Mariana Bale, an infamous make up artist lived her entire life with sorrow and alone. She was very determined and aspired to be a famous makeup artist and designer.

Mariana’s mother died a sudden death when she was 6 years old. There after she went to live with her grandparents, Mr and Mrs Bale who never really cared about her because of her aunt who hated her with Passion. Ms Margret, Mariana’s aunt had two children with different fathers Victoria and Emma. Victoria was older than Emma with two years and Mariana was order than Emma but younger than Victoria with one year.

The Bales where among the richest families in Lusaka and lived in a mansion with massive rooms. The house had six rooms upstairs, three rooms on the left and three on the right with a passage between the rooms leading to the study room and down stairs, it had five bedrooms, a big sitting room and to the left was a kitchen with the dinning room right before the kitchen and the store room was outside the main house.

Mariana was meant to sleep in the store room and lived like a slave in her grandparents’ house. One morning when she was seven years, her aunt Ms Margret made her clean the entire house, wash all her cousin’s clothes and do all the house chores without eating and that became her job, she would clean, mop the house every after two days and do all other necessary work.

When she turned 9years she started sketching clothes in different