Chapter 1

Hi Bella here👋 so I just want to apologize for the delay, I haven't posted any chapters for months and I'm deeply sorry. I'm sorry for deleting the 36 chapters that I've written but I want to edit my book. I wanted to upload ten news chapters of the new edition of my book but my editor is having an

issue and I'm experiencing delay with some of the chapters of my new editions.

I thank u all for everything and don't worry, nothing's changed about the book, I'm just going to correct a few errors and make it exciting. According to inspirational quotes, it says: Change the plan but not your goal. Love y'all ❤️❤️ ur authoress Bella😘

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it was a cold chilly Saturday morning. Ariana, a young black girl of 16 left her home early and headed to her workplace. She delivered milk and newspapers in the morning. After that, she worked part-timed at a coffee shop. In the evening she worked at the gas station.

Evening came quickly and she rounded up her day's pay and happily headed home. Ariana had to work every day and even during school days just to raise money to pay her mom's hospital bills.

Her father died recently. While he was alive, he made sure that she and her brother attended the best school in the city.

After he died, her mother fell ill and her brother had to drop out of school. She has been working her ass off just to provide for her family.

"Mike I'm home!" Ariana announced as she opened the door and walked inside.

Her little brother Mike ran to hug her. "big sister Ari!" he shriek excitedly. Ari hugged her little brother tight. She squatted down and kissed his forehead.

"How're you doing buddy?"

"I'm fine*.

"Did you take good care of Mom?" she asked. Mike nodded his head. "Yup, I also drew her a painting of our family. Come see" Mike dragged her hand. Ariana chuckled as she picked up her brother in her arms.

"Okay, let's see what you drew big guy" she tickled Mike. Mike giggled and also tried to escape from her arms. They arrived at Mike's bedroom. It was a small bedroom with only a bed and his books and also a table and stool in the room. Mike always makes sure to keep his room clean even though it's small.

"Put me down" Mike insisted.

"Fine" Ari dropped Mike on the ground. Mike ran with his little legs to the table and he grabbed a cardboard paper as he ran back to Ariana.

"Here you go" Mike handed the paper to her. Ariana gasped at the painting. Mike loved art since when he was much younger. Who knew that a seven-year-old can draw a painting like this?

Her father and mother were in that painting. They all sat down in the park to have a picnic. She felt warmth, how she wished that her father was alive. How she wishes she could work hard to send her brother to school. He has such a great talent for painting.

"I love it, thanks love" she kissed his forehead again.

"Sister Ari, do you love me?" Mike asked with those round innocent ball eyes.

"Of course. You're my first love and nobody can replace you".

"I love you too Ari" Mike hugged her sister tight.

"Buddy, we're having pancakes tonight".

"Yay, pancakes!" Mike joyfully screamed with a huge smile on his face.

"Now go wait for me in the kitchen. I'll be with you shortly". Mike nodded his head and ran out of his room.

Ariana left Mike's room and walked to her mom's room where she saw her mom lying on her bed.

"Mommy, I'm home" She sat down on her bed and hugged her mom.

"How was your day sweetie?" her mom asked with a smile.

"Fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay" her mother coughed.

Ariana's tears were threatening to fall. Her mother is in a very bad condition and still, the money she has is not enough to take her mother to the hospital.

"Did you take your drugs today?" she used her palm to wipe the drops of tears from her eyes.

Her mother weakly nodded her head. "I'll go make dinner for Mike" Ariana got up from the bed and walked to the door. Just when she was about to leave the room, she spotted the empty containers of drugs. Her mother's drugs has finished and she needs to have those drugs until she can raise the money for her mother's treatment.

She picked up the empty container from the waste bin. "Momma, you didn't take your drugs today. Why didn't you just tell me it's finished?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me dear, stop spending money on buying drugs. Aren't you worried about your school, your fees are due, don't you want to continue going to school".

"Mom please, forget about my school, you're more important. Do you want to die and leave Mike and I alone in this world, Mom you know I can't do anything without you and I'm trying...I'm trying my best to raise the money for your treatment and I...I'm trying to raise money to send Mike to school. I'm doing everything I can, I'm delivering food and working at a coffee shop and also working at the gas station so please, please just appreciate what I'm doing and stop bringing up my school!" The tears rolled down her beautiful face. She's exhausted and angry and also hurt. Why is life so unfair to her?

Tears also rolled down her mother's face, her poor baby is trying her best to help this family. Her baby is carrying all the burden and she's just laying down on this bed helplessly doing nothing. How she wished she was not sick, how she wished that her husband is alive. She just can't lie down there doing anything when her baby is suffering.

"I'll go buy the drugs and buy you hot soup" Ariana wiped her tears and left the room. She slowly walked to the kitchen where Mike is happily waiting for her.

"Buddy, I'll go buy Mom some drugs. I'll be back, in the meantime, go be with Mom, okay?"

"Okay!" She smiled and ruffled Mike's hair.

Ariana left the house for the nearest grocery store. She bought the drugs for her mom and also bought some chicken soup for her mom.

She bought some candies for her brother. She knows that Mike must be hungry because he only ate breakfast and will wait for her to be back before he can eat again.

Arriving home, she entered the house and walked to her mom's room where she found Mike sleeping on her mom's bed while her mother patted her head.

"You're back" her mother whispered.

"Yup, I bought your drugs" She walked to the bed and dropped the bag she was holding on the table.

"Buddy, I'm back" She shook Mike gently to wake him up. Mike slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

"Here, I bought you candies" She brought out a candy bar from her pocket. Mike fully opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Thanks, Ari" He collected the candy and tore it open.

"Let's go make pancakes!"

"Yay!". The two of them ran from the room and towards the kitchen. They both made pancakes together and ate. Ariana read Mike some bedtime stories and tucked him in. She took her bath and walked to her mom's room, fed her mom the chicken soup and gave her, her medications. After making sure that her mother is sleeping, she headed to her room.

She brought out her textbooks and decided to do a little reading. She wants to remain in school but has no money and probably nobody to sponsor her in school. Next month, she knows that she's going to drop out of school. As long as she manages to raise the money for her mom's treatment, she's fine without going to school.