Opportunity

Silence lingered the whole room, no dared to speak, even her brother seems to be stunned as she was, the old woman's eyes were still jumping in glee but she waited for the lady to speak

"Auntie, what are you saying?"

"I'm glad you finally ask!" The lady removed her flipflops, walking over to her auntie as they both settled down in the ground, the lady motioned the old woman to continue which she did.

"I've been asking my friend to search for cheap schools and after a long time of waiting, she finally found one! Hawthorne High."

"Auntie...no." The lady sprung up, knowing that she rather take a nice shower than talk with her auntie about her going to school, she proceeded to remove her hoodie, hanging it to the side of their door. She was about to walk to their bedroom when she heard her auntie yelled, telling her to come back and listen to what she's about to say and she did. The truth is that she just wants to ignore her auntie but she can't and will not for her auntie has been there whether it be good or bad.

The old woman motioned her to sit in front of her which the lady did, the woman sighed when she saw her niece with a defeating look on her face but she couldn't be swayed at this, it was for her own good. "I want you to go to school"

"But au-"

"You, studying means a better future for us. Think about it, you work three jobs a day but it's still not enough but if you graduate, you'll get a better job, bigger pay." The lady knew this, of course, she did. That's what they teach them at school, 'don't ever drop out because studying means a better life for you in the future' but she dropped out, her future may stand no assurance but at least they get to live. For how can one face their future if they're dead?

They needed money, now. Not for her future, not for they're future but at their present state, just like they said 'health is much more important than studying'

"Auntie, we've been going around this topic too much."

"That's because you're not listening to me"

"Auntie, what do you what me to do? Leave you here alone with Ethan and then what? overwork yourself? Who's going to watch Ethan if you leave? What if he's feeling something? It's too risky and I can't afford to risk it. I rather not." The lady's hand ran through her hair as she felt stressed out, her head thumping in pain as she looks at her auntie, begging with her eyes that she should just stop forcing something they can't afford. The old woman sighed in defeat, yet she continued.

"I want you to study, Everett Heinsberg"

"You're only seventeen but you've faced the hard life. Let me handle the work that's for adults. "

The lady gulped when she heard her say her full name, she knew that her auntie was serious. And the old woman knew how obedient the child is, she can't deny her, the child looks upon her and respects her with all her being. It may be manipulation but she wanted her to live a teenage life for even she experienced that.

This time, the lady sighed in defeat, she slowly nodded her head and told the old woman that they can talk tomorrow. Her eyes were just tired, she just wants to sleep. The old woman told her to eat first but she declined, saying she's not hungry. The little boy ran after her, wanting to be in her arms but was stopped by the maiden, knowing she was too dirty.

"Eat first, Ethan. Once you're done, you can hug me."

When the boy returned to the small table, waiting for the dish to come. The lady head in the shower and took a nice fresh bathe, when she was done, she moseyed to their bedroom and saw her little boy by the edge of the mattress, wiggling his little feet.

She walked over to him and sat down by his side, petting him, the boy asks: "Are you going to leave?" The girl sighed as she pulls the boy into her lap, his body was facing her but his head was slumped downwards. It was amazing for her to see how time flies by, her brother was already seven yet his affection for her never ceases.

"I don't know. Ethan."

The boy hugged her as tight as he can, his little arms not reaching her back. The boy cried in her arms, telling her not to leave him. It hurts her that he has such thinking but considering that their parents abandoned them must've terrified him.

Cleaning her brother's face, she carefully laid him down on the soft mattress and they both fell asleep.

Her day went like usual, she woke up early, cooked for her family, wrote a letter, and went to work. However, when she arrived home, there was her auntie's friend with her laptop sitting at the small table. She quickly removed her flipflops and settled down by the side of the guest.

"Oh my! What a beautiful lady you are. I'm Lily, Hiana's friend."

"Nice meeting you. Thank you for all the help you're doing to this family."

Lily Gregorson, the most loyal friend her auntie has, they were good friends since high school and she's been supporting the Heinsberg family for a long time now but that doesn't mean they're always trying to get money off of her. She was just as nice as her auntie and taking advantage of her will make them the worst living person on earth.

"If you passed their scholarship, everything for you will be free. You're school fees, dorm and I also heard that the school provides money for every student that studies there and I know you're smart, your auntie showed me all your awards and grades when you were a freshman. Since the school is pretty far from here, it'd be great if you get the free dorm but if you will not I'll gladly pay for you."

"Thank you."

"It's an online scholarship so you won't worry about going in there. I got your back"

The girl dropped out when she finished her freshman year, she didn't sign up for the next school year which led her to work three jobs a day. Her birthday passed and the school year was done, making all her classmates in freshman year moved upon their junior year, and here was she, the smartest person in their class was just about to apply for her sophomore year.

