Half six start every morning. Make at least my side of the bed. Go put the kettle on and begin breakfast which is usually jam on toast or rice krispies if we have any. Make two cups of tea for Daphne and myself. Six forty five - wake the life out of Daphne, who can sleep for the whole of bloomin' England. Get myself ready for work at the bookshop. Check that Daphne is dressed and eating breakfast by seven. Catch the bus at five minutes past seven into the local village and drop Daphne off at school. Catch another bus to the bookshop and start work at eight.
This has been the routine since leaving the care system. Look after my sister, and try make ends meet. It is hard enough on us that our mother cared more about drugs than her own daughters and then our father did not even try to raise us, but it is even worse when you are left to fend for yourself in such a cruel world. I am not the richest woman in the world - my name is not Kylie Jenner. My name is Ziayn Xu and I am embarrasingly broke. To pay the bills, buy food and clothe both my sister and me, I work at Paper Birds; a bookshop that sits right in the middle of Sommereast Village, Avebury. My seventeen year old sister, Daphne Xu is a year thirteen student at the only secondary school/sixth form in our village. Daphne is amazingly intelligent. She gets that from our mum before she was addcited to coke. I am more like my dad. He was the best painter I ever knew. As a kid I would be so excited to see him create beauty with a swish of his paintbrush against the canvas. I wanted to go to an art school when I graduated from year eleven, but my parents had other plans.
I do love working at the bookshop. There is something about discovering new books, and seeing people walk through the doors that gives me a calming peace I long to have. The pay is okay I guess, but not enough for both Daphne and me. She has always put her social life aside when it comes to money, and it kills me that she feels like she has to do that. I know she does not blame me for the life we are both living right now, but I also know that if she had the choice to continue living like this, or switch to a more wealthier, upper class style of life, she would ditch our one bedroom apartment and bus journeys in a heart beat.
Well, so would I to be completely honest.
"Zi! You have always got your head in the clouds, start unpacking these books and put them on display for me love." Joan snaps me out of my thoughts. As much as I love working at Paper Birds, I loved the owner of the shop more. Joan Bridges is the mother Daphne and I wish for, but never got. My parents and Joan grew up together, so we have always had a strong bond. When my dad was working and mum was either too stoned to take care of Daphne and me, or not even at home, Joan would step in and save us. I do wonder at times why she never adopted us, or even fostered us until I was of age to become Daphne's legal guardian, but it is really not my place to ask.
"Sorry Jo," I slightly smile. "you know how I am."
"You are a dreamer Ziayn. Being a dreamer is nothing to be ashamed of dear." Joan grins at me, handing me a pair of scissors to open up the boxes of books. The shop today was not as busy as it has been in the past, making my shift a walk in the park. The postman came to deliver Joan's mail, as well as flyers to pin up on the noticeboard on the wall behind the till. After putting the new stock of books on display, I began to pin up the flyers on the board. The usual missing cat or dog posters were in the pile as well as local events such as the annual village summer fair and Daphne's school dance. But there was one flyer that caught my eye amongst the rest. One that's laminated coat shined in the daylight.
JOB VACANCY!
Interior designer for Lighthouse Industries is desperately needed.
Contact Mr Xavier Bright - 0800 087 346
Xavier Bright... the name rings bells of familiarity, but I cannot seem to put my finger on it. Besides the point, fate must be on my side for this advert to come through the doors of the very shop I work in. Maybe this is the answer to all my prayers. This could be the start of a whole new life for Daphne and I. This could be the door to a whole new future I only dreamed of having for my sister and I!
But this could also be a trap that only adds more doom and gloom into our lives. The true question is:
Am I willing to take the risk?
New book alert!!!
This book may be my new obsession, not gonna lie :p
I think I'm going to try and move away from teen pregnancies and American based stories. I was born and raised in the UK so I'm going to appreciate my British roots :)
Ziayn is pronounced Z-EYE-AYN for those wondering.
it's twelve minutes past midnight right now so I'm going to try and sleep. lol.
goodnight/good morning from me,
Anisa Olivia xoxo
YOU ARE READING
Don't Hurt Me
Romance"If this is just a game to you then leave!" "This is no game baby girl. This is the real deal." Ziayn Xu is a twenty two year old woman who has been looking after herself and her little sister ever since they were left outside an orphanage by their...
