The morning rose by quickly with the sun's rays emitting its golden hue over her eyes.The early morning birds had began their singing and the bustling of the children around made her wake up.
The smell of pancakes passed through the air and into her room.The sound of the Samsung new 8 inches television echoed through the halls with a song from the usual Netflix movie Harper loved to watch White Chicks.
She opened her eyes and rose from her bed,stretching her arms as she stared at the clock.Her small pink alarm clock read 8:00 a.m and she knew she had slept for not more than 6 hours.She wanted to sleep but there was something more important than that.
After brushing her teeth, she slid downstairs in her pyjamas and saw her family seated together eating their breakfast.They all had their eyes somewhere else and everytime they spoke,it was either to mold someone's dreams or scold the person.
Mr.Sanchez held his newspaper in his right hand,his glasses sliding and resting on his nose and the other hand of his supporting the glass cup he had gotten from Coca-Cola company. He didn't bat an eye at anyone and stayed focused with what he did.Mrs.Abigail also cut her pancakes in small chunks and ate them silently while Harper's eyes stayed on the television and the protein shake in her hands.
Mia took back the chair and sat on it,reaching out for a plate of pancakes before Harper."Bonsor ma famille!" She greeted them in her usual French accent.
"Good morning!" came the reply as if in a chorus then her mother turned her attention to her.
"You know you can still go in for modelling anytime? You still have that beauty and everything and---"
Harper cleared her throat before her mother could finish,glared at Mia and walked into the kitchen with her pancakes.Had Mia seen the glare,she would know her sister wished to murder her.
"Mum." Mia began.She knew Harper needed help and her sister wouldn't listen to her or say anything even if she wanted to just help."Well,I think Harper needs help."
Mrs.Abigail just sipped her coffee and smiled at her."Let's not talk about her.I got this modelling gig for you and---"
Mia was getting frustrated by the minute.Her mother had been a model years back and suddenly she got pregnant and decided to quit.When she gave birth to a beauty like her,she invested all her time into her hoping that Mia would one day be the model she always wanted and make her proud.This made her control Mia's diet too strictly and also taught her how to walk,talk,bat her eyelashes,eat protein free food to not gain weight.But the worst part was when she was controlling Mia's weight.She couldn't even eat what she wanted.
"These foods would make you fat.And you don't want to get fat because people would hate you.And there is no fat model so quit it." That was Abigail's comment everyday.
When she saw Abigail change in high school,she invested her time in Indigo and left Mia alone to become the editor she wanted.But there was no way she'd make Indigo a footballer. She even wanted to make Harper a model but her weight was not one that could be controlled.
Mia stared up at the woman in front of her,wanting to call her out for always interfering in her life and forcing gigs on her but decided to stay quiet."Mum this is not about me.It is about Harper.I caught her eating junk food yesterday and forcing herself to throw up...I think she needs help mum."
Mr.Sanchez quickly put his paper on the table."Harper? Why would she do that?"
"I think...I think you just ask her." Mia said, forcing whatever she was guessing to fall back on the floor.
Mr.Sanchez called out to Harper who dragged her feet into the room."Harper? Are you fine my dear?"asked her father softly.
"Well what problem is it when she decides to starve herself? She would lose weight and it is at its advantage.She can become a model." Abigail butt in indifferently."She needs to lose that weight and face of hers.Look at me! I am still slim and beautiful.What even are you?"
Harper looked in her mother in the eye,crushing the phone in her hands.
"It is not an illness and she needs no help,she needs to lose that weight.She is--"
"Enough!" Mr.Sanchez's eyes turned red at his wife's remarks.It was because of her thirst for perfection that they had divorced but still lived together due to their three kids.
Later,the room turned into a fighting arena with the duo hurling insults and curses at each other.Harper run back into her room with Mia following behind.
"Harper,are you ok? I just wanted to help."said Mia
"You..b*tch." The girl yelled amidst sobs."You only wanted me to be reminded about my waist,my hips,my tummy,my forehead,my legs ...you wanted mum to tell me how I need to be like you! For f*ck's sake.I hate you."
Mia stepped forward trying to reach her hand to her sister's shoulders but she hit her.
"Why am I always not enough? What do they see in you? Why do I seem useless to everyone? Why were you even born?"
"I was only trying to help you Harper! You seem to be struggling from an eating disorder.I can help you..I can make sure you---"
Harper shook her head vehemently."I don't need your help.You don't understand it.I am not enough for everyone.I am too ugly that people hate me."
"No..you are not ugly.You have an inner beauty."
Harper laughed."Inner beauty? You never said outer beauty? You just admitted that I only have a beauty inside never a beauty outside."
"That is not what I meant Harper."
"I wished you had just died last year.I wouldn't be suffering here like this."said Harper,her face turning crazy."I wish you had died in the accident and I wished I never saved you."