"Get UP Luciana!" barked a raven-haired woman.
An auburn-haired girl groaned as she sat up. Wasn't it a Saturday? Or was it a Friday…anyway, why was she waking up so early…it was still dark!
"What, Miriam, what do you want, I'm tired, I'm going back to sleep," Luciana sighed contentedly as she sank back into her pillow.
"You have to rise early, you have to go to your swimming training session!" the woman called Miriam said.
"Ughh, later, later," muttered Luciana.
Someone was running towards Luciana's bedroom. Most probably Max, her little brother.
"LUCY! LUCY! UP! UP! UP!" shouted Max.
Luciana cracked one eye open, her two-year old brother stood at the side of her queen-sized bed with his short chubby arms up. She pretended to snore very loudly. Max giggled and Miriam chuckled behind her hand.
"LU-CY! PLEASEE!" Max hollered.
"Max, I think you're forgetting to say something," said Miriam.
"OH! Mi-wah, Mi-wah, on the wall, who is the HAN-SO-EST of us all?" recited Max.
"YOU ARE!" cried Luciana dramatically and quickly grabbed Max to put him into her bed.
Max chuckled.
"So, how have you been this morning, little brother?" Luciana asked dotingly.
"Well, Miriam gave me a cup of hot chocolate and toast!" Max reported.
"Sounds yummy, are you going to make me that?" asked Luciana.
"Well, you haf to get out of bed first! You shouldn't eat in bed! Not if you're very sick, you can't," Max exclaimed.
"Okay, okay, I'll get be ready in seven minutes, okay?" Luciana said.
"Okie dokie," Max said as he hopped off Luciana's bed and took Miriam's hand to go downstairs.
Luciana smiled. She loved her brother, he was just so adorable. She knew she spoilt him, but what could she do? With a face like his, anyone would spoil him too.
--
"LUCIANA, GO FASTER!" yelled her swimming coach.
Luciana moved her arms and legs faster, she urged herself to go on. Her breathing became very short, but she loved that feeling. She loved the feeling of adrenaline pumping through her and the urgency to go faster.
"Okay, good job, that's it for today, remember drink plenty of water," her coach instructed.
"Yes, I know, you tell me every single day!" Luciana snorted.
"Ah, stop being a smartass, now go change, I don't want to see your face anymore," said her coach.
"Hmph, how nice, bye," Luciana said.
"LUCIANA!" Max yelled out.
"MAX!" Luciana called back.
"Max! Keep your voice down," Miriam scolded Max.
"Ah, it's alright Miriam, it's only the swimming pool, anyway, I should get going to school," Luciana said.
"Well, Luciana, there's something we need to talk about when we get home," Miriam said.
--
"You mother and father are both still in London," said Miriam.
"Figures," muttered Luciana.
"So, you are going to join them, Max and I are going to stay here in Sydney," Miriam said.
"Why?" Luciana asked sharply.
"Because, that's the way your parents want it to be," Miriam said softly and got up and left the table.