Teenage Strife: The CEO'S Mistake

Knock! Knock! Knock! The sound echoed continuously in a disturbing manner. Michelle stood up from her bed, grinning and mumbling to herself half-awake. She unlocked the door and turned the doorknob to make entrance for the person to come in. It was her younger brother, Roland, who entered the room.

"Good morning, sister," he greeted.

"Morning, little bro. How was your night?"

"Pleasant," he replied.

"I came to know why you're still in bed when you're supposed to be awake by now," Roland said.

Michelle glanced at her alarm clock, now fully awake.

"Don't bother staring at the clock. You probably forgot to set it before going to bed. It's half past eight."

"Really! I never realized..."

"I was even thinking that you are still in bed because of your health since you complained about being achy yesterday," he interrupted, not allowing her to finish her sentence.

"Thanks. You're such a darling. I feel much better now," she said.

"Then you have to hurry up."

"Okay," she replied mindlessly.

Roland left her room as she began to undress for her morning bath and cleaning.

*

*

"Good morning, Mum," Michelle greeted her mother, Mrs. Arrowhood, curtseying a little as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Morning, dear. Hope you slept well?"

"Yeah! Very well, Mum. Any assistance I can render?" she asked after replying to her mother.

"Oh! Nothing. I've finished with the cooking and cleaning."

"Mum, we will be resuming school in two days," Michelle said, ignoring what her mum said earlier.

"Yes, I remember, and I've made the necessary shopping arrangements to get you the needed items for the new term today," she replied.

"Alright, Mum. Permission to visit Daisy at her place today?" she added.

"Yes, you may, but be careful on your way and make sure you don't stay long."

"Thanks, Mummy," she said happily, appreciating her mother with a warm hug.

Mother and daughter left the kitchen as each of them prepared for the day's activities.

"Lest I forget, I have a surprise for..." Mrs. Arrowhood uttered, unable to complete what she had to say when Roland, who had been paying less attention to the conversation, interrupted, asking if their father was returning from his trip that day.

"Little bro! You're too rude to cut Mum short while she's talking. You didn't even let me hear what she wanted to say," Michelle shouted.

"I've always told you not to call me little bro again. For God's sake, I'm twelve," he feigned anger.

"Big boy, my foot!" Michelle replied mockingly.

"You can as well leave my son alone. You did more than that when you were his age. I can say you just started using your manners," Mrs. Arrowhood intervened.

"Stop taking sides with him, Mum! You'll spoil him at this rate."

"That aside... I'll rather be on my way. It's getting late," she replied, getting ready to leave the house.

"What about breakfast?" Michelle asked.

"You'll find it on the dining table. I'm sure you'll like it. Your favorite," she smiled.

"And the surprise?" Roland asked again, raising his voice a little more.

"You'll get to know later in the day."

"Okay, Mum! Buy me some snacks on your way back even if sister Mich is not interested," he said, eyeing his sister coldly.

"I've heard you; you eat all day, yet it never shows in you. Thank God you've put on some weight during this holiday," his mother said, looking back at him.

"Mama's food working," he joked.

"Goodbye, Mummy! Have a nice day!" Michelle called after her mother, seeming not to care about her brother and his babyish acts.

"God knows when he'll change," she murmured as she sat at the dining table for her breakfast.

Michelle finished her meal in no time, and after washing the dishes, she set out to visit her friend, having been granted permission to do so. She bade Roland goodbye and instructed him to take care of himself and the house since he had nowhere to go. She was confident he would find something to do, maybe sleeping or playing video games until everyone returned.

Michelle was a tall, young girl of fourteen. She was slender with long eyelashes, thick black eyebrows, and long black hair. A very smart, determined, beautiful, morally upright, and well-mannered girl whose temper was exceedingly unbearable. She got angry at the slightest issue and could talk back to anyone when she was angry, no matter who they were. Whenever she didn't have the chance to express herself, she would break down and cry. A human so abstruse.

Unlike Michelle, her friend Daisy was a tall, slightly plump girl with small eyes, a round-shaped face, big cheeks, and long legs. Her complexion could be confusing in that she wasn't fair but wasn't dark either. The only things she had in common with Michelle were the long legs, height, age, and complexion. She was also beautiful, but Michelle's beauty was much greater than hers. They had been close friends since childhood when they attended the same elementary school and were paired together during class and school activities. Back then, she was the only one who knew how to handle Michelle's temperamental attitudes and actions.

"Daisy!" Michelle shouted from a distance as she saw her friend sitting on the corridor of their house.

"Mich!" Daisy exclaimed. "You didn't even call to tell me you were coming."

"Just wanted to surprise you, babe." The duo hugged each other happily as they checked each other out.

"I've really missed you."

"Same here."

"How's everyone, and the stubborn boy?" Daisy asked.

"We are all fine."

"What brings the sugar girl to my house today?"

"Oh my! You are really offending me. Is this my first time visiting?"

"Are you really angry? I was just joking."

"That joke was too expensive," Michelle said, pretending to be angry.

"Stop feigning anger. One could tell you're just acting. So it's better you stop. This is not a film studio or theatre," Daisy joked.

"Yeah! That's the typical me," Michelle said.

"Whatever. Let's go in, or would you prefer to sit outside?" Daisy offered.

"As your ladyship pleases."

"You're not serious," Daisy said, playfully knocking her friend on the head.

They made their way into the beautifully colored mansion of the Coles' as they gisted each other about how they spent their holiday which was about to end.