why is she being treated like this? She's just like everyone else.

If her family treats her this way, how will the outside family treat her?

 After some time, she finished making the food and carried it to the dinning.

“Some people will just eat and still look like a skeleton.” Her mother mummers and Elsa knew those word were for her.

“May, Can we just eat?” Mr. Smith said.

“I'm eating” May snapped.

“Yeah, right” Mr. Smith said.

 “Mum, I'm leaving” Marina stood up from the table, cleaning her mouth.

“Oh.okay my daughter” Mrs Smith said.

“Thanks for the meal Mum, Dad” Marina smiled.

Elsa watched as Marina walked to the door before she decided to speak.

“Sister! But you know I can't trek to school, We go together” Elsa said.

“Excuse me?” 

Yeah. ! Here she goes again.

 “Am I supposed to sit down and wait for you to get your ass off that chair?” Marina said.

Marina is like a queen. Elsa can't even compare herself to her. She has everything she could ask for, and Elsa was the one lacking.

 She also has numerous boyfriends, and she, Elsa, doesn't even have one.

“But you were here, and know what mum did!” Elsa said.

“Let that mum sealed your mouth, You slut!” Her mother yelled, and Elsa's eyes battled with tears.

“I'm sorry” Elsa said.

“Sorry for your miserable self!” May yelled.

“May! That's enough!” Mr. Smith said.

“Are you going to shut me up because of this thing here?” Mrs Smith said.

“May, that's Elsa! Your daughter, for Christ’s sake!” 

“Daughter, my foot! I wished I never had her. Uh mm!” Mrs Smith cursed.

Marina stood chewing her gum as she went through her phone.

“Marina, wait for Elsa” Her father said.

“What? Me!” Marina said.

“Don't worry daddy. I'll take the bus” Elsa stood up and pecked her daddy.

“See you later Mum, Dad” Elsa said.

“I wish I don't see you!” Mrs Smith said beneath her breath.

 Elsa walked out of the house and started trekking down the street. She is just going to stop at the bus stop and wait for a bus to come around.

She has no cash on her, except for the 3 USD she had planned to use in buying herself a book.

Now she has to use it in paying for the bus ride. 

“Hey Kid sister! Enjoying the trekking?” Marina said.

Elsa turned and sees her in the car sticking out her tongue at her.

“Marina, stay away from me!” Elsa said and continued walking.

“Who said I was going to stay? Why will I like to stay with a Stinky girl like you!” Marina laughed.

Elsa fastened her walking step, hoping to ignore her as much as she can. She can't wait to enter high school, so she'd live in the school.

 She has more seven days to spend at college, and she's done.

“I'm not stinky Marina, just go away!” Elsa said trying hard not to cry.

“Oh.okay! See you in school then” Marina said and drove off.

“She can't even offer to ride me. Umps” Elsa sighed.

_____

“You're late today. Was it Marina?” Olivia, Elsa's best friend, asked her.

 Olivia had been a great friend to Elsa ever since they met. She was always there to comfort her when needed, and Elsa could never be less happy. That's all she wanted. Not to be treated differently.

Elsa and Olivia has their life all planned together, they've decided to go to the same high school together too.

 “Yeah. And Mum too” Elsa said sadly.

“I hate Marina so much, And, for the fact that she's beautiful but has a dark heart. Good Lord.” Olivia said as she and Elsa sat down.

“Did she make you trek to school?” Olivia asked and Elsa nodded.

“I just wish she'll get someone to put her in her place somewhere. She's just a bully.” Olivia said.

“Don't get yourself all worked up about Me, Olivia” Elsa said, placing her book on her desk.

“You're my best friend” Olivia said.

“I know”

“So don't tell me not to worry about you then”

“Just let go Olivia, it's not like this is the first time” Elsa insisted.

“Yeah” Olivia said.

__

 “Marina, come on, we aren't going to stay long.” Alice said.

We're back home and neither mum nor dad was home. 

I sat in the dining, eating my pancake slowly. Alice is our neighbor, and she's in high school. A friend of Marina too.

“Alice, not like I don't want to go, but Dad will be mad if he comes home and can't find us”. Marina said.

“I just said it's not going to take long”. Alice said.

“Hmm” Marina hummed.

“Are you coming Elsa” Alice turns to me.

“Where?”

“There's a party going on just down the street” Alice said.

“I don't party” Elsa said.

“Argh. You're so boring.” Marina said.

“Come on Alice, if it's not going to be long, then I'll go with you. And you're coming Elsa” Marina said with authority.

“I just said I'm not interested?” Elsa said.

“Who needs you to be interested? You're coming with us and that's it.” Marina said.

Elsa knew marina will never ask to go to a party with her. She was doing it so that if they'd get back late, she'll blame her on that.

 Elsa can't say no either,, and she badly wanted to.

“Alright then, let's go for shopping” Alice said.

“Shopping? Elsa said.

“You ain't going to dress in all this big cloths of yours!” Marina said.

“Please Marina. I ain't talking to you” Elsa said, hating the fact that Marina always take the questions not meant for her.

“Shut up, little girl! Marina yelled and Elsa could see her boiling in anger.

“Relax Marina, she's just asking a question” Alice came to Elsa's aid.

“ A stupid question, as stupid as her!” Marina hissed and sat down.

“I'm sorry for pissing you off” Elsa said.

One thing she wished she could stop herself from doing is apologizing when she did nothing wrong.

“You better be!” Marina said.

“Is okay girls. Let's go get ready” Alice said.

“Whose car are we going with?” Marina asked as Elsa already went silent, not wanting to get Marina more angry.

“Mine” Alice said.

___

 “Don't you think this is a very short gown, Marina?” Elsa asked as she stared at the short gown Marina was putting on.

They are still at the shopping mall.

 “Elsa. I hate you when you act like this, can you just shut up and not poke noise in my life? Jess!” Marina snapped.

“Elsa, the cloth is not short, we're going to party, not church! How old are you again?” Alice asked.

“I'm nineteen” Elsa said.

“And you're acting as if you know nothing? Come on Elsa! Just pick your wear and let's go” 

“Hm”. 

 Music filled the party room as Elsa, Marina, and Alice walked in. Alice seemed so familiar with the place.

Well, she should be, she lives a free life and have no one to judge or treat her like a piece of trash.

They find a chair and walked over there, sitting down. Elsa had picked a black gown that was knee-length and has a little opening at the back. She wasn't comfortable wearing it still.

 “Wow! Alice, this place is so beautiful. I bet I'm going to get numerous guys here” Marina smiled.

“I told you. All this guys here are not only handsome but very Rich too” Alice said.

“Wow. Really?”

“Yes” Alice said.

 They both ordered for alcoholic drinks, while Elsa ordered for juice. She feels it would be better not to get tipsy as well, she also don't drink alcohol.

“Marina, don't you think you shouldn't drink that ?” Elsa said to Marina.

“What?”

“The alcoholic drink” Elsa said.

“How's that your business?” 

“I'm just saying…” Elsa said.

“Listen to me, Elsa, we're not at home. Don't embarrass me and just be a good girl. Get that? S.i.s.ter? Marina said.

“Yes” Elsa nodded.

“You act like a baby Elsa” Alice check her head sideways but Elsa remained silent.

 “Come on Marina, let's go to the dance floor” Alice said standing up.

“Sure” Marina giggled.

“Are you guys leaving me alone with?” Elsa asked.

“You'll be fine, Elsa. Better still, stand up and grab yourself a man” Alice winked at her as she and Marina walked to the dance floor.