Poisonous addiction

"Tom awoke with a jolt as his sister's shrill voice pierced the early morning calm. "Tom! Wake up, you'll be late for school!" Julia cried as her flip-flop slippers rhythmically slapped the wooden stairs, announcing her ascent to Tom's room.

Groggy and disgruntled, Tom buried his head deeper into his pillow to muffle the ruckus. "What is it now?" he groaned, his annoyance mounting. Julia, unamused, tossed her slipper at her brother with a loud smack.

"Ouch!" Tom yelped, sitting upright and rubbing the spot where the slipper struck him. "What was that for?"

Julia, undeterred, planted her hands firmly on her hips. "Get out of bed this instant, young man! You'll be late for classes." Her stern gaze pierced through Tom's sleepy eyes, brooking no argument.

Tom, a tall, lanky young man with a strikingly handsome face, rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I'm not going to school today."

""Why, your exams are in a week and you don't want to go to school?" "Tom!?" Julia yelled, her eyes widening in shock

Tom sighed, running a hand through his thick, dark curls. "I got kicked out of school. Our outstanding bills... they're too much. The principal told me to stay home until we can pay them off."

Julia's face paled as his words struck her like a dagger to the heart. For a moment, she was frozen in place, her legs feeling leaden and numb, unable to move even an inch. She knew their family's situation was dire, but hearing the news about Tom's school was like a punch to the gut.

After a moment's pause, Julia gathered herself, and with a determined glint in her eye, she inched closer to her brother. "Tom, listen to me. Everything is going to be alright, okay? I know things are tough right now, but I promise, I'm going to figure out a way to get you back to school."

Tom scoffed, his brows furrowed in disbelief. "Don't be ridiculous, Julia. You know as well as I do that we're barely scraping by. There's no way we can come up with $6,000 in a week.

Julia's face softened with empathy, understanding the depths of her brother's despair. "Miracles do happen, Tom," she whispered, her voice gentle and soothing. "And I still believe in them. I refuse to give up hope. We'll find a way, somehow."

Tom, his frustration mounting, snapped back, "Well, I don't believe in miracles. And I think it's best if I just stay at home. There's no point in trying to go to college or becoming a basketballer like I always wanted. It's just not going to happen."

Julia was undeterred, her resolve only strengthening in the face of Tom's negativity. "You can't just give up like that, Tom," she pleaded. "You have talent, and you have passion. There has to be a way for you to pursue your dream."

Tom scoffed again. "Easy for you to say. You don't know what it's like to be me, to see the looks on people's faces when they see where I come from. We're nothing to them."

Julia's eyes flashed with indignation. "We are not nothing, Tom. We are survivors.

"Don't talk like that" Julia continued, "We need to be strong and never give up" Julia sighed, she tried to hide her emotions and the fact that she really wants to yell so loud.

"Dress up, we need to visit mum in the hospital" Julia said as she left the room. Tom stared at her leave till she closed the door behind her, he looked up and crawled back to bed, covering his face with his blanket.

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting a dim glow over Tom's room. As his sister's exasperated footsteps echoed down the hallway, Tom drew the covers over his head, desperate to escape the harsh realities of his world.

At the hospital, a chorus of bleeps and hushed whispers filled the air, punctuated by the occasional clatter of medical equipment. Julia, her heart heavy with dread, walked the all-too-familiar path towards her mother's room.

Mrs. Betty, looking frail and worn, lay in bed, her thin hands resting atop the stiff, white sheets. Upon seeing her children, a faint smile flickered across her face, but the effort quickly drained her energy.

"Good morning, Mum," Tom murmured, mustering the cheeriest voice he could. "How are you feeling today?"

Julia, attempting to mask the worry etched into her features, chimed in, "You're looking better and better each day, Mum." She carefully unpacked the food she'd brought, setting each item on the nightstand with quiet determination

As the silence hung in the air, Tom cleared his throat, hoping to break the tension. "So, the doctor came by this morning, huh? Is everything alright?"

