The Cinderella Project

s e v e n

Tia's POV

I lay on my bed as I looked up at my ceiling, which was full of posters. I continue to look up at a poster of Alex Turner that was in black and white. I know –I'm a hardcore fan. And some of them are posters of Thomas himself; it's kind of awkward now.

Thomas just told me two days ago that we're supposed to fly to California to meet with the crew and sign the contract and see what goes next. And now here I am lying down on my back taking in everything that had just happen over a week.

Within days I've managed to met a handsome stranger, getting news of my loved ones, getting my painting sold, meeting someone new, and probably about to get my life changed forever.

I'm nervous, I thought to myself.

Suddenly there was a soft knock, and I reply, "Come in,"

My mother took a peak from outside, "Hey honey, you ready?"

I glanced at her and murmured a 'maybe'. She made her way over to sit on the edge of the bed and grabbed my hand. "What's wrong?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, "I don't know, mum. Everything seems to be going in a fast pace," I quivered at the end, "I –I don't think I'm ready to change my life,"

She squeezed my hand, a gesture I always find soothing since I was still crawling, and it felt like she meant that she's always going to be there. And I like that.

She smiled her warm smile at me, "Have I ever told you the story of a 10 year old boy who decided that he was going to be an archeologist? Surely, he was not like any other little boys I've met, usually they wanted to be a soccer player or even a pilot or a doctor."

I shook my head, trying to sit up and listen to my mother's story. "How did that happen?"

"Well, he and his parents along with his little sister was in a constructed area and observing the place. When suddenly, he slipped through security and went into a restricted area where the archeologists were. He said he was curious what was happening down there. The archeologist there assured the parents that he's okay. Noticing her big brother was gone, the little girl cried for hours it was quite hard to make her calm,"

I giggled at the girl who was very attached to her brother, just like me and mine.

"When the parents got a hold of him later on, they went through the normal scolding, but they couldn't help it when they saw the amusing grin on his face when he came back. And just because of that decision he did, he went on wanting to be an archeologist as he grew up." My mother continued on.

I leaned towards my mother, taking her story in consideration, "Who was the little boy, mum?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.

She kissed my forehead lightly whilst rubbing my arm, "Your brother,"

I tensed up as she said that, I glanced up at her, her brown eyes looking at me full of affections. I snuggled up to her, welcoming her motherly aura.

"I miss him so much," I mumbled in her embrace.

"Everybody misses him, Tia."

And we fell into a comfortable silence before my mother continued, "The point is, he was always up to all the opportunities coming towards him. Whenever we asked him why he wanted to do it, he would always answer 'I want to live my life to the fullest. So later on, when I die, I would be satisfied with everything that I've done'." Imitating a little boy's voice. I chuckled, remembering what my brother's voice was like when he was young.

"Open your eyes, and look deeper. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?"

And just after that, she left me on my own with the silence around me, giving me time to think and continue my packing. But before she goes away, she turned back and said the words I've always wanted to hear,