On the morning of my big medical college entrance exam, the day I had been preparing for years, I woke up to a total nightmare. Somehow, all my alarms had failed, and it was already 9:55 a.m.—just five minutes before the exam was set to begin. Panic hit me like a wave as I realized how much was at stake.
I jumped out of bed, my mind racing. I knew I had set three alarms for 6:00, 6:15, and 6:30, and I had even left the curtains open to let in the morning light. Yet here I was, hours late.
“No, this can’t be happening!” I shouted, throwing on clothes and rushing downstairs. “Linda, please! I need a ride to my exam!”
In the kitchen, my stepmom Linda was sitting calmly with her coffee, looking almost amused. “You’re too late, Emily. Maybe you should’ve set your alarms better if this exam was so important.”
“I did!” I replied, frustration boiling over. “I triple-checked everything!”
She shrugged with a smirk. “Maybe this is just a sign you’re not cut out for this. If you can’t even wake up, how will you handle medicine?”
Her words stung, but before I could respond, my little brother Jason piped up. “Emily, I know who turned off your alarms.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.
“I saw Linda turn them off last night. She said you didn’t need to be at that ‘stupid exam.’”
Linda’s expression changed, and she hissed, “Jason, stop making things up.”
But Jason stood his ground. “I’m not lying. I heard you.”
I looked at Linda, searching for any sign of denial. Instead, she rolled her eyes. “Fine, you caught me. But honestly, it’s a waste of time and money.”
The anger on my face must have been obvious, and she took a step back, realizing the impact of her words. Just as I was about to dash out, I heard sirens approaching. Jason smiled at me. “Don’t worry, Em. I called for help.”
“Thank you, Jason,” I said, pulling him in for a hug.
When we got home, my dad was waiting. Jason told him everything, and I watched as my dad’s expression turned dark with anger. “Is this true?” he demanded.
Linda stammered, trying to justify herself. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far…”
My dad cut her off, his voice cold. “You sabotaged her dreams out of selfishness. You’re not staying here another night.”
Jason and I watched as Linda packed her things, leaving with a defeated look. As the door closed behind her, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. We were finally free from her negativity, and I knew I had my family’s support to pursue my dreams.
