1 CHAPTER 1

My name is Ariana, I have no parent so I stay with my stepmother. she doesn't love me but I do because she is the one that is talking Care of me since I was 10 years old. I live in California, San Fransisco. Based on what she told me, she said my mom and her were best friends and they both love the same man who is my dad but my dad choose my mom so she was jealous and heartbroken. My mom and dad got married and had me 2 years later. life was okay but one day a police officer came to our house and told me and my dad that my mom had a ghastly accident and she lost her life. I was just 6 years old when that accident happened. After mourning my mom and 2 years later my dad remarried to my stepmother. my Dad died from a cardiac arrest when I was 10 years old. so it has been seven years now. I don't really remember much about the incident but that is what she told me. I also ask about my grandparents but she won't say anything about them so I just forget about it.

My birthday is in two days and I will be 18. Am still a high school senior student because I av to work for my school fees and some other stuff I may need in school and at home. At some point, I may get sacked and start to look for another work which is while I repeat class. School is resuming next week and I av to find a part time work. I need a work that will pay much salary, I need to save for college. I have the determination to be someone great in life even if no one love me. Oh my God, I forgot to wash the plate and my stepmother will soon be back home. I don't wanna get beaten like the last time she thought as she walk downstairs and make her way to kitchen but when she get to sitting room she saw the door being opened from outside and knew immediately she has come back home. Her stepmother come inside and she greet her and she ask her whether she gave wash the plates and she said no. immediately she said that, she felt a hand on her cheek and hear the sound pa!. she has just been slapped without no chance of explaining to her. she tell her she is going to sleep without eating and she must wash the plate before going to sleep.

The next day she woke up 5:00am as her usual time. she wash her face and teeth and go downstairs to prepare breakfast. she just finishing cooking when she heard footstep of her stepmother coming to the dining room. They ate in silence and she told Ariana her boyfriend is coming today and give her money to cook. After her stepmother left, she do the dishes, take her bath and go to grocery store to get foodstuff. on getting home she slept and woke up in the afternoon and start cooking. After 30 mins she was done, she heard her stepmother and her bf talking and laughing and she immediately went upstairs. She was not able to sleep but she slept off after some hours.

The next day she woke up late and in a hurry she went downstairs but was relief to found that she has gone to work after cooking for herself, her boyfriend and Ariana. On a normal day, she would av beaten her up on pour water on her in her room. Suddenly, she remembered today is her birthday and she thought; if only my parent were still alive but now nobody to greet her happy birthday and she has no friends neither to do that for her. she feel hurt and pain but she soon forget and go out to search for work. After a long search, she found one and also told her employer she is a student and she will be doing part time And he agree. she felt happy and left for home, she spend the remaining day singing ex pressing her grief through it.