SECRETS

 ‘Come on Lisa, why can’t you hurry up?’  I half shouted, wanting to shake her into action.

            Every single day was the same routine. Lisa just couldn’t get herself going in the mornings. She behaved like a zombie. Even worse, was that I had to continuously make sure that she didn’t forget anything for her day at school.

By the way, I’m Jeff. I’m twelve years old, and rather handsome, if you don’t mind me saying so. Lisa, my little sister is ten. Cute is how I would describe her, but don’t tell her I said so. I love Lisa dearly but some days I wish I could just rush off to school and leave her to get ready by herself. But then I can’t let mum and dad down. You see they depend on me. Mum suffers from terrible migraines, and most mornings it’s up to me to take care of Lisa. Dad works in the city and leaves pretty early, therefore I have to manage. 

Finally, Lisa drags herself down the stairs. Her thick black hair hasn’t seen the hairbrush as yet.

‘Oh Lisa, why haven’t you combed your hair?’

‘Can you please do it for me? Here’s the brush,’ Lisa said, whipping out a hairbrush from her school bag. Out tumbled books, pencils, pencil shavings and crumbled pieces of paper.

‘Lisa! Look at the mess you’ve made. Give me that brush!’ Pulling her towards me, I grabbed the brush and roughly brushed her wavy hair.

‘Ouch! Jeff stop it. You’re hurting me.’

‘Serves you right. The next time you’ll do well to brush your hair yourself and is it so impossible to have a neat bag? Can’t you bin these papers instead of stuffing them back in the bag?’

Lisa choked back a sob and immediately a wave of guilt washed over me. I hate to see my sister crying so I decided to calm down. ‘I really wish you would help me a bit more. Could you at least try to get your things prepared the night before? I’m sorry I pulled your hair. I didn’t mean too.’