Sing Me A Song

Chapter 4

Chapter four

I woke up the next day feeling excited to go back to university. After Uncle Frederick left last night I’d been under fire by my parents about how I was studying, how well I was handling university life and not to mention the amount of times they tried to bring up topics like boys and parties. It seemed, however, that I could end up a better lawyer than I thought of myself considering how well I was able to dodge their questions; for the time being.

“Angelina! Breakfast time!” My mother’s voice rang up the stairs.

I threw the covers back and quickly washed my face before heading down to the breakfast table. It must’ve been a hot day outside because it was barely eight o’clock and the air conditioning was already on and cooling the house down, except for the windows which would send a wall of heat towards me whenever I passed them. The table was laden with light breakfast foods – cut up fruits, croissants either filled with ham and cheese or plain and eggs along with mango juice and coffee settled in the centre. My mother and father were sitting opposite each other both reading a newspaper and sipping at their coffees. The curtains were pulled back and the sun shone through the windows brightening the room. 

“Good morning mother, daddy” I greeted them with a kiss on their cheeks before settling myself in a rigid backed chair and heaping the food all on my plate. My father peered over the top of his newspaper and an amused expression while my mother put hers down completely and stared at my plate.

“Angelina... you need to watch your figure” She scolded lightly. “You never usually eat this much”

I paused, my hand halfway to grabbing another croissant when I grinned and flushed. “I guess I just missed home food?”

It was a pretty lame excuse. After all, it wasn’t as though my mother cooked the meals. My father chuckled behind his newspaper, pausing only when he sipped more coffee, but my mother pursed her lips. “Well, just cut back a little darling. Heaven knows how much exercise you won’t be doing with all your studying”

And we were back to my studies.

“Don’t think we didn’t realise that you were trying to avoid answering all our questions, Angelina” My father joined in the conversation, finally putting his newspaper down. “Now we have no doubt that you’ll do fine studying. It’s instilled in you. However, we just want to make sure that you don’t get distracted by anything or anyone. Remember, no boys or parties... you need to focus. You need to keep your head firmly on your shoulders and your eyes on the prize! You need to finish your degree so that you can join us in the court room one day. That is why we’re paying for your tuition”

My mother agreed by nodding her head. I quietly sighed. If anyone else had listened to this conversation they’d think nothing much of it, but it was there under their words... ‘you will study law, you will graduate, you will join us in the court room, you have no choice’.

“I know daddy. I have been studying everyday and very hard as well, you know I study hard. I haven’t been to any parties and I know I have no time for boys”

Well, they never mentioned going to a bar.

Satisfied with my answer they smiled and continued reading their newspapers and drinking their coffees while I poured a glass of mango juice – I’d lost my appetite after that conversation. After slowly finishing my mango juice, I showered and dressed in dark leggings and a yellow off the shoulder top. I slipped into my flats and finished packing my overnight bag before meeting the driver downstairs.

“Bye!” I kissed both my parents’ cheeks and just before I escaped to the car my father called out to me.

“Remember Angelina! No parties and no boys! Focus and keep your eyes on the prize!” I threw him a tight smile and jumped into the car before the driver firmly closed the door.