I scrambled out of bed, a million questions rushing through my mind. I knew I had set three alarms the night beforeâ6:00, 6:15, and 6:30âand Iâd even left the curtains open to let in the early morning light. All that effort to ensure I wouldnât oversleep, yet here I was, already hours late.
âNo, this canât be happening,â I muttered, throwing on clothes and racing down the stairs. I called out for Linda, my stepmom, hoping sheâd give me a ride. âLinda, please! I need to get to my exam!â
In the kitchen, Linda sat calmly, sipping her coffee, giving me an almost amused look. âYouâre too late, Emily. Maybe you should have set your alarms better if this exam was so important.â
âI did!â I shouted, feeling the frustration build. âI triple-checked everything. They were all on.â
She shrugged, a faint smirk curling at the corner of her lips. âMaybe this is just a sign that youâre not cut out for this. After all, if you canât even manage to wake up, how do you plan to handle something as serious as medicine?â
Her words cut through me, but before I could argue, I heard a soft voice behind me. âEmily, I know who turned off your alarms.â I turned to see my little brother, Jason, standing there, his eyes locked on Linda.
âJason, what do you mean?â I asked, confused.
He swallowed, his small face set in a determined frown. âI saw Linda turn them off last night. She came into your room when you were asleep. I heard her say that you didnât need to be at that âstupid examâ anyway.â
Lindaâs face tightened. âJason, stop making up stories,â she hissed.
But Jason didnât back down. âIâm not lying,â he said firmly, looking up at her. âI heard you.â
I looked at Linda, searching her face for any sign of denial, any hint that this was just a misunderstanding. But instead, she rolled her eyes and said coldly, âFine, you caught me. But itâs not like youâre fit to be a doctor anyway. Itâs a waste of everyoneâs time and money.â
The anger and disbelief on my face must have been plain because she took a step back, finally realizing the impact of her words. Just as I was about to bolt out the door, sirens blared in the distance, getting closer. Jason gave me a small, hopeful smile. âDonât worry, Em. I called for help.â
Lindaâs face went pale. âYou did what?â she asked, fury creeping into her voice.
The sirens grew louder, and soon, two police officers arrived at the door. âIs there a problem here?â one officer asked, his tone calm but firm.
Jason didnât hesitate. âYes. My sister needs to get to her entrance exam, but Linda turned off her alarms so sheâd miss it,â he said, his voice small but sure.
Linda scoffed, attempting an innocent act. âTheyâre making things up because she overslept.â
But the female officer knelt down, looking Jason in the eye. âDid you call us to help your sister?â she asked gently.
Jason nodded. âYes. She worked so hard for this, and Linda messed it up.â
The officers exchanged glances before turning to me. âIs that true?â the male officer asked.
âYes,â I managed, my voice choked with emotion. âI have to get to the school, or Iâll lose my chance to take the exam.â
âAlright, young lady,â the female officer said, nodding. âWeâre going to get you there.â
Lindaâs face twisted in disbelief. âWait, youâre actually going to escort her?â she stammered.
The officer looked her squarely in the eye. âItâs our job to help people.â
They led me to the squad car, sirens wailing as they rushed me through traffic toward the exam center. When we arrived, the doors had already been closed, but the officers stepped out with me, explaining my situation to the proctor. After a momentâs hesitation, he nodded and let me in.
The exam room felt surreal. As I sat down, I took a deep breath, thinking of my mom and how much I wanted this. Despite the whirlwind morning, I centered myself and began the test, determined not to let anyone take this dream away from me.
Hours later, I walked out of the exam room, exhausted but relieved. Jason was waiting for me on the steps, his face lighting up when he saw me. âDid you make it?â he asked, eyes shining.
I smiled and nodded, hugging him tight. âYes, thanks to you.â
When we got home, my dad was waiting. Jason told him everything, sparing no detail. My dadâs face turned dark with anger as he looked at Linda. âIs this true?â he demanded.
Linda stammered, trying to excuse her actions. âI didnât mean for it to go so farâŠâ
But my dad cut her off, his voice cold and firm. âYou sabotaged her dreams out of pure selfishness. Youâre not staying here another night.â
Jason and I watched as Linda packed her things, leaving with a defeated look. As the door closed behind her, I felt no satisfaction, only relief. We were finally free from her negativity, and I had my familyâs support to pursue my dreams.