Star and its darkness (Book 1 in the Darkness&Brightness series)

Valentine's Day

"Stella get up! It's past six, you'll be late!"

I groan at my mom's voice, yelling at me to get up. I bury my head in my pillow and almost choke. Then I turn to another side, but surprise, surprise, something is uncovering my warm body under the blanket. Someone is pulling my leg. And that someone is my mom. 

"Stella, you have to go to school! Amy is waiting for you!", my mom screams at me, pulling my leg, while I'm trying to hold on to something. But Gosh, how much I want to go back to that time and immediately get up, hugging my mom and telling her to never let me go. But, unfortunately, we can never appreciate someone's presence and love until they're gone.

"She is?" I sit on the bed, turning my head to her. "She's here?"

"She is, Stella, she is."

I get up and the blanket falls on the bed because my right leg is wrapped in it, pulling me to the ground, and with it, my face kisses the floor. 

"Ouch!'

"You wouldn't be like this if you lied earlier as I told you", mom scolds me, while I'm trying to stand up and get rid of the blanket which is still pulling me like it is calling me to come back to bed. I wish I could, my bed, I wish I could. 

"I tried to finish your portrait, mom." I bow my head, sad. "It didn't turn like I wanted to. It's gross. I have no talent. I'll never going to be like you. Never."

"Oh, figlia (daughter), don't talk like that. I'm sure that it is perfeto. Let me see it!", she claps her hands, excited. I shrug, but she quickly tilts her head, like saying give me now. 

"Eccola. (Here you are)" I give her the paper, after taking it from my nightstand table. 

"Mi bambina! (My baby girl) This is amazing! I love it!" She rushes to hug me and I stand there unsure why is she so excited when I didn't do anything. At least not anything good.

"No lo so, mammá"(I don't know, mom), I shrug, when she pulls away, "I'm kinda disappointed. I thought that I could do it better but looks like I can't. I'm such a failure." I bow my head, sad that nothing I imagine in my head can be put on the paper exactly how I see it because my hands are not talented to do it. They are useless. 

"Don't ever say that again? Capisci? (Understand?) Everything can be done better, but... If we do everything perfectly, then how could we learn to be better and better? Then life would be so boring", she chuckles and I join her, my lips turning into a slight smile.

"Well, I guess you are right. So, you like it?" I tilt my head.

"Well, my nose looks a little bit bigger than it is usual..."

"Mammá!", I yell, frowning. but I can't help and burst into a laugh, while she pulls me in another hug.

"I promise when you come back from school I'll help you change and fix some things. But I do love it. I love everything that my daughter's hands do." She takes my hands and kisses them. "Now, dai amore (come on love), go get ready!"

I open the door, to see Amy sitting in the chair and typing something on her iPhone 4. She got it for her birthday and she doesn't let go of that technology thing which, I admit I have no idea how to use. My mom doesn't have an opportunity to buy that expensive phone, so hers is pretty old when it compares to Amy's. But I don't really care about having a phone, even though almost everyone at the school has one of those smartphones which is touch-sensitive and has an amazing camera. I don't really love taking pictures so...

"Hey, Amy!" I approach her and kiss her on the cheek as she does the same, greeting me.

"Amy, what are you doing here honey?", my mom's voice asks from behind.