Chapter One: Author’s Pov
“Tina!! “ A voice yelled out loud.
I grabbed my pillow, groaning, while using it to block the noise. Who the fuck was that? I wouldn’t help but ask inwardly, not bothering to open my eyes, as I was still sleepy.
“ Mom! Tina cursed me; she’s refusing to wake up. “ The voice said again, making my eyes shoot up as I immediately sat up.
I opened my eyes briefly before shutting them again, trying to get them adjusted to the light in the room.
I stare at my cousin sister, who leaned again against my door with a smug expression on her face.
Darn! I thought. Now I am really in for it.
Not long after my thought, my aunt barge into my room, holding a wooden spoon in her hands. She matches towards me, making me gather my sheet in my hands as I flee for my life.
"I am sorry, aunt. I slept late. I am sorry.“ I immediately said, while trying to dodge the wooden spoon in her hands. But not long after, she caught me, smashing the spoon against my back while I screamed in horror.
I heard the sound of a chuckle coming from the door, making me look towards it. I saw my two cousins laughing their asses out by the door of my room.
“You ungrateful brat, if you really have all the time in the world and nothing to do, then you might as well make yourself useful and go do some work.“ My aunt screamed at me.
"I am sorry,“ I said softly, so as not to get hit again.
It was like a usual routine for me in this house. Since I had started living with my aunt after my mom got married and chased me out, as her new husband wasn’t willing to take care of me, not a single day had passed by without my aunty yelling or beating me.
“Go downstairs and get the mail for you, rotten York.“ She yelled before turning back to make her way out of my room.
“Yes, ma, let me quickly brush my...“ I stopped halfway through my sentence as she turned back at me, giving me a death glare.
I immediately shifted back, scared of getting beaten again.
“I will go the right way.“ I said quickly, getting to my feet and running out the door.
I stood in front of the door to the house, looking at my appearance in the mirror outside the door.
“Wow! “ I exclaimed at my own appearance; I was looking like a rebellious homeless child.
“Oh, God, please don’t let Rico see me like this.“ I prayed while joining my hands together, looking both ways, before making my way to the mail box at the side of the road to pick up the mail and package that’s there.
I was about to make it back when Rita screamed Rico’s name from the window upstairs, waving at him, making me freeze in my steps.
Hey, Tina,"  he called out.
I stood there motionless for some seconds before recovering myself and making my way back into the house, not willing to turn back to greet him.
I swore under my breath once I was inside the house. I knew Rita had done that to tease me; after all, she knew what happened between me and Rico.
Ever since I found out about Rico and my cousin brother Alex placing a bet on me just for fun, I have ever since been avoiding Rico.
Yes, even though I still have a crush on him, my crush wasn’t enough to ever make me see him the same.
One of the things I hated the most was toying with a living thing, as if it were some kind of object. I really hated people who thought they had the right to place a bet on a human, like they were some kind of object.
This was why my mother never really liked me, as I was a result of the bet my father had placed on her. She was willing to abandon me if not for my grandfather, who was still the only one who liked me in this family.
He was the one who asked my aunt to take me in after my mother explained that I had to go in order for her to start our new life over again with her husband.
A year slipped down my cheeks, making me come back to reality as I quickly used the back of my palm to wipe the tears away.
The last thing I needed right now was for my cousins to see me crying and mock me.
I quickly took the mail to my aunt, who was in her room, knocking on the door slightly before opening after getting a response to enter.
Dropping the mail on the table, I immediately turn my back to leave, but stop at my tracks as something has caught my attention from the mail dropped on the table. I turned back quickly, picking up the mail that had caught my attention.
That was it; it really was, I thought.
It was my admission letter from Regina High School. I squealed, getting the attention of my aunt.
“What’s it.“ She yelled at me, but not minding, I looked up at her with joy before responding.
“It’s my admission letter, aunty; take a look."“ I shouted, matching hers with joyful steps.
My aunty's eyes widen as she looks at me.
“So! “ She yelled, making me stop on my track as I looked at her.
“Do you think I have the money to send you to that school?“ She continued.
Wasn’t she the one who asked me to apply for this school after my grandfather had persuaded her into getting me into a school?
“But aunt, you said I should write the exam.“ I said, frustration evident in my voice, as I couldn’t believe the dream of me going back to school was about to crash.
Tears were slowly forming in my eyes as the thought of all my sleepless nights and hard work flashed between my eyes.
I have been kept in this house since I came here because I couldn’t get a transfer letter from my previous school, so I wasn’t able to transfer to a new one, making me wait until my aunt was able to give me money to take a new entrance exam.
“And so, I already discussed this with your grandfather. I told him I have a lot of responsibility and can’t add yours to mine.“ She yelled.
“Look, don’t give me a headache; get out of my room; leave quickly.“ She said she was shoving me out, with tears rolling down my eyes.
I stood in front of her door with my back against the door, staring at the admission letter in my hand.
“What’s making this baby cry this time around?“ My cousin Alex taunted me.
“Oh brother, you don’t know, news flash, she saw Rico downstairs.“ Rita joined him.
I look up at the two of them between shoveling out of my way and running into my room.
“What the hell? I heard Rita scream as I locked my room door and threw myself into my bed, crying myself to sleep.
I woke up to a banging noise. Sitting up on my bed, I look around my room, wondering what was making the noise. I look towards the door when a bang comes again from it.
Getting up, I opened the door, but a palm came against my cheeks. I immediately opened it.
I touched my cheeks, opening my eyes to look at my furious aunt standing by the door.
“How dare you, ahh?“ She yelled, asking.
“I took you under my wings, gave you shelter, clothing, and food, and what do you repay me with, locking yourself inside your room, crying like a little child while my children work for you?" “ she asked, looking at me.
My eyes immediately widen as I look around me, noticing it was probably already noon. I must have overslept due to stress and the tears I shed.
"I am sorry, Aunty, it won’t happen again; I just lost control over my emotions.“ I said, immediately pleading with her to calm her down.
“Sorry you said, well, I hope you are willing to eat that sorry for the entire day.“ She said before turning her back to leave, making me swear under my breath, Well, I guess food today.
“Oh, and I hope, because of the little act you put on, you don’t think I am still going to put you in that school?“ She questioned me, looking at me with her eyebrows raised.
“What school?“ An old voice called, making my lips lift up in a smile on their own.
“Grandpa!!“ I yelled, rushing towards him to hug him.
“How are you doing, my little strawberry?“ He asked, kissing my forehead.
"I am fine, grandpa; I missed you.“ I said, kissing his cheeks and nuzzling my face into his chest.
“There, there.“ He chuckled.
“Where're Rita and Alex?“ He asked my aunt.
“They went out for extra lessons, father.“ My aunt answered.
“Good now. Back to my main topic: what school are you talking about?“ My grandfather asked again, making me look down immediately so as not to get in trouble with my aunt.
“Answer me, Lynn,“ my grandpa yelled, glaring at my aunt.