However, it didn't mind her what they've thought when she dropped out and her going back to school is just something to be thankful for. She doesn't need any negative thinking that she was rather late, all have their own judgment but no one truly knows about a person they don't even know. When she was done, her auntie smiled at her, thankful for what she did.

The next morning, the lady stood dumbfounded, Lily and her auntie were practically jumping in joy, giggling like little girls. The maiden had not expected herself to pass but she did. The old woman woke the lady up earlier, beaming at her with joy, saying she had passed.

And since she was faced with such news early in the morning, she just stood there, mouth wide open. Should she be overjoyed? Excited? Scared? However, she hadn't felt any of that emotion, she was just straight-up confused, and instead of her being overjoyed that she passed, it was her auntie that was excited like she was the one that had passed the exam.

Her auntie suddenly gasps as if she had realized something, making all the other two girls stared at her, rapidly the old woman ran into their bedroom. The maiden gave Lily a questioning look which she answered with a shrug, they both moseyed to the bedroom door, only to see her auntie, packing all her clothes!

"Auntie! What are you doing?!"

The loud voice of the young maiden was heard all throughout the room which disturbed the peaceful sleep of the young boy, rubbing his eyes, he peeked his right eye to see his sister frowning while their guest was at the bedroom door, giggling as if she had found the situation amusing while his auntie was practically emptying the girl's wardrobe.

"Everett?"

The boy's innocent voice took all their attention, facing his direction, they saw how his cute little mouth formed into a circle as he yawns. The maiden smiled warmly at him, before shooting a look on her auntie.

"It's nothing Ethan, go back to sleep."

"Hiana, you know I wish to have a kid right?"

The lady knew exactly what the woman was implying, her eyes quickly went to the woman's face and saw that she was indeed right. Lily's face was full of excitement and adoration while staring at her little brother.

Just as the lady got the message, it was the same for the old woman and she did think that it was a better idea but knowing very well how protective Everett can be, she motioned for Lily to ask the lady.

Everett knew that Lily was a nice person, and being with her means Ethan will be in good hands. He will not starve nor will he be bored in the house of the Gregerson's family for they have all the toys he can ask for. Why? Because Lily was expecting herself to have a child and they were overjoyed, bought all the types of toys a kid could ask for, however, their baby died.

Lily was devastated, the lady remembered very well how she became depressed about losing her baby- she knew for her auntie had told her. Everett wasn't scared of Lily taking care of her little brother, what she's afraid of was that she may be forgotten by the boy.

The girl looked at Lily, staring at her for a second before nodding. She moseyed out of the room, letting her auntie do what she wants and went in the sink, washing her face she felt little hands tugging her clothing, she looks down to see Ethan, looking up to her. "You're leaving aren't you? You're abandoning me too like them."

"No, no Ethan. I'm not abandoning you. I'm just going to school, you can visit me anytime and I can visit you as well. When I graduated we're going to buy a house for ourselves, I will never ever abandon you."

The boy nodded, understanding what she had meant, just as the young lady's eyes were opened to the cruel reality at a young age so was her brother. The young lady went to the kitchen and readied their food and went off to work with a piece of bread in her mouth.

When her shift in the cafe was finished she told the manager she'd be quitting which he gladly allowed. She rapidly went into her next job and it what had happened yesterday repeated, she waved at joe which he copied and there was a bunch of teasing but the restaurant was rather busy so she never got the chance to talk to him about her leaving the job.

Lily told her that the school was far from home and that it'll be best to quit all her jobs since she'll be staying there for a long time. When the restaurant was closed, she walked over to Joe, telling him she needed to talk and seeing that there were waiters everywhere, cleaning the restaurant, he took her by the hand and went into the back room.

"I'm going to resign."

"Pardon?" No, Joe had heard her clear and well, how can he not, it was dead silent in the backroom.

"I'm resigning."

"Why all of a sudden? Did something happened?"

"Yes, something did happen. I'm going to school."

"That's good but why are you quitting?"

"The school is far from this city. I'm going to move tomorrow." Colors drained out of Joe's face, he was happy that she finally get to go to school but her leaving...it wasn't something he could be glad of but what can he do, she made her choice, there weren't a couple, he had no right over her life, even if he was her lover he still hadn't the right to control her decision, after all, it's her decision, not his.

What had hurt him was that she's moving out of town and he hadn't gotten the chance to confess to her, if only he had done that earlier. Tears were forming in his eyes, it was lame for him to be such a cry baby but he can't help himself. "Joe...it's not like I'm not gonna visit you, I'm not going to disappear. You're acting the same as my brother."

"I can't help myself. God, this is lame. I'm twenty years old but I'm still acting like a child. " The lady wiped his tears away with her hands but as she did so, more tears poured down for he was going to miss her lovely hands, no, scratch that! He's going to miss her whole being.