Chosen By The Mafia by Nina Daniel (best reads of all time TXT) 📕

2

Lana’s POV

Winter has been welcomed and all of the aurae is jammed with snowflakes. As I walked back to my home from work, I inhaled deeply. I was tired yet motivated but don’t know for how long. Right now, passing by beautiful houses dressed with lights and decors made me purse my lips where my inner self accosted me about my poverty but I blurred out before it gave me a fit.

Today, I was late home because of workload. It’s been so long I haven’t slept peacefully. I just wish to sleep a whole day without worrying about our financial crisis. It’s depressing to wake up with the thought of no longer supplies left. I’m no longer born yesterday kiddo, Our hurdles made me older than my age. I have a school in the morning and work in the evening. My routine left me no fun. I’m working hard to meet our expenses with my parents. I can’t buy whatever I like, I lame excuse to myself; I lie, I avoid buying unnecessary stuff and save it for my future because only if I’m working passionately it’s for my dream to change into reality.

I reached my home with a war of words in mind, I ignorantly unlocked the door and stepped in. It was pin-drop silence in here like every time, everyone must be asleep by now. I carefully removed my shoes and pitapatted towards my bedroom. I don’t wanna wake them up at 1.

Closing my room’s door; I rested behind it for a while and sighed loudly. I placed my bag on the study table. My eyes catch a glance of itself in the desk mirror.

Oh hell! What the heck is this!? dark circles around my eyes like they own land, skin looked so paled and… and I look at a bag of bones. My brows tightened with vexation. Why am I being so hard on myself?

“I better need a break.” Heard a voice in me

I sighed loudly with my head tilted back and went to the bathroom. I splashed water on my face for continuous 10 seconds but it didn’t help my frustration, “ahh” I groaned and faced the mirror but my anxiety was still the same

  I did my business and jumped into my PJs. I strolled out and fall back to my bed. I was facing the ceiling and staring at it for a long time. I was again lost in my deep mind, I kept myself locked in my brain-cage till It started shouting my failures on me. I didn’t notice that a tear left my eye without my permission. I wiped it off, took a deep breath where I defeated it back and tamed my devils down. My eyes were closed. Overthinking was giving me a hard time. I shook my head and forced myself to fall into darkness of eternity.

It took me a few minutes but I managed to dive in

_______________________________

Next Morning

6:15 AM 

*alarm buzzing*

My visions blurred out and a screechy voice took over, it was wake up dead call,

“Ahh!” I whined under my pillow “not now!,” my voice came out as groggy as I soliloquy in frustration. Grant me a break! Why can’t I have a day off from everything and live like normal kids? My life is so boring, I never had picnic day with my family or… or night-overs with my friends. All of them are so lucky, They have nothing to worry about, so why not me? All they worry about is what to wear, what to eat and I, getting ready for my school then billing people’s groceries.

I grumbled in a low voice. My head was still spinning, I wanna sleep more. I closed my eyes and let my slumber destroy 10 mins of my future but as I said, I’m not allowed to live like normals; my alarm buzzed again and I knee-jerked my hand to it.

With an immense amount of courage, I gingerly opened my eyes; to avoid headache but not a chance, that pinching sunlight caught my eyes and made me squint, It will blind me off someday.

I got up with a puff out and sat on my bed for a minute. I rubbed my eyes then cupped my face with my hands. I stood up like a dead-zombie and poodled to the bathroom, attended my nature call and did my morning routine, “Morning again” I parroted to myself,

Just in my same dead-zombie style, I went to the closet, quickly scanned it whole, and took a simple black tee with blue skinny jeans and white sneakers. Even these simple clothes look classy on me I thought to myself while eyeing in the mirror. I observed some requirements on my face need to be done. I unzipped my mini-makeup box and put some balm on my lips, cream on my face and here I’m ready to go.

I went downstairs and saw my parents in the kitchen, laughing and helping each other. This is so sweet, I always dream to have the love of my life like my dad, he’s so caring and loving to his wife; my mum. Watching them together always optimizes me to keep my standards high, I'm surely not a person who'd settle for less. Even if my house faced poverty didn't mean that we were poor in everything, we had love as our strength and hope. And to change my family's circumstances, I decided to work in such a small age, despite repeatedly I debated with my dad regarding this but he never wanted me to work and extremely objected it though, but I being the other side of the coin was stubborn enough to work hard and save money for the future. Also, to be responsible in the terms of finances for any tomorrow. How long will I remain dependant on my parents?

“Sweetheart, I see you’re awake!” My dad exclaimed happily.

“Yes dad, just leaving soon, I have an important class” I politely replied him with a fake smile and hands rubbing each other to counterbalance with the cold temperature

“Hey hey hey, slow down my little munchkin. Actually mommy and I have something to share with you, can we?” he asked unnecessarily asked my permission which he already knew the answer. The suspense only heightened my nervousness

“um yeah sure,” I gulped

“We know baby how tired you’re and you have been for a quite long time actually, trust us, mommy and I see it all and we deeply care for you as you're our first daughter, you are my ray of hope" He assured me their love with his motivational pitch including his hand reaching to my opposing shoulder and lightly pushing me to interlock in his embrace. When I to completely got into his reach, he continued, "My little darling, We understand your craze for Spain and truly respect it. Even your mommy pleaded me to fulfil your wish. So, we decided to give you guys a trip of Spain on your birthday which is happening this coming winter vacations. I absolutely believe you will love it. ” He delivered those doubtful words to my ears which could certainly give me a critical heart attack, this shouldn't be a prank or a joke because I can't keep up if this is, they know how serious I'm about it. I arched my brows on their statement, knowing that I couldn't believe; they both smiled widely, slightly opposing a grin equally.