Is the light really at the end of the tunnel...

Chapter 17

I exited the school building only to find my brother and my friends waiting for me in the parking lot.

“Bruv I heard from Lisa that you went to the principal’s office, what did you do?” Rea asked
“Well that’s because I like it there, I feel at home when I’m sitting face to face with the principal,” I said and they all gave me a ‘really’ look.

“Babe your lisp becomes worse when you are lying,” Elle stated and I just snorted.

“No really though, why did you go to the office?” Ethan asked and I told them what happened, when I was done they were looking at me like I’ve grown two heads.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?” I asked. 
“You mean to tell me that you said all that to Mrs Balamore!” Dylan shouted.

“First of all stop shouting and secondly, yes I did now what’s the problem?” I answered

“Kay I’ve been at this school for a very short amount of time but I know better than to talk back to Mrs Balamore,” Kyle stated.

“Well she was asking questions and I was simply answering them because it would have been rude not to answer when an elderly is talking to me,” I said

“You’re impossible,” Elle said shaking her head at me.

“Baby girl you are so in trouble when you get home,” Matt laughed,
I’m glad he is enjoying my misery’ “Whatever,” I replied.

We talked for a while then went our separate ways. Kyle, Jasmine and I drove home since we use the same car when going to and from school.

When we get home we find a note on the table that says mami went to one of her prayer meetings.

I go up to my room, do my homework and go back downstairs to binge watch my favourite TV shows. Kyle later comes in to join me hoarding all my snacks.
Ten minutes into the show Mami comes back from her prayer meeting.

“I need to have a word with you,” she says dead serious.
“Okay mami but before you say anything please let me explain myself first,” I start
“Go ahead I’m listening,” she says taking a seat.

“Okay, I was late to class because I was walking very slow right, so then when I got to class Mrs Balamore told me to explain why I was late and I told her the truth, I was walking slow so she got mad and said I was being cheeky and then sent me to the principal’s office,” I explained.

“You mean to tell me that the school called me because of that, wow Mrs Balamore is something else, you know what just let it be, you were also wrong for being late for class so please avoid that next time am I clear?” mami said.

“Yes mami” I reply

After my conversation with mami, Kyle and I went his room to just lay around and talk. We were sitting in Kyle’s room but something has been bothering ever since Kyle came to live with mami and I.

A few minutes of silence passed but he was the first to speak up.

“Kay what’s bothering you, you seem to be in deep thought?” he asked. I knew that at some stage I would have to ask this, so here goes nothing.
“What did mom say when you left the house,” I asked.

I saw him gulp and I knew that the response wasn’t good.
“I told her that I was moving in with mami, as you know, she didn’t take it lightly because she doesn’t like mami and also doesn’t know where she stays” he answers

“Does she ever call you?” I asked fearing the answer.

“She does every night before going to sleep,” he answered and I saw his face light up as he talked about her and I hated it, I envied him, I wanted my face to light up whenever I talked about my mom but whenever I think about her I can’t help but have a pit in my stomach but I know he misses her.

My mom loves Kyle, Kira and Kiana (my sisters) very much but her love for me died with my father. I used to be loved by my mom but it’s like all that love vanished into thin air and I suddenly became the biggest mistake to her.

I longed for my mother’s love but I guess I’ll never get that.
“She wants me to come back or at least visit,” Kyle spoke softly after a while and that took me off guard.

“Please tell me that you’ll stay,” he went quiet and I knew that he had already made his decision.

“I’m sorry Kay but I also need my mother, you can’t take that away from me and besides it’ll only be 3 days,” he replied

“Ky please I’m literally begging you, you’re my brother, you are supposed to be here with me,” at this point I was sobbing, look I know I was being selfish and overly dramatic but I honestly didn’t care.

“Now you are just being unfair to me, I miss my sisters, my hom-,” I cut him off 

“But this is your home and I’m your sister, Kyle why are doing this to me, you can’t leave me, I don’t care if it’s for three days or forever, you can’t,”

“Kayra it will only be for this weekend, I’ll go on Friday and come back on Sunday just in time for school, I Really miss them Kay,” he said looking torn and defeated.

I got up and left his room. By the time I got to my room I was a crying mess. I went over to my bedroom window and just sat by it.

“Why is this happening to me, why does my very own mother hate me, i-i-i-is something wrong with me, why does my own mother blame me for my father’s death? I love mami with all my heart, I really do but despite all the abuse I also miss my mom, I want her love is that too much to ask for, I want my old mom, the one that would never let anything harm me, the one that used to do my hair and tell me I would become someone great one day,” I was literally just ranting to myself.

Tears were flowing out of my eyes and I couldn’t stop. I don’t know how long I sat there for but by the time I
got up it was already time for dinner. I made my way to the dining area and we all sat down to eat.

“Honey what’s wrong why are your eyes so red and puffy?” mami asked

“It’s nothing mami they’re just sore,” I replied
 
“Mami, Kayra is angry because I’ll go back home this weekend and she wants me to stay,” Kyle explained.

Mami looked at me and her expression softened.

“Listen honey both of you are still young and you need your parents, heck needing your parents has no age limit. Orabelle you have to understand that Kyle also needs his mother, I know that this is something very sensitive for you but if you were in his shoes you’d want to do the same, please try and understand baby,” mami said and I couldn’t find the words so I just forced the lump that was in my throat down and nodded my head continuing with my dinner, I tried to do that whole ‘I just lost my appetite’ thing but I was very hungry.

When I finished with my food I tidied up the tabled, did the dishes, Kyle offered to help but I refused then went to bed.