Not Your Expectation (#Wattys2015)

1. The Devil Strikes Again

"Girls, Aunt Marie is here." Mum's voice called out to us.

I groaned in frustration. The Devil, as I liked to call Aunt Marie, was here. On a school night. When I had lots of assignments and homework. Life was just freaking great! I looked longingly at the screen of my MacBook where I was typing my essay. I wasn't even half way done and now, I have to go greet Her Bloody Highness, The Devil AKA Aunt Marie.

That's what happens when you keep your homework to the last minute.

I scowled at my conscience. In my defence, I was really busy the whole week organizing the talent show in our school and as it had just finished yesterday night, I was able to do my homework tonight but Aunt Marie and her brood of devils had decided to pay us a visit today. Oh how lovely, not!

One may wonder who this Aunt Marie was. Who this person, whom I despised so much in the world was. Well, Aunt Marie is my Dad's younger sister. Her children were the brood of devils. Aunt Marie isn't anyone's favourite aunt. She's really a pain in the neck. It was simple why her nieces, my sister- Jenna and I, hated her. Aunt Marie loved boasting. What she loved boasting most is about the achievements of her children. We didn't mind her boasting only if she didn't drag us to the picture. Every single time she told something regarding her children, the names Lisa and Jenna miraculously made way somewhere into the conversation. She would compare us to her own kids and make the whole family feel uncomfortable. After that, in a patronizing tone she would tell our parents that we need to do more work to catch up to her kids and sadly our parents too drank up her words and then we got the whole brunt of everything!

"Lisa, come down!" Mum called out.

"Coming Mom!" I hollered and quickly saved my work and shut down the MacBook.

After checking myself over in the mirror, I patted down my hair, tightened my ponytail and smoothed down the skirt I was wearing. After fixing a fake smile, I made my way towards the living room downstairs.

Mum, Dad, Jenna, Aunt Marie, her kids: Lianna, Chelsey, Adrianna and Henda were all there. Aunt Marie got up and came towards me, enveloping me into a tight hug. I hugged her awkwardly. This always happened and I knew that she never meant any of her hugs, because of the way she tightened her hold that made one feel as if she wanted to squeeze all the breath out of you.

"Look at you, Lisa! You look as if you are sick. Are you ill, my child?" Aunt Marie asked, looking worried.

I internally rolled my eyes. Here comes Aunt Marie's strike no 1 to me. "No, Aunt Marie. I am keeping fine."

"Oh dear, you don't look fine. Look at Adrianna, she's the same age as you and she looks more healthier than you do. You've gone quite thin. Vera, Stephen- why does Lisa look tired?" Aunt Marie said, turning towards my parents.

"Marie, Lisa's been working quite hard for the talent show that concluded yesterday and now she's doing all her homework that she had neglected the past week." Mum told her.

Aunt Marie turned to me "Lisa, are you still in the Student Council?"