Chapter 2

Miss, wake up'.

'Madam says you should come down for dinner'.

I woke up to the sound of my door being banged accompanied by the shouts of the maid, Zina.

'Miss, please wake up or madam will get angry'.

'Okie, coming I'm coming. No need to bring my door down'.

I heard her giggle and I rolled my eyes.

'Zina?'.

'Yes ma'am?'.

'How many more times do you want me to tell you not to call me miss or ma'am before you'll actually listen to me and stop calling me that?'.

'Err-- I'm sorry ma'am. So sorry'.

'There you go again'.

She giggled once more. Sometimes I wonder if I'm that funny or she just finds everything funny.

'You should get ready,--- Maya'.

'That's better. Now go tell 'Madam' that I'm coming right away'.

'OK, Maya'. I heard her footsteps as she hurried off.

Sighing I got off my bed and made my way to to the bathroom.

I stared at my face for a while in the mirror taking in my brown long hair with blonde strands.

Granny said I look a lot like my mom with my big ocean blue eyes and heart shaped face but I don't think so.

From what granny and dad said anytime they mentioned her she was very pretty and tall but I?

Well let's just say I'm an average height, ugly looking woman (Sadie always point that out to me anytime she gets the chance).

She had full blonde hair. I think whatever is behind giving people hair didn't know which hair colour to give me and decided that mixing my dad and mom's hair would do just great.

Obviously it was wrong, people don't even know what to call my hair so they just go for blonde which I'm not.

I moved to get my tooth brush and started brushing my teeth.

I sniffed the air trying to perceive the odour Sadie said always comes out of my mouth every morning but didn't perceive any.

I shrugged and rinsed my mouth then moved to shower.

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'I really need to change my closet'. 

My closet were full of old cloths all faded and old fashioned.

I'm not the type that keeps up with the latest fashion but that doesn't mean I can just wear cloths that have been wore and forgotten since in the 90s. 

Not that I care about how I look in them but interviewers nowadays will scrutinize you from head to toe.

And just assume you can't do your work properly when you dress shabbily not considering some of us that hates fashion.

I picked up my phone and checked the time.

Holy Mary, mother of God.

Liza is going murder me with her looks.

I rushed down in jeans and shirt while holding my coat in one hand..

They were all seated and were almost done with their foods.

In a normal family they would have waited until everyone was present before they started eating but you can't say this is a normal family so I didn't mind a bit.

Sadie was busy on her phone, Sophie was pushing the food around the plate and staring at the food dryly while Liza ate with great etiquette.

Being a popular film producer she was invited to many social gatherings where many rich and famous people were so you can imagine why she'd have good eating manners.

She always practice the manners even at home but her children  didn't take after her. They prefer to eat with manners outside but not in the house.

And I? 

I have a really bad eating etiquette but who cares?

Your step mom.

My subconscious self told me.

Ah, let me introduce you to my other self. Her name is also Maya but she's totally different from me.

She's always saying what I can't admit to myself so even though she's inside me and I can't see her we're like enemies.

Yeah, whatever. It's not like she likes anything I do.

I retorted.

'Good morning everyone'. I greeted cheerfully and was answered the same way I've been answered for the past years.

Sadie didn't look up from her phone, Sophie eyed me from head to toe and looked away while their mother made a disgusting sound at the back of her throat.

And then the usual:

'Why did you bother coming at all?'.

'Oh, I could go back if you want'.

I moved to pick my food but she stopped me.

'Stay! I don't want your dad thinking I'm not treating you like my child'.

'You don't have to worry 'bout that he himself doesn't remember I'm his child'.

'Still--'.

'Ok, if you insist'. I shrugged.

'I hope you find a job so you can get your insufferable self far away from us'. Sadie imputed.

'Me too'. I agreed.

She gave me an unbelievable look.

'You don't think I enjoy staying among people who would always find a fault in me'.

'No, you can't just bear the people who'd tell you the truth about yourself not find faults in you. Anyways you can say that too your whole life is full of faults. And you're a mistake'.

I gripped my spoon very hard and tried not to let them see the effect that had on me.

'Just as you're fake'. 

'What did you say?'.

'How dare you talk to my daughter like that?'.

'Daughter? You think you raised a daughter? No, you raised a dog'.

'How dare you say that about to me'. Sadie stood up and stalked to me.

'What?. Can't you bear to hear the truth?'.

'My. Daughter. Is. Not. A. Dog'.

'Hmm, maybe you're right. After all it's normal to fuck the men involved in the production of films to get a part'.

Dad who was sitting on the couch in the sitting room turned abruptly with his mouth hanging open.

He had been busy on his laptop totally ignoring our bickering but he couldn't just ignore the bomb I just dropped.

'That's not true'. Sadie screamed and started crying. 

Dad had already made his way to the dinning area. 'Is that true Liza?'.

'James, listen to me. You know that Maya can be a little ---'.

'Just answer my damn question'.

She looked down unable to answer.

Dad nodded and went to pick his laptop then headed out of the door with Liza following him close behind begging.

'See what you've caused now'. Sophie shouted at me. I barely heard over Sadie's noises. She was sounding like an animal in pain.

Totally different from the soft and tiny voice she pretends to have.

'What? I just said the truth. And just like you told me earlier on. Bear it'. I said and picked up my bag from the table.

'See you in the evening'.

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