Several Ups and Downs

Mornings were never her thing. Ohh, how she loathes the morning. It was always the beginning of responsibilities but that wasn't what made her hate it. It was the excrutiating back pain that came with getting up from bed and wishing she had slept earlier that made her hate it. But who was she to judge? As the sun hit her eyes she let out a loud hiss before rolling on her other side. Then her alarm started blaring but she ignored it. She, however, remembered she had school.

"Oh my God, can't that alarm just shut up" she picked it up and threw it across the room.

She got off bed sighing.

"I better hit the showers now if i want to be early"

Rubbing her eyes, she took of her pyjamas and went into the bathroom. She smiled when she saw herself on the mirror.

"My hair looks like a bird slept on it" she giggled.

Realizing if she kept staring at her reflection in the mirror she would be late, she hurriedly brushed her teeth, had her bathe and got dressed. She picked her phone off the bed stand and dashed out of her room, down the stairs when she realized she was late for breakfast.

On getting to the dinning room, she found it empty and sighed.

"Where's everyone?" she asked a maid going into the kitchen.

"Ohh, they already had breakfast and left" she bowed.

"Okay, you can go" she waved her off.

'Typical, Cortez' she snorted.

Of course they didn't wait for her before having breakfast. She sat and had her own breakfast. Finishing up, she ran out the house and took a cab to her school.

STACEY'S POV

Ugh!!! Danielle keeps talking about some guy she met last night and I am not interested in knowing the details of how flirted with her, or how his muscles are just the perfect tone. I'm just trying to concentrate on my sketching but I'll be damned.

"Okay, Danielle you know I love you but can we please talk about this some other time? I have a sketch to complete and your little laid experience isn't helping me concentrate" I smile still looking at my sketch book.

"I'm sorry if I was distracting you, it's just that I feel like this guy is the one" she sighs dreamily while I roll my eyes.

"Yeah sure, I'm sure he's 'the one', so was Kyle and Xavier and Drake and Phil and..."

"Don't make fun of my love life Stacey. I am a sophisticated girl and I need some drama in my life" she pouts.

"Ohh, you're getting it darling." I laugh finally dropping my pencil. I know with Danielle here I won't be able to finish my sketch.

"Forget about that, what're your plans for Friday night" she grabs her phone.

"Well, dad has a function on Friday night"

"Ugh! Another one?" she grits her teeth. I know she wanted to snag me Friday night to go clubbing but I can't miss the function, not when I'm dad's trophy child.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." I sigh

"Okay, but on the bright side that means we get to go shopping" she squeals.

"Sorry to burst your bubble but no shopping this time. Dad said to make my own dress because apparently at the last function he bragged about how I was a good designer" I scoff.

"I thought your dad doesn't know you can design?" she huffs.

"He doesn't but he saw my sketch book so he knows I draw but doesn't know I have a knack for needles"

"Then why would he ask you to make your own dress?" she asks getting more confused.

"I honestly have no idea." I shrug. My guess is that he wants to humiliate me a little. Well he's in for a shock of a lifetime.

"Well you are one heck of a designer so I bet he's going to be surprised."

"Yeah" I smile. Her phone starts ringing and she smiles.

"It's Eric."

"Who's Eric?"

"OMG, the guy I told you I met yesterday"

"Oh! Well pick up" I urge her. She looks nervous. It's so unlike her.

"What do I say?"

"Oh my God, just pick the call" I urge. She finally picks it and starts a conversation with Eric. Her every movement while talking on the phone portrayed her as a love sick high schooler. The constant blushing, the fiddling with the hem of her shirt, the endless smiles. I started to think when I too would have that feeling. I have never had a feelings for a guy, talk more of a relationship with one. After some minutes she puts the phone down then squeals.

"He asked me out on a date" she squeals more. Some customers on the tables surrounding us start to look our way.

"Geez! Give my ears a break would you?" I cover my ears.

"I'm sorry, I have to go now. He said he'll pick me by seven" she gets up.

"Okay no problem. Have a good time" I wink.

"Yeah sure. Bye" she waves.

"Bye" I wave back. I watch her walk through the cafe doors. I decide to finish up my dress sketch. When I notice the sun is about setting I pack my things up, head out the doors and take a cab back home. As I walked through the doors of the house I'm welcomed with the annoying voice of my adoptive sister Amanda.

"Hey loser" she sneers putting one hand on her waist while smirking.

"Wow, that was low, even for you" I reply mirroring her posture.

"Of course you'd know about low stuff cause you're a low life." she smiles. I know she's trying to tug at my strings but I won't let her get the reaction she's looking for.

