Chapter 1

SOFIA

"Sofia!"

I heard an unfamiliar voice call but in my sleep. Wait.....is it an unfamiliar or....?

"Sofia!"

I heard again but this time louder. It is a familiar voice. A very familiar one at that. But why is it disturbing me in my sleep and my precious sweet dream?.

"Sofia get the hell up!"

Wait. Is that Lydia's voice? What is she doing in my dream?...I looked around but I couldn't find her. She has never visited me in my dreams before why is she.....

"I said get your damn ass up dumb Sofia!" She yelled and I felt something not that soft hit my face and body at the same time making me jump like one who saw a ghost.

"Am up am up!" I said. Reality was back to me. My eyes landed on my cousin, Lydia who was staring at me with annoyance as always, her hands on her hips. I knew that look.

Pissed off

Geez.

"Really? Do you know what time is it?"

I looked around for my clock but I couldn't find it. I looked back at her.

"Um...I don't know" I said biting my lip making her roll her eyes.

"You are such a dumb clumsy girl Sofia and I pit you. It's freaking Ten am"

I began rubbing my eyes with my finger. "Am sorry okay. I slept late remember?"

"Well you knew fully well that you will wake up early the next day yet you decided on wasting your time on your silly birthday" she said raising her hand and dropping it.

I sighed. Yes yesterday was my birthday. I turned 21 and am happy. I had fun with my friends. But every action has a consequences and mine is about to happen.

"Am sorry okay?"

"Well you shouldn't be apologising to me but to mum who left without having breakfast"

Darn it. Sofia.....girl you are in big trouble I tell you.

"Gosh Lydia why didn't you wake me?"

She furrowed her brows at my question. "Excuse you. As what? Your alarm clock?"

I sighed.

"No no no your maid right?"

"Lydia..."

"Shush!" She raised her hand at me to shut me which I did. "Mum will deal with you later when she comes back. For now you go do the chores, come to my room and take money for groceries and other important stuffs" She turned to leave but I spoke up.

"Um.. i thought aunt doesn't work on Saturdays or does she?"

She turned to me "Right. She actually don't go anywhere else except work" She said sarcastically

"Am just asking" I said.

"That's a silly question. Anyways start your work and be fast about it. Mum said she will be back early" she left my room after saying that and I sighed softly.

My life....I don't know, is something else.

Seriously.

Allow me to introduce myself....

Am Sofia Samuels. Turned twenty one just yesterday. I work in a fashion company called Cameron as an assistant make up artist. Pretty low right? Sure. But that's all I could get. Nothing good comes easy though. My dream is to become a nurse. I love caring for people and protecting lives is already my priority.

I couldn't reach that dream because....no money. My mum is late and I really don't know who my dad is. That's why I bear my mother's last name.

Aunt Lucinda took me in at the age of six and she took care of everything from my elementary school to high school but no college. She said she can't afford to train me and her daughter, Lydia in college at the same time so she said one person would stay back while the other go to college.

Of course the person to stay back was me. Lydia got to college and I stayed back. Sometimes I feel bad about it, at times something tells me that my aunt doesn't want me to go to college but I would just wave it off.

I was grateful to my aunt. Not every body would agree to take in another person's child and train them. But she did. I think she did her best by training me in highschool. I can read, write and speak well.

I didn't stay home idle though. I learnt how to do some minor hand works. I made some money out of it and used it to pay for my make over lessons. I later became so perfect in it that I luckily got a job in the most popular fashion company in town. But just as an assistant to their biggest and best make up artist. It was a privilege though and the pay is a bit good. Well good enough if I continue saving for my nursing education.

Yep. Am determined to make my dreams come true. I haven't saved up to half yet but am sure with time I'll will save up.

Patience is a virtue'

I sang to myself as I got out of bed and moved to my mirror. My eyes went down to the picture frame of my mum.

I didn't know her much. Actually I didn't know her at all. I was told that she left me with my grandmother when I was just few months old. She never came back for me. I heard she was a big whore who slept around for money.

I guess that was how I came into the picture. I was a product of her reckless life. She doesn't even know who my father is. The thought of all this makes me sad. My father is unknown and my mother is a well known whore. A dirty woman.

Do you know the weird part? I don't hate her. Hell I can't bring my self to hate my mother. She gave birth to me. Even though she left me without looking back, I still don't hate her. But I don't love her either. Everything she did was awful and disgusting.

