Alora - My Older Brothers

Chapter 1

Alora's POV

“Morning champ, how's the book coming along?”, dad asked me as I entered the kitchen.

“Meh, I'm not sure”, I yawned. I was still so sleepy. Why does school have to be so early?

I noticed that he wore his favourite polka dots apron with a white shirt and dark trousers underneath. He was making pancakes, and honestly, he flipped through them like an expert.

Wow, it never fails to amaze me the fact how this man is so full of energy in the morning.

“How are you not even a tiny bit sleepy”, I heard Lana groan, as she entered the kitchen.

“Took the words right out of my mouth”, I sighed.

“It's because your father and I don't stay up all night on them phones. Why was that unnecessary invention of smartphones made anyway? We would have been completely  fine with the classic ones with vintage buttons”, Sarah huffed, as she arranged plates for breakfast.

“Darling, had we not had smartphones, how would me and Alora have been able to video chat you and Lana every night when we weren't married back then?”, dad responded.

He went around the stove and around the dining table, towards her and engulfed her in a hug. He then proceeded to kiss her on the cheek softly.

“Awww”, Lana cooed as I muttered, “eww”, at the same time.

Sarah giggled like a school girl. I wanted to say ew again but I also couldn't deny the fact that my father and step-mother were indeed adorable.

“So, how's the book coming along?”, Lana asked me, as she took a seat at the table.

“Honestly, I don't know Lan. I've been trying so hard to focus but it's like, everything in my brain goes blank”, I said, taking a seat myself.

Lana was my step-sister.

I was four years old when my biological mother abandoned my father and me. I don't remember a lot from back then, but I do remember that she wasn't exactly good to me.

After she left, my father was a mess. He was completely heartbroken.

I do remember that for a week straight, he would come home from work, completely drunk and lock himself in his room every night. Leaving me alone, without dinner.

I don't know what changed after that, but he stepped up.

I remember him holding me on his lap and crying his heart out. He apologised to me profusely and promised to do better.

And he did.

I was six when he met Sarah on a work trip. Lana was seven.

When he introduced me to her, I was very sceptical.

I put way too much of my faith in Cinderella. I believed Sarah and Lana to be evil monsters, who just wanted to steal my father from me.

I couldn't have been farthest from the truth.

Sarah was the sweetest person. Unlike my mother, she didn't leave me alone or starve me for hours. She actually cared. Attended all my recitals and school events. I got to spend more time with dad because he wasn't always away now.

And the best thing was, Sarah never forced herself to be my mom. She was completely okay with whatever I'm comfortable with. Since the past few years, I've been addressing her as mom and Sarah simultaneously. And she's completely okay with that.

Although she and Lana took my dad's surname, a few years after their marriage.

And Lana, she never bothered me at first. She kept her distance and we were like acquaintances. We understood that our parents loved each other, and we wanted them to be happy.

But that changed in a few years. We grew closer. And although we're not part of the same groups in school, we still maintain a good friendship. It's not a typical sisterly bond but I'm okay with that. We are very good friends and like each other's company.

“It's okay Lori, you'll figure it out. Don't stress”, Sarah said empathetically with a smile.

I sighed, “I don't know mom. It's hard not to stress”.

This was about my book. I cracked a 3 book publishing deal last year with a local publisher.

I originally published on wattpad as a fun hobby, but it soon got bigger than I'd anticipated. One thing led to another, and well, as of right now I've published 2 books under my pen name.

I'm supposed to submit my third manuscript in about 2 months and I'm not even halfway through. Everytime I open my documents to write, my head just goes blank.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING!

“Stay true and dont feel blue. Faith and respect,” dad said with a thumbs up with both his hands and a very serious expression.

“Yes”, I chuckled as I picked up my fork.

We started devouring the delicious pancakes made by dad as we talked about random things.

1 hour later:

“Oof, I hate you guys for not letting me tag along”, I pouted.

“We love you too”, Lana and dad said at the same time as I exited the car door. They drove off, after.

Dad, Sarah and Lana were supposed to drop me off at school and then go to some regional office. They had to sort Lana’s documents and fix some things apparently.

She was selected for a foreign exchange program related to astrophysics and space stuff. I honestly couldn't stop bragging about it, to everyone literally. I was so proud of her. I didn't understand science much, but I knew it was a huge deal.

Hmm, I tapped a finger on my chin. A girl who went to something something science to a different country and fell in love with her nemesis. Hmm, I could write a book about this, I thought as I made my way to my class.

I just didn't realise that my world would come crashing down in about 2 hours, when I'd be delivered the news of my family's car accident . . .

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