Family

"So soon I just slept!"

"Aaah. I am still sleepy," is what Stephanie says almost every morning when she wakes up to the sound of the alarm in her room.

"Another day is here to cope with everyone around, huh! When will it end?" complained Stephan as she threw her duvet away from her, waking up. The feeling of going out to college leaving everything behind makes her feel so happy. For the past few months, the college has been her safe haven, away from everything. Stephan takes her phone and turns on her favorite music by MEGHAN TRAINOR - Good Morning' ft. GARY TRAINOR

She plays the song to her sound system connected wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The swinging of her sweet body and hair makes one feel the day is going to be good. With so many activities, her days seem so out of this world. She dances to the rhythm as she opens her room's window and runs to the bathroom barefooted to brush and get ready for the day.

Dancing has always been part of her. She didn't need a choreography teacher. She had the moves. Nobody knows her love for dance as well as her talent for it.

She searches her wardrobe to find something to wear for the day. She sees her mother's photo going through the row of clothes on the hanger. Her eyes unconsciously turn red. It has been years since her mother's death, but the pain is always there, and the emptiness, nothing can feel.

Stephanie sits down on the floor looking really depressed; she cannot control the tears flowing down her cheeks as she caresses the photo.

"Mum, I wish you could be here with me. I miss you", said Stephanie, as she sobs her heart out. She had little memory of her mother's death. She didn't know much about what had happened. No matter how she asked her father as she grew older, he always gave her vague answers.

"Life is nothing without you around."

"I feel like giving up. I can't stand everything that is happening around me."

Having stayed in the same position for a while, Stephan gets up, places the photo of her late mother back to its place, and finishes dressing up. She then makes her bed. She always had a thing for sky blue color. Her bed covers were all sky blue. The curtains on her window were also sky blue. The only difference was the white sheers on the window. Making sure her room was clean, she placed all her books back inside the backpack.

She then took her backpack and headphones, going downstairs to join the rest of the family for breakfast.

"Good morning, family," Greeted Steph as she walked to her seat in the dining to have breakfast.

"Good morning, sis. How did you sleep" Asked her sister Mercy as she helped her pour tea into her teacup.

"Thanks, dear."

"Sis, can I walk with you to school?"

"It's okay, Mercy. But won't you be late for your class? It's better if dad drops you at your school." Replied Steph

"I feel like taking a walk today to school. And besides my school is not that far from yours. Pretty please, big sis." pleaded Mercy.

"It's alright."

"Thanks"

Footsteps were heard from the corridor as their dad and stepmother walked into the dining area, all dressed up for a walk.

"Good morning, dad, mom," said Steph as she stood on her feet to leave for school with her sister.

"Good morning, dear," replied her dad while her stepmom kept quiet while sliding on her seat next to her father. `

"We are off to school, then see you later," said Steph as they left the dining area.

"Wait," Said their father, Mr. Jackson

"Yes, dad."

"Why don't I drop you today?"

"Thanks, but no, dad. I like walking. It's part of my exercise. Besides, aren't you dropping Sheila and John at school? It won't be enough for all of us, so we better walk." Replied Steph, not sounding sarcastic or something

Since their stepmom came to live with them, their lives have significantly changed, and their dad no longer paid attention to them like he used to. That has become a pain for them; unlike their mother, Sheila and John were good kids. That was until Sheila slept with her boyfriend.

"Alright. See you later and take care of you two. It's not safe out there these days."

"Thanks, dad. Don't worry. We will be okay."

It took Steph, and Mercy 10 mins to reach Mercy's high school, and then Step proceeded to her own school.

Steph was walking on the corridor towards her class when she heard someone call her name. She turned and found her friend Amanda calling while running.

"Hey there, Steph. Have called you this morning, but you were not picking."

"Sorry. Had set my phone on silent mode. Didn't hear it ring. Anyway am here now."

"Well, it's okay. Let's go to class now the lecturer is on his way."

"Okay."

Apart from Amanda, Steph has no other friends. She tries as much as possible to have her own life not interfered with other people and avoid dramas that come with too many people in one's life. As much as she is friendly, she walks and works on her own most of the time when Amanda is not around.

She walked to her seat at the back of the class settled down, waiting to start her calculus class with the lecturer. The class ended in three hours, then her next class and next. Without even knowing it, the day was over.

She walked home as always. It had been to keep herself calm, but it soon became part of her lifestyle routine. If she didn't walk for a day, she would feel drained and very tired.

 The moment she reached home, she walked into her room later after school, changed to her home wear, and went downstairs to help make dinner in the kitchen.