I've been staying at aunt Mary's place for three years now.
It doesn't feel like home, but I have no right to complain.
I eat right, I sleep right, and I live right.
I'm grateful for that.
Until Lisa decided to disagree with them all.
Lisa. My cousin and my aunt's only child. She's a self centered, spoilt brat who can't seem to be contented with what she has. She has green eyes and blond hair.
And for some reason, she hates me.
It all started one night. We were having dinner. Lasagna.
My favorite.
I politely asked for more after my first round, but Lisa had decided she also wanted more.
"Aunt Mary?" I called to her.
"Yes sweetie?"
"Can I have more?" I smile.
"Of course." She says and I hand her my plate.
"I also want more!" Lisa says suddenly.
"Oh honey, but you're not done with what you're eating." She points at Lisa's food which is still half full.
"Um yeah, I'd still take more after I'm done."
"But it remains one more serving." I say but Lisa turns to me and smiles.
"Then it's decided. You won't eat."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me right. You.won't.eat." She smiles.
I look at aunt Mary but she just shrugs.
"Then it's decided. Lisa takes the last serving." She says and they all go back to eating.
Turns out, Lisa didn't touch the last serving, neither did she finish her plate of food.
Next, Lisa decided her room was now too big for the both of us.
Uncle Mark and aunt Mary's house was a three bedroom house. It's really large and each room could still be divided into four more rooms.
One day, Lisa grew tired of staying in the same room with me. So she told her mom.
"Mom I think Raven should leave my room."
"Leave your room?"
"Yes. Leave my room."
"Why?" I ask her.
"Do I need a reason to why I don't need you in my room again?"
"Uh yes."
"I'm tired of you staying in my room."
"Okay honey. Then I guess she can stay in the guest room."
"What! No! She can't!"
"Why can't she?" Aunt Mary asks.
"Because, what if a guest comes by?" She crosses her arms. "And besides, she's not a guest is she?"
"Of course not." Aunt Mary agrees.
"Then where do I sleep."
"Easy" Lisa smiles, "The laundry room."
"What?! You can't really mean that. I mean it's the laundry room!"
"I'm sure mom can fix it up a bit." She turns to her mom. "Right mom?"
"Sure darling. Nothing a bed and a wardrobe can't fix." She smiles.
'How's that supposed to fix it!'
I thought to myself.
And that's how I started sleeping in a laundry room.
Next, she decided I do all the chores.
"Mom?" Lisa began. "I feel sorry for poor Mrs Davis. She does too much work in the house." She says pouting.
Mrs Davis is the cleaner of the house. She comes to work here every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
She's been working with them for seven years now.
A nice lady I'd say.
"You are right. She's getting old isn't she?"
"Yes she is." Lisa nods. "You know, if the house wasn't so dirty, she wouldn't have to come everyday."
"But she doesn't-" I start.
"So I'm thinking," She interuppts me. "We should let Raven do the chores from now on."
"Wouldn't it be too much on her?" Aunt Mary asks.
"I'm sure she doesn't mind. Right?" She asks me.
"I-"
"See. She's happy to help. You can tell Mrs Davis to just be coming twice a week."
"It's settled then."
It went from twice a week, to once a month, to not coming again. From then, I was the new Mrs Davis of the house.
I went from eating right, to eating if it remained.
I went from sleeping right, to sleeping in the laundry room.
I went from being part of the family, to being the maid of the family.
All these, because Lisa said so.
Aunt Mary always agreed and uncle Mark wasn't always at home. Always stayed late at work.
I thought maybe it would just be for a while and Lisa would come to her senses.
But little did I know, this was just a tip of what was waiting for me.