"Gabs!" I heard Madison, my snobby little step-sister shriek from inside, "You'd better come inside, ma said so and you don't want another week grounded, do you?" She stuck her head out and gave me that goody-two-shoes 'smile'. I gave an overly dramatic sigh and slammed the door behind me as I slumped inside, my least favourite place.

"Darling, what's the huff, why the long face?" My 'OH! I'm SOOOOO nice' step-mum, Valory inquired, with a sickening, sweet smile.

I gave her my famous death-stare and demanded, "What've we got for dinner?", she gestured to the table which had plates set for 4 and in the pot was a murky, brownish, soup thing with lots of lumps. I tried to hide my grimace...

*****

Life was not great anymore, I was stuck in house where no one cared even the slightest about me. My mum had disappeared mysteriously 2 years ago so my dad got really depressed until he met and then married 'OH! I'm SOOOOO nice' Valory. Valory, my now step-mum already had a kid though, her name was Madison. She was a snob (and still is) and takes pleasure in tormenting me. Pa is a jerk and always was, Ma was the only thing that kept me sane, now she's gone. I can still remember being curled up on her lap while she read to me my favourite book, Alice in Wonderland. She breathed life into the characters and read in a way that made me believe every single word. Her grey eyes that could look at me and know exactly what I was thinking and how she smelled like fresh roses. I could never forget her even if I tried, I miss her but remembering her makes me strong.