It isn't the first time that people don't want me

I smile at her.

It is not a matter of who should do it but about helping each other. I say.

I know that may have been rude, but she should know that helping wasn't something wrong.

Dad comes toward me.

"Good morning, dear. Your mom didn't mean that" he says while kissing me on the forehead.

I close my eyes.

I know that. I say.

"Did you sleep well?" he asks me while gesturing for me to sit at the table.

Yeah, I slept well. I say, smiling.

"Why do you look a little pale?" he asks me.

Oh, I do? I say while touching my face.

"It must be because she took such a long flight," says Evelyn while coming downstairs.

She sits next to me and smiles.

Olivia brought some more dishes, and some other girls were helping as well. I didn't know where they came from but didn't ask her so that I wouldn't make trouble for her.

Olivia walks away after putting the dishes down.

Aren't you going to eat with us? I ask.

Olivia stops.

Evelyn kicks me in the feet.

"I already ate," she says.

No, you didn't. I say.

"Well, I don't want to eat now," she says while gesturing for me to stop.

Why? Aren't you hungry?

"It is okay. I have a lot of things to do. I will eat something in the kitchen," she says.

Then let me join you. I say while standing up.

Evelyn stops me and shakes her head.

"Dear, how can you not eat with your family?" says stepmother.

It is not that I don't want to eat with you guys, but I know how lonely it is to eat alone in the kitchen. I say to her.

"But how can you eat in the kitchen when you are the daughter of James? Do you know how successful your father is?" she asked like she couldn't believe me.

I smile in my father's direction, asking for permission.

He knicks his head, and I walk away without saying anything to my stepmother.

After we go into the kitchen, Olivia gently slaps me on the shoulders.

"How could you talk to your stepmother like that because of me?" she says.

It is because I wanted to eat with you. I say while pouting.

"I will only let it go today. Don't ever do that again," Olivia says while walking to the table in the kitchen.

Another four girls were sitting there.

I smile at them.

"I wasn't going to eat alone. I have my gang here," Olivia says.

So I am not needed anymore? I say while acting like I am hurt.

"That is not what I mean. It is just, it is not worth it to argue with Mrs James because of me," she says while sitting down.

I get a chair as well and sit down.

Who said you are not worth it? I ask Olivia.

Everyone in this world is worth it to be loved.

"That is not what I mean, but you don't know your stepmother. She is hard to deal with. I am just worried for you," says Olivia.

I can see we will not agree on some things, but I want to give her a chance, and I hope she does too.

I look at the girls and see that they are still not eating.

You still didn't introduce us. I say to Olivia.

"Oh, I forgot. Guys, as you already know, this is Mia. Mia, this is Luna, Ella, Chloe and Mila," she says, starting from the right to the left.

I smile at them.

Hi, I hope we will get along very well. I say to the girls.

"Thank you for joining us," says Mila.

No, it is really my pleasure.

If I stayed there, it would get really awkward. I say, whispering.

"They are your family now. You can't always run away from them," says Olivia.

I know, but if I stayed there, I wouldn't even be able to digest my food. I say, and the girls laugh.

"Well, why don't you dig in then?" says Luna.

"You will regret not eating the food that Olivia made," says Chloe.

I noticed.

She let me taste it this morning, and I had already gotten addicted to her food.

If I am craving food now, I know who to come to. I say.

"You guys are flattering me," says Olivia while doing a little bow.

"When someone compliments you, you take it with proud," says someone, and we all stand up.

Oh, grandpa.

What are you doing here? I ask him, surprised.

"I heard my granddaughter made a fuss and came to check if she was fine. It looks like I wasn't needed," he says, looking at the table.

I laugh.

Do you want to join us, grandpa? I ask.

"If the ladies don't mind," he says.

"No, of course, we don't," they all say simultaneously.

Grandpa smiles and sits next to me.

Dig in, grandpa. I say to him while moving the dishes to his side.

"How are you feeling?" he asks me.

Much better! I say to him with happiness.

"How is everything? Is the room to your liking?" he asks me.

Yeah, the room is charming.

It makes me feel a bit lonely because it is soo big, but the rest is fine.

"I understand. It will be like that the first few days, but then you will get used to it," grandpa says.

I am already grateful for everything.

I don't have the right to complain. I say.

"My love, it is okay to have things bothering you. You don't have to keep it to yourself. Make sure to tell us," he says.

Grandpa, what about you?

Grandpa laughs.

"Oh, it has been a long time since someone asked me about myself," he says.

Why is that? I ask him, surprised.

"Your father and Noah are always busy with the company, and your sisters only care about school," he says.

It is not what I was expecting.

Grandpa, where do you live?

"I live with your grandma, not far away from here," he says.

Why is grandma not here? I ask him.

Grandpa looks down when I ask him that question.

"Your grandma and your mother have had a bad relationship since the beginning, and she is still not over it, but don't worry, I will make sure she will come to visit you," he says.

It is okay, grandpa.

It isn't the first time that people don't want me. I say.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Your grandma will come around, and she will learn that you are the sweetest girl and you are nothing like your mom," he says while giving me a side hug.

I hiss in pain, and he lets me go.

He didn't ask me anything, which I was grateful for.

"Are you excited to go to college?" he asks, smiling.

What! Me?

Am I going to college? I say excitedly.

"Of course. Would you like to stay at home?" he asks.

No, I would love to go! I say while hugging him this time.

"Good. You will rest for the next few days, and you will start college next week," Grandpa says, and I hug him tighter, forgetting about my pain.

"Be careful, darling or else you will hurt yourself again," he says, letting me go.

Oh, sorry. I was so excited. I say, feeling embarrassed.

"Why are you so excited to go to school? If you ask me, it looks like you never went to school before," says Mila smiling.

Honestly, I had never gone to school before. That is why I am so excited.

Why? Do I look weird? I ask her.

She looks at me with shock.

"I am sorry. I didn't know that," Mila says.

It is okay.

I never told you. How would you know?

"First of all, you don't look weird. I am very happy for you," Olivia says gently, hugging me.

I hug her back.

Thank you. I say to Olivia.

"Congratulations, Mia," said Luna, Ella and Chloe.

Thank you, guys. I say to them.

"Madison said she will help you with everything, and the girls will show you everything," says grandpa.

I smile brightly at him while nodding my head.

"Are you that happy?" says grandpa, smiling.

Yes! I am thrilled. I say, beaming.

Evelyn comes in.

"I see that grandpa told you the good news," she says.

Yeah, he told me everything. I say while standing and putting Evelyn in an embrace.

"Are you excited?" she asks me while hugging me back.

Very! I say.

"Is there anything you want to do today?" she asks gently while letting go of me.

Umm, I don't really know. I say to her.

"What about I show you around, and we can do a little bit of shopping," she says.

That sounds good. I say.

"Did you enjoy the food?" she asks me.

Yeah, I did.

Olivia lives up to her reputation. I say while looking at her.

Olivia flicks her hair.

"I told you I am the best cook," she says.

Evelyn and I look at each other, and we burst into laughter.

"Oh, Mia, father is going to work, so let's go say our byes," she says while taking my hand and running to the living room.

I saw stepmother putting on dad's jacket.

"Be safe. Okay?" she says.

"I will, darling," he says while kissing her forehead.

Stepmother then goes to Noah while father looks at me.

I slowly walk to him.

"I am sure you heard the news from your grandpa," he says, smiling.

Yeah, I did. I say gently.

"Is there anything you always wanted to do?" he asks me.

I look at him, not being able to think about anything.

"It's okay. You can think about it. Evelyn will show you around," he says.

"How is everything else? Is it to your liking?"

It is more than reasonable. I say while embracing him.

Thank you.

Thank you for everything. I say, a tear falling.

He embraces me as well.

"You don't have to thank me for anything. You deserve it all," father says, smiling.

He lets go of me and wipes my tear away while cherishing my cheek.

"Know that you deserve the world," he says.

Do I really? I ask him.