She slept with anything that have something under even married men. That's what my aunt told me. My aunt hated my mother so much. Even though my mum was her only sister, she hate her so much. I got to know that by the way she treats me.

I was a carbon copy of my mum. I had everything she had. Blonde hair, honey brown eyes, a bit cheekbone and long legs. Aunt said I remind her so much of my mother and it never cease to piss her off. But I knew very well that am nothing like my mother. We both might have a strong resemblance yes but we also have a strong difference.

Aunt Lucinda, despite her hatred, she still agreed to take me in after my grandmother died when I was six. Though she took care of me, she still show the hatred she has for my mother by treating me like a slave.

I would clean and clean and clean, make our food, do their laundry and wash their cars. Gosh I doubt if even Cinderella had that much to do.

Lydia does nothing but eat, sleep and go to college. She lives like a princess. Some people are so fortunate.

Am two years older than her but she overshadowed me the first day I came to their house. She made it clear to me that she owns the house so no elder shit is allowed around here. I nodded in agreement. Of course I had no choice. You don't bite the hands that will feed you till you are like...old enough and by that time I was just six year old.

Besides, am a free and easy going kind of girl. I hardly get angry or upset. If you look at us, you would think she is older cause she is taller and a bit bigger than I am. Don't forget more beautiful. She has dark hair, green eyes, pink lips and nice curves.

Then her college education is a plus. She is all perfect.

I take the works I do as a token of gratitude to my aunt who took care of me. And Lydia, I see her as my only sister even though she is always mean to me and never cease to call me names like clumsy, silly or dumb. Since our childhood, she has been like that so now I have gotten way used to her.

I turned away from the mirror, about to make another step but something held my leg making me trip and fell on the floor.

Yep. I am clumsy.

I stood up and head to my bathroom. After my business I moved to my mirror again. I started packing up my long and a bit curly blonde hair until...

"Sofia aren't you done yet?!" I heard Lydia yell then I remembered what she told me to do.

"Oh shit!"

I ran out of the room and began my work. I was faster than a machine.

Am already preparing my mind for what I will get from Aunt so I don't want to add Lydia to the list

The house was not that big and not that small. Aunt isn't a poor woman nor is she a rich woman. She is in the middle. Her husband died leaving some fortune for her. Actually he dead when I was seventeen and Lydia, fifteen. He was better than both of them. He treated me like his own daughter. I really miss him. I know that if he was alive, I will definately go to college. But no. Things had to turn out this way.

Such is life indeed.

After the work, I quickly went to my room, changed into one of my favorite dresses, a white sun dress with red rose designs on it. I really like it and it was a bit lengthy. I actually like lengthy dresses. I barely have short ones. The limit of my lengthy dresses were below my knees and am very comfortable with them. I put my white hat with a touch of red on just to match my dress. Then last but not the least, my red flats. I went to the mirror, I smiled at my attire.

Perfect.

I made my way to Lydia's room. She looked at me from head to toe with not a so pleasant look.

"Don't I look good?" I asked. Not that anything she would possibly say will make me change my mind.

"Seriously Sofia, you are going to the market on that?" She asked irritatedly.

"Uh yeah. I love it" I said shrugging my shoulders.

"You look ridiculous" she said rolling her eyes but I smiled and said "well I wear what goes right with my spirit"

That's right.

"Whatever. Here" she extended the list and money to me.

Gosh they are quite a lot.

"Am I going to buy all of these? Aren't they too many?" I asked still looking at the list.

"Well from one to ten are the most important ones. The remaining are just minors but that doesn't mean they are not important too. Buy the amount you can carry and get back here immediately." She faced her phone after saying that.

I sighed softly. I was still standing there looking at her. I began thinking about how I will carry all the stuff by myself. From one to ten is way too much and...

"Why are you still there?" She asked snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Um...Lydia, can't we go together? Seriously this things are way too much"

She scoffed. "Duh. It's your job"

I sighed.

"Go away and get on with it already cause if you are not back before mum comes back you are dead" she turned back to her phone.

"Fine. "I mumbled as I began to leave.

"Use the remaining money for transportation" I heard her say.

I made my way out of the house.

I have a feeling that today is going to be a very pleasant day.