chapter 4-the unfortunate

All was great,we were glad that we managed to do alot.we were bringing in food and taking care of alot of things.we felt like a team, eliminating all our challenges.we could buy whatever we wanted,we satisfied our cravings.we had lunch box and went to town more than we used to.

We were relieved but our grades were dropping.They dropped so hard that we moved from the highest pass to the lowest.I was so ashamed of myself.No matter how much we tried to recover but we couldn't,we were always exhausted,we were drained.I studied so hard but it did not help , whenever we had to write an exam all was lost as if we never stepped foot in a school.Its either we forgot or we slept during the lessons and the class would constantly laugh at me.There was no way we could balance both,all needed our attention,all required energy,to be wild awake of which it's was draining to be honest.

The teachers were worried,'felicia what wrong why are your grades dropping,is there something wrong'.I did not know what to say because to me nothing was wrong,I saw no problem in my life at all,I was just tired just like everyone else.I felt like me being tired was the price I had to pay for our success,for me there was no way I could make money without getting tired.my father used to say the important things are fought for because they bring greater rewards,which is why I was always a fighter no matter what I was doing.Its gave me confidence whenever I would succeed on what I would do alone,it's proved my intelligence each time.

After I had told them that I was fine,the teachers decided to let it slide but advised me to push and make sure I do better in my education.for a couple of days I came late at school and I would sleep during lectures,this time around they were not going to let it slide they called my mom over to discuss about our situation.she explained to them that we were working so that we could help her out and they were not pleased at all,they insisted that she make us stop working since I was under age and we have to focus on our education.This was considered child abuse,they swore that they would report her to the police and have her arrested.

I wasn't the only one affected by working all my other sisters were just as affected just as I was after all we were not sleeping .as soon as we were home we had to prepare for the next day and that took alot of our time. At that point we had to stop working and focused on school especially since we were already on mid year there was no time to waste.

My mother tried selling some stuff just so she can cover some of the money we were bringing in but it's wasn't the same.what we were bringing in was more than enough but what she was now bringing in and solo did not match at all, there was quite a huge gape.we were four then but now she was alone and it's would be delusional for us to assume or believe that she could cover the cost.only a jackpot would do.

Things started getting worse and worse especially with my sister's tuition fee which we had not completed and there were still a few more years to go hence we had to cut off some expenses which later took a toll on us.we stopped eating four times a day to three then two.we stopped carrying lunch box and we would constantly lie to our friends that we were fasting sometimes we would just hide in the toilet until lunch time was over

My mom she lost weight and she missed my father even more.I could hear her cry at night when she thought we were all sleeping.The situation was not easy at all for all of us let alone her .It was painful for me to experience her devastation,I felt like a loser and I couldn't imagine how she felt,with absolutely no one to lend a hand.

The family started threatening us to move out since my father built at his family home.They told us this is their land and we should get ours,they demanded we stop asking for help with anything,but we ignored them.

The whole scenario was unbearable to watch,I had to hold my ties just so that I don't give them anything more to laugh about.our weakness was their cup of tea.our downfall was their joy.They were cold hearted and completely way off line.

At that point I wanted anything to get us out of the situation.i would risk anything to see us happy again,and time was running out because the more we were in sorrow the more it affected our academics and if nothing happens we would surely fail.

I remember that day when I was on my way back to school,my mom had been busy so she was not able to fetch me from school so I had to walk home alone .I saw my father's old friend steve.mr Steve was a very funny man and he was very close to my father.

Steve knew us from birth,he was there in every chapter of our lives and my dad loved him alot.He greet me and asked how we were doing and I broke down,I told him everything.from our starvation to academics.I felt comfortable around him because he was familiar,he reminded me of my father,I felt safe and I knew that if he could he would definitely help out.