ZARA [On HOLD]

Girl, let's get it!

ZARA's P.O.V

Backstory flashback
* continues *

"I thought-", my lips began to tremble, "Didn't you say that they passed away after my mom gave birth to me?", I asked as hot tears freely rolled down my cheeks.

"It shouldn't surprise you. I mean, you learn new things every day right?", she said with a smug look on her face.

I gasped as a feeling of betrayal surged within me. Her words felt like a sudden slap to the face. But I did not let that faze me, for she was the only parent I knew. The matter at hand was too concerning that anything else.

"I understand that you have your own struggles mama, but I can't stand by and watch you destroy yourself with cigarettes. You need to stop", I sniffled as tears continued to soak my face, "This habit is killing you, and it's killing us too".

"She done killed me already", Eve's voice echoed in the hallway as her footsteps grew bigger to the living room, "At this point, It's whatever yo", she said with a straight face as she aimed for the main door.

"Where are you going?", I asked Eve, noticing a liquor bottle outline printed on the pocket of her baggy hoodie.

"Out", she answered with a curt before shutting the door behind her.

My heart sank at the sight of her blank expression and empty eyes. This situation has been so hard on her-on all of us.

"You see what I'm saying?", I directed my gaze back at my aunt, who pulled out another cigarette.

Her eyes narrowed with a flash of annoyance written on her face, "Stop with the drama Zara", she said as she flickered the lighter.

"You're tearing the family apart, mama"

"If anything, I'm the one holding it together," She said with smoke swirling around her face.

I shook my head in disbelief, "How can you say that, mama, huh? Eve can't even stand to be in the same room as you anymore. Your daughter feels like you've given up on her. You have given up on all of us, including yourself", I said to her as my heart pounded.

"Eve?", Her sudden mocking laughter grated my nerves. "That girl has her demons she is dealing with. She has always been a lost cause", she inhaled her cigarette.

Anger boiled within me, but I swallowed it back, refusing to let her bait me into an argument, "That's not fair mama", I insisted with a whisper, "Eve needs you, now more than ever, but all you care about is the next pack of cigarettes"

She exhaled a cloud of smoke that clung in the air with a suffocating scent, "Hm, you don't know anything, Zara. You think you're mighty with your awards and achievements you get, but you don't know anything about real life", she shook her head with a smirk.

"Maybe not," I admitted, "But I know one thing for certain. You're destroying yourself, and I'm not going to sit back and do nothing about it. You're the only parent that I've ever known mama," I sniffled with my face puffed and soaked.

"Care all you want, Zara, but don't expect me to change for you or anyone else. I am who I am, and nothing you say or do will ever change that, okay?", she inhaled deeply with an annoyed expression on her face.

* * *

She never changed. In fact, her health worsened so much that she coughed up blood. Stubborn as she was, she refused to seek medical attention, but I made means to ensure that she got one. Only to find out she had lung cancer.