"Wake up, you guys should wake up the announcement has ended." Dinela said and we all got up,yawning and stretching.

"How long did we sleep for?" Alero asked.

"You guys slept through everything."

"You did not sleep?"

"No, the gym teacher's biceps kept me awake." She said with a slight blush.

"Let us go home I am exhausted." Alero said.
We all stood up and went to class to grab our backpack, we saw a lot of people yawning and stretching in the hallway.

"Looks like we are not the only one's that fell asleep."

         We grabbed our bags and we all said our goodbye and we headed home. As soon as I got home, I dropped my backpack and I went to make lunch I, I was making beans and plantain when my step father called me into the living room.

"Why did you not make my breakfast?"

"Well you said you will not be back till morning so I thought you would eat breakfast were you went." As soon as I said that he gave me a tight slap.

"Why did you not make my breakfast? answer me truthfully."

He was about to hit me again before the door bell rang, he was fuming by that time, he does not like being interrupted when he is torturing me.

"Who is there? I..." He started harshly.
Before he collected himself.

"Good afternoon." My stepfather greeted.

"Good afternoon Mr Dario, well my book club is hosting a get together for the neighborhood and you and your daughter are both invited."

"No thank you,we will not be coming."

"You do not have a choice I have a permission to sue anyone that do not attend this party because it is for the benefit of the neighbourhood and it will improve the societies welfare,so you do not have a choice, you have to come, and you have to bring your daughter, she is also a member of this neighborhood."

"Okay we will both come."

"One more thing!"

"What?"

"I was saw your daughter on my way to work the other day, I offered to take her to school but declined my offer."

"So?"

"I noticed that the clothes she was wearing was torn,please make sure she does not wear anything torn,worn or faded."

"Take her shopping if you must but if I see her with torn or faded clothes at the party if not I will sue you,is that clear.

"Yes of course."

"Have a nice day Mr Dario."

"You too Mrs issah."

 My step father shut the front door and he turned to me, and he asked.

Do you have any clothes that are not torn or faded?"

"No I do not have any."

"Okay I will be right down,
I will go freshen up and you get ready,we are going shopping."

He then went upstairs to his room, I went to check what I was cooking but it was not yet done so I just turned off the gas, and I waited for my dad, all the while, I wondered why Mrs Amira did that for me but whatever reason it is I am very great full.

"Come on let us go." My step father said.

I stood up from the couch and followed after him. We went to the nearest shopping mall,Sahad Stores.
When we got there,my step father and I came down from the car and we went into the mall,I have never but here before, we went in, then we went up the elevator that took us to the third floor, I saw a lot of beautiful clothes and some toys for kids.

"Go on and get what ever you want I will be waiting at the counter,hurry, do not waste my time or make me regret bringing you here."

"Okay, I will be quick,remember take what ever you want,okay."

I then went to the cloth sections , I looked around till I found section of beautiful nice gowns, I then ran into Dinela as I was checking for clothes that will fit me nicely for the get together.
I felt my breathe get caught in my throat,if my step father sees me with her, he will never take me shopping again,worst of all he will think she is my friend and he will brutally beat me up, what do I do now? I can not ignore her either.

"Hey Azyma." Too late to do anything now.

"Good afternoon Dinela."

"Good afternoon, you took our advice and came here right."

"Yes, actually there is a get together so I would like to get a nice dress for myself, what of you, why are you here? Are you also going out?"

"No, I do not need a reason to be here,I always come here whenever I feel like getting new clothes, Is it only a dress you want to get or will you get more clothes? you really need it."

You can get whatever you want,I remembered what my stepfather said. "I will get more clothes."

"Okay that is good,I would have loved to help you choose clothes for tonight's party but I really have to leave, I was done shopping when I saw you, I have to go home my mom is waiting for me outside okay."

"Azyma are you okay?"

"Yes of course I am, why did you ask?"

"Your cheek is red, it looks like someone hit you, tell me what happened, why is your cheek red?"

As I was thinking of a lie to tell her someone called her and told her that her mom is getting impatient.

"Okay I will be there give me one minute."

"Who was that? I asked trying to change the topic."

"That was Geoffrey Blessing my elder sister, she came here with me."

"Okay."

"So tell me who hit you."

"No one hit me."

"Tell me the..."

"Dinela let us go right now." Her sister yelled.

"Okay fine let us go bye Azyma see you tomorrow."

"Okay bye."

Thank God, I totally forgot to use make up, if my step father sees it he will think I did it on purpose. I should not keep him waiting.
       I ran to the gown rack and I saw a lot of beautiful gowns,I kept wondering around and I found I beautiful blue body hug sleeveless gown, I took it and I also saw a nice black gown which was cut up to the upper part of my knee, I also saw a nice sunflower short gown with a jacket,I picked it Also, I found a basket that I can keep all the clothes in as I get more clothes,I Saw another gown like the blue dress.

I found another turquoise gown but this one had long flay from below the,I also found another green lace body hug gown but it has flay from the knee,but it was too much for the occasion,but I still took it,I went to the underwear section and I got six bra's and ten new panties after which I went to the jeans section and I saw a lot of tight jeans.

I went to the accessory section and found three nice necklaces and two ear rings, I then found hair accessories and I took two ribbons and hair clips and four veils,I only wear veils on occasions,I have only one but it was old and worn,i picked three jeans and three tops, with four crop tops, and three short skirts and four long skirts.

         I also took three short jump suites and two long one's and also five shorts and six more tops, I got some body lotion and body spray and a perfume.
 I also took two coats, three sandals, two high tops,three wedges and two high heels, I took three flats and two flip flops, I took one PJ and a night gown and one towel, I also got a small size make up kit and hair gel and one body scrub and shampoo and conditioner.

I struggled to carry everything,I saw my step father at the counter waiting for me.
I went to meet him, I was so happy I got all this nice clothes.

"Did you get all what you need?"

"Yes I did thank you." He just ignored me.

The woman behind the counter collected everything, my step father asked me to carry everything and go wait by the car with everything as the woman,so he will pay for everything,I did not even get to know how much I spent,maybe he is secretly punishing me by asking me to carry all what I bought down here.

Not long after my step father came and opened the trunk of the car,I tried to put everything inside but they did not fit in so I kept the rest in the back seat of the car. I entered In the front seat with my step father, put on your seat belt my step father told me, I did as he said and we drove home.

         When we got home he opened the trunk and left me to Carry them all to my room, I just hope I did not spend too much of his money, and I wonder why he did not complain I took a lot of clothes,I guess he is in a good mood today, after I was done loading everything into my room I went and finished making the beans, I fried some plantain and put it all in a container, I also made beans stew to go with the beans.

After I was done, I went to my room to take a shower, I washed my hair with my shampoo and conditioner, then I took my bath.
I came out and I dried my hair,I wore some body spray and I decided to wear the turquoise gown,and I sprayed some body spray.

I took the body lotion I bought and I rubbed it on myself, I then brought out the little make up kit I got, and applied a real make up with lipstick and eye-shadow after I was done with my make up, I wore my dress and combed my hair and I put on my new hair accessories. I wore a beautiful dropping necklace and then I wore my veil over my hair tightly and I wore a nice wedge.
       It was already about seven O'clock when I finished dressing, I walked into the living room to see my step father walking down the stairs,he wore a black Jean and a deep blue shirt with a black dress suit.
He looked awed when he saw me, and his mouth hung open,he composed himself after a couple of minutes and he asked,are you Ready?"

"Yes I am."

"Okay let us go."

"You look amazing by the way." I heard him say and I also heard him say just like your mom.

    It was my turn to open my mouth, maybe he really did love my mother. We left through the front door and we locked the door behind us and we headed to Mrs Amira's house.

If only I knew what awaited me at the party.

Another chapter successfully updated, I hope you guys are enjoying my book, make sure to drop your comments and votes, thank you all for reading my book.
Bjay_love