This morning was just like that of every other for Laila. Getting up was easy, but then came the hardest part of her morning, waking up her twin brother, Liam. As Laila got out of bed for the millionth time this morning, she moaned as she walked down the hall to wake up her brother. She opened the door, and could tell Liam knew she was coming and tried to pretend to be asleep. This was nothing new for Laila. She had been trying to get him up for an hour now, but he would never seem to listen, and that came as no surprise to her.
“Liam!!!” she howled from her room. He acted like he did not hear her. “Liam. Wake up. We have to get to school, can’t be late for the field trip, or the bus will leave us” she said sounding more irritated than ever. His response came as usual, in the very disrespectful tone it was always in. He told Laila to shut up and get out of his room and that he would wake up when he pleased. Laila tried to hold in her anger as she stormed out of his room and slammed the door shut. She proceeded downstairs to the kitchen so she could start on breakfast for Liam. Being the captious child he was, Liam would only eat breakfast if she were to make pancakes, so of course, that is what she made.
“You better be up and ready to go in ten minutes” Laila yelled loudly up the steps. She did not seem to hear a response from Liam, but this was also normal. After breakfast was made, she started packing a lunch for herself, and Liam to take with on the field trip. Minutes later, she heard heavy stomp-like footsteps coming down the stairs. Laila could immediately tell that Liam had an attitude, but ignored it.
“Hurry up and eat as fast as possible. We are going to be late thanks to you Liam” she said in a frustrated manner. Laila knew Liam was only testing her. He ate slowly to see her agitated. but she tried to hold it together and not get upset.
“I said stop rushing me Laila and chill. Just because mom is gone does not mean you get to act as my mother figure. I will leave out the house when I want. Now if you are willing to wait, I won’t be ready for another ten minutes” remarked Liam in a rude tone of voice.
“Oh my gosh Liam! Always trying to get on my last nerve. Of course I will wait for you. Just eat as quickly as possible” she said. As they finally made their way out the house, Laila walked quickly in order to make the bus stop. Liam of course was lagging behind, barely picking up his feet.
“No one even cares about this stupid field trip Laila why are you rushing? I am only going because of my friends. I doubt anyone wants to see you at school anyway” Liam replied. Laila was silent and rolled her eyes. She did not have much to say to Liam but was just focused on getting to school on time.
As they arrived at school, the bus was just about to leave. Liam gave Laila the death stare, considering the bus did not leave them behind. Once everyone got on the bus, she made sure to sit next to Liam.
“Laila, move” he said as soon as she took a seat.
“I won’t bother you Liam. Pretend I’m not here, talk to your friends, the bus ride won’t be long anyway. We will be there as soon as you know it” she said with conviction. He rolled his eyes and, walked to another row on the bus to talk to his friends. It seemed every time Laila would glance to the back of the bus to see what Liam was up to, he was always clowning around in the aisle.
“Shouldn’t your brother be sitting in a seat…?” questioned one of Laila’s friends on the bus.
“Yes! He wouldn’t listen to me anyhow” Laila said.
“Sit down young man!. It is too dangerous to be walking around” yelled the bus driver. But of course, Liam disregarded the driver, and laughed.
“Liam, he said sit down. Do as he says” shouted Laila across the bus. All eyes were on her. She then continued socializing with her friends but kept the seat next to her open for Liam. Moments later she felt the bus start to skid on the slippery smooth mud surface.
“SIT DOWN LIAM”, this time Laila was screaming at the top of her lungs. She felt the bus start to go off track and in the corner of her eye saw a ditch and panicked. Everyone was shouting and scurrying to find a seat...everyone except for Liam. Her first instinct was to jump out her seat and run straight to Liam to remove him from the aisle. The bus was losing more and more traction by the second. She sprinted to the back of the bus, pushed him out the way into a seat, and she was left in the aisle of the bus. Seconds after, she felt a huge drop in her stomach and knew they were falling. Screams, cries, yells, and silence all in one. Everything went blank.
Laila could not tell if it had been minutes or hours. All she knew was, she could not feel anything in her body. Everything below her neck went stiff. Thoughts were rushing.
Her eyes wandered. It felt as though she could not keep them open for long. Things within her vision became blurry. One thing however was not blurry at all. This was Liam. He stumbled to find his balance but was walking around as if everything was okay. How could Liam move but she could not? Why was he okay and she was not? She had saved him. Shouldn’t she be okay too after putting on such a heroic act? It then occurred to her what she had done. She had saved her brother but put her life at risk instead. Here he was, coming out of this catastrophe with, it seemed to her, nothing wrong at all. Here she was, left in the dust, with life threatening injuries. She had done this to herself. All her life, been selfless and generous and then ends up as the one with the life setback. Just within those few seconds, all her dreams postponed. Gone, disappeared.
“Why did I put so much into him. I left myself in the dust. Always worried and focused on him. For why? Nothing paid off in the end. I was only trying to be of help. Be that mother figure Liam never had. He didn’t know better and he still does not” said Laila.
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