Mrs. Betty, her voice faint and weak, gave a slight nod. "The doctor came in this morning, he said he would like to see you" she said.

Mrs. Betty is a 45 years old woman, who lost her husband 4 years ago in a terrible fire accident, ever since then she hasn't been herself. She was diagnosed of kidney problem and according to the doctor she need an urgent kidney transplant or she might end up losing her life

Julia, sensing her mother's unease, responded quickly. "Of course, everything will be fine. Don't worry. I'm just going to step out and see what he has to say, okay?

"You didn't attend school today, why? Mrs. Betty asked immediately as Julia stepped out.

Tom's smile was warm and reassuring as he embraced his mother, hiding the weight of worry that lay heavily upon his shoulders. "I just wanted to come and see you, Mum. I've missed you so much," he lied with practised ease, seeking to comfort her as best he could.

"And we brought your favourite Kimchi soup," he continued, presenting the steaming dish with pride. "I made it myself," he added, concealing his sister's culinary handiwork.

Mrs. Betty's smile broadened. "When did you learn how to cook?

Tom responded with a playful grin, "Julia taught me."

"You two are finally getting along?" Mrs. Betty remarked, bemused by their newfound harmony. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Oh, we still have our moments," Tom quipped, gently teasing his sister. "But when it comes to food, we're united in our love for your Kimchi soup."

With great care, Tom spooned a portion of the delicious broth into his mother's mouth, feeding her slowly and affectionately. "Mmmm," Mrs. Betty purred contentedly.

"My son, the chef," Mrs. Betty chuckled warmly. "I knew you inherited my cooking skills."

Tom laughed heartily, basking in the fleeting moment of joy. "Well, I had the best teacher."

Meanwhile Julia was pondering on what the doctor told her, she couldn't get her thoughts together, trying to hide her pain and hold herself from crying, she held the chair handle tight while she squeezed hard.

Her mind clouded with thought she can't even get hold of. She really wished she had the power to take the grief and pains of her family away. At that point she was ready to give her life in, if it meant for her family to be wealthy and happy.

Julia's prayer echoed in the quiet restroom, her heart aching with the weight of her burdens. A single tear slipped from her eye, falling to the cold floor, a silent testament to her despair. As she stood, she barely registered the figure in front of her, only realising her mistake when she collided with a man.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Looking up, her breath caught at the sight of the handsome stranger, his chocolate brown eyes piercing into hers.

For a moment, Julia's world ceased to exist as she lost herself in his gaze. His diamond-shaped face and muscular frame exuded an aura of strength and allure, leaving her dazed and longing. The soft scent of his cologne wafted towards her, its seductive notes dancing along her skin, and she could almost feel his touch.

"It's okay, just watch where you're going next time," he replied, breaking the spell. As he moved past her, she couldn't help but gaze after him, her heart racing as if she had been struck by Cupid's arrow.

""Julia snapped out of it, you barely knew him and besides, this isn't what you should be thinking about" As she got up to turn to leave, her leg kicked against something, she looked down to find out it was a wallet. She bent down and picked it up.

"This must belong to him, she said.

Julia's heart pounded wildly, the sight of the stacks of crisp, green bills sending a surge of adrenaline through her veins.

Overwhelmed by curiosity she opened the wallet, she was shocked by what she saw, "Stacks of $100 note" she wanted to scream out of surprise but she held her mouth.

She looked closely at what was inside the wallet, she saw his ID and also his business card, she thought to herself, For a fleeting moment, a dangerous temptation danced through her mind – could this be the answer to her prayers? But no, her conscience would not allow it. This wasn't hers to take. With a sharp intake of breath, she hurriedly closed the wallet, her hand trembling with the weight of her decision.

Julia tried to trace where the young man was, but couldn't find him. Suddenly she saw a figure like him moving to the elevator, she ran after him, but the door was shut already, she had to take the stairs which was rather a stressful thing for her to do. She saw him talking to the receptionist, she immediately rushed to meet him but on a second thought she paused, as she watched him leave.