"Please Amanda, I am definetely not in the mood for your shinanigans. I had a tough day and I'm tired. I don't want to stay here arguing with your immature ass" I walk away but then she grabs my arm.

"Hey, I didn't say you could leave." Just them Luka comes around and pulls her hand off my arm.

"Cut it out Amanda." Luka is Amanda's older brother. He's more of a sibling than Amanda is. I mean Amanda doesn't even act like we're siblings.

"But Luka...."

"No buts, go to your room." She glares at me before leaving.

"Sorry about that." he scratches the back of his head.

"No problem, I'm used to it anyways. Thanks for the help." I smile and he smiles back.

"Okay I gotta go" he leaves. I'm glad he knows how much of a brat Amanda is. She is so immature and I loathe her.

I go to room upstairs, freshen up and then I start to read a book. After what feels like hours I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in." I sit up on my bed. I see the door open to reveal my dad standing. He walks in and stops just a few meters in front of my bed.

"Good evening sir" I bow my head slightly. He looks at me and then to the book I'm reading.

"What are you reading?" he squints his eyes still looking at the book.

"It's Pride and Prejudice, sir" I can feel the tension in his gaze.

"You were absent for breakfast, again" he looks at me disapprovingly.

"I'm sorry sir but I woke up a little late"

"You have to keep to time young lady. You know how much I hate tardiness"

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again"

"Of course it won't. I expect to see you for breakfast and dinner everyday, understood?"

"Yes sir" I exhale.

"Good" he walks towards the door. Just as he is about to exit he turns around and says "Don't forget about the function, I hope you are ready" then leaves.

Great, I have just two days to prepare a dress. As if I wasn't under a lot of pressure before. I continue reading my book until I hear another knock on my door. A maid walks in bowing.

"I came to inform you miss that dinner is ready" she says still bowing.

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute" I say and she leaves. I quickly close my book and rush downstairs. Everyone is already seated apart from me. I go up to the table and sit beside Luka. I see Amanda glaring at me then at him. I guess she's still mad at him for stopping her madness. We say the grace and starting taking food from the serving bowls. We eat in silence for five minutes before mom decides to break the silence.

"So honey, how was work?" she smiles at dad. Ugh!! Julia Cortez. She's as fake as anyone can get. Amanda definetely got the immature genes from her. At thirty seven she behaves like fifteen, always throwing tantrums when something doesn't go her way.

"It was lovely darling" he takes her hand and smile back.

"Ugh! Eww, mom stop trying to be cringy" Amanda snorts.

"Ohh, like the way you and Jake are." Luka smirks.

"Hey that's different" she retorts.

"Oh my gosh, Jake, I love your eyes today. I literally can see the sun in them. Oh my gosh Jake you look amazing. Did you get a new workout routine" Luka imitates Amanda's voice and I can't help but smile.

"What are you smiling at loser? It's not like you know what love is, you'll be alone for the rest of your life because you're ugly and a loser" she snickers.

"I don't need love. Love's a terrible excuse to be dumb. It's a distraction and I already have enough distractions, like you" I smirk.

"Whatever loser" she rolls her eyes and continue eating.

Halfway through the meal, dad makes an announcement.

"Stacey, on the day of the function I have. a surprise for"

That's weird. I never got gifts on my birthday and here he is talking about a surprise.

"Anything I should worry about?" I inquire.

"Well that depends on you" he glances at mom and a shiver goes down my spine. I know something's wrong and it's worst I have no clue what it is. I suddenly loose my appetite.

"I think I'm full." I push my plate forward and stand up.

"Have a little more" Luka tries to persuade.

"No, I'm okay. Really, I couldn't" I cover my mouth. I'm starting to feel nauseous.

"Are you okay?" he gets up and walks me away from the dinning section and I run to my room. I get to my bathroom and the content of my stomach immediately leaves through my mouth. I feel slight pats at my back.

"Feel better now?" he sit beside me on the bathroom floor.

"Yeah" I can't help but feel that he knows about this sudden surprise.

"Luka, do you know anything about the surprise dad is planning?"

"No" he sighs. I can see he's worried.

"It can't be good news though" he rubs his chin.

"I'm really scared" I look down at my hands. He takes them in his.

"Hey, don't worry, I'll be beside you the whole night. Nothing will happen to you" he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Thanks, for everything." I sigh amd lean on his shoulder. He pats my head.

"It's nothing chipmunk" he exhales.

It's time like this make me happy that I have someone like him around. He's the best brother a girl could wish for. I just hope whatever it is that dad has planned I'll sail through it as smoothly as I can....