SWEET RELIEF

~( Chapter twenty two)~

Stella

After that dinner things had been tense around the house. My parents would only use screaming as a way to communicate and Steph gave them the silent treatment.

We did our finals and the whole time was a nightmare. I had to pull several all-nighters in order to cram everything I wrote.

                     *************************
The dreaded time came when we received our results. They just had to disrupt the holiday spirit. Knowing my parents they already expected them.

We sat in the living room, my sister and I, letting our parents look at the result slips we received through our emails.  We had successfully completed a term now, I couldn't wait for next year.

I was anxious cause I couldn't open them. Karan tried to calm me down but I couldn't. I knew I hadn't done my best especially in extra curricular but I had another chance once swimming auditions start.

"Steph as always you amaze us yet again. My beautiful daughter got all A's and compliments from all teachers. Let's see what the other brought."

"What do you mean by the other? I'm I not your daughter!" That hurt, hearing and seeing them treat us differently even though we are both their kids.

"Don't start a fight right now Stella. You have already caused enough drama stealing two brothers and ruining dinner." My mother was still quite upset that the dinner she planned didn't go the way she wanted. She expected that Nick would make a move to reconcile with Steph, but alas, life is full of surprises.

"How is that my fault? Nick was the one who said he had feelings for me, I'm dating his brother. I have nothing to do with that." I was getting tired of her drama.

"Young lady don't talk back to your mother when you have such terrible grades. You have a C in extra curricular, don't you swim? What is this?" Father was already shouting at me.

"I couldn't audition, I had to catch up with some subjects," they should understand this. We transferred when classes had already began. As much as I love reading, it takes time for me to remember so I have to keep reminding myself all the time.

"Why isn't your sister giving us the same excuse? She has excelled in all her classes and has extra curricular."

"Why are you focusing on that one mark and refusing to see the A's in all other subjects," I could feel my face heating up cause of anger.

"We will focus on what we want, as far as I know we pay for your tuition fee young lady, watch your tone," dad shouted.

"You also pay for Steph but I don't hear you talking to her like that. As far as I know that's your responsibility as a parent. I never asked you to have me," I was so tired of been treated like an extra in this house.

"Apologise to your father right now. Since when did you get so disrespectful, you were such a sweet child, you actually listened to us. Then after that boyfriend you talk like you know everything."

"Since you started treating me like an extra in house. As if I'm not part of this family. When was the last time you even talk to me? Asked how my day was? How much trouble I'm having in school? You only care about one of us and except me to be okay with it." I am already crying cause I want to scream so loudly at them.

For them so see my pain and give me support but it seemed like it a lot of ask.

"Troubles in school? You aren't even an adult with responsibilities, your only work is to study. You make that sound hard, but your sister always make us proud. If you think we are such bad parents why don't you go and be the ones that suit you. Always complaining but your just lazy. If you hate this so much you can leave."