Affliction

Chapter 1: Aliyana

Aliyana's POV;

HI! My name is Aliyana, Aliyana Abbas. You may already be aware that I am nineteen years old, in my second year of college, and struggling to keep up with life.

I live with my father and stepmother; as you know, most stepmothers are evil, and mine is no exception. She has made my life a living hell; my father claims to love me, but he continues to ignore the way she treats me, implying that he does not.

However, this is not the only issue I am dealing with in my life. COLLEGE, I'm struggling with my studies, and no matter how hard I try, I keep getting poor grades. I'm sure many of you can relate, School was just as bad as now college is for me.

TW⚠️

Bullying was more of a problem for me at school than grades. I was bullied to the point where I considered self harm, but I knew I was far too valuable to do so. As a result of the bullying, I still suffer from panic attacks and anxiety to this day.

Nobody bothers me in college, but I don't understand why I can't concentrate on my studies; no matter how hard I try, I'm always disappointed with my results. Worse, my father criticizes me for not being smart, but my friend Kylie helps me overcome such thoughts. She tells me that the possible explanation I can't focus is because of my father's and stepmother's behaviour and attitude toward me and the pressure they put on me, and I honestly believe she's right.

That's what motivates me to try harder. I want to try harder not just to prove to them that I can do it, but also to improve my career. I'm not going to think of myself as someone who gives up easily. I'm going to stand firm and show them that their words have no meaning for me.

"Here you go, Anne, your usual breakfast" I said as I placed it across the table. You may have guessed it already, so if you guessed that she is my stepmother, you are correct. "Call her mother, Aliyana" my father stated, knowing perfectly well that I had made it crystal clear to him that I would never accept her as my mother, I furiously got up from the dining table without replying, I went to my room to grab my bag and keys, as I was taking my bag and keys heading to college, my father blocked my way and said "Aliyana, eat your breakfast before you go", and as usual I gave him no response and left.

This has been the usual routine since the day my father remarried, I know you might consider I'm being selfish but hear me out, if she was a decent person and treated me as if I were her own daughter, I would've accepted her, but as soon as they got married, Anne started treating me like shit, I lost my biological mother when I was five years old, she passed away in a car accident, even though I couldn't spend much time with her I still knew she was the best mother and she still is, forever in my heart. I was no longer a happy child after my mother's sudden death.

My father remarried when I was seventeen years old, in other words two years ago. I used to have a close relationship with my father until she came along, Anne. Before their marriage, she was the sweetest person I had ever met, but it was just her pretending to act nice and sweet, and she nevertheless tends to make me feel like an outsider till this day.

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This was the end of chapter 1, i hope you guys like it and please don't forget to vote and give your opinions in the comments section.

Thank You