"Naya, we're home. Get up," Chris waking Shania after parking his car.
"..5 more minutes," whined Shania.
Chris turned off the engine and grabbed Shania's backpack from the back seat and went to the passenger side. He unbuckled Shania's seatbelt and woke her up once more.
Shania grouchily got out of the car with her eyes half-closed, hugged her brother's arm as she leaned on him and walked toward the lift lobby. In the lift, Shania was still hugging and leaning on Chris groggily.
Chris secretly loves the fact that his teenage sister still trusts him and wants to hold his hand.
When they reached the apartment, Chris told Shania to take a warm shower and get ready for dinner.
DINNER
Tina prepared grilled salmon, mashed potato and steamed broccoli and carrots for dinner.
"Naya, please eat your vegetable," Chris said nicely as he put a stalk of broccoli in his mouth.
"You know I hate broccoli! Can I not eat them?" whined Shania.
Chris ignored her.
"I'll finish the carrots, just not the broccoli," Shania bargained.
"Naya, we've got all night, you're not winning this fight," replied Chris.
Chris waited for Shania to finish her vegetables and praised her when she did.
Chris then went to Shania's room and grabbed her backpack. He took out everything in her bag and laid them out on the dining table.
"What are you doing?" Asked Shania.
"Just checking what you have in your bag and if I have worksheets or tests to acknowledge," replied Chris. Shania gulped.
(In Singapore, most tests and worksheets that are graded has to have parents' or guardian's signature to acknowledge that they are aware of the student's result.)
After 10 minutes of going through every book and every worksheet, Chris found 5 unsigned worksheets.
"Why didn't you show me all these? " Asked Chris.
Shania did not answer.
"I notice that four of these are graded Cs and below. Is that why you didn't show me?" Asked Chris.
"I'm sorry," replied Shania.
"I'm not going to discount the fact that you've got an A+ on your language arts paper, great job there, but I don't appreciate how you're hiding your grades from me," scolded Chris.
Chris then went to his study and took a wooden ruler.
"Please don't punish me. I'm really sorry," begged Shania after seeing the wooden ruler in her brother's hand.
"I'm not going to punish you for your terrible terrible grades. I'm punishing you for lying to me," Chris said ignoring Shania's pleas.
"Palms out," ordered Chris.
Shania teared up and put her palms out.
*SMACK*
"Owwww"
*SMACK*
*SMACK*
"I'm sorry!!"
*SMACK*
*SMACK*
*SMACK*
"Go wash your face and come back out here," ordered Chris.
Shania quickly scurried to her bathroom and did as she was told.
"Sit," Chris pointed to the dining table.
"Take out your homework and do them right now, I'll be here with you and you can ask me questions whenever you're unable to solve them," said Chris.
"Yes, sir," replied Shania, still sniffling.
YOU ARE READING
Life as Shania
General FictionShania and her brother, Christopher, have a 17 years age gap. Her parents call her the "accident child". She lives with Christopher in Singapore where she studies, but also travels to Jakarta, Indonesia, occasionally as her parents are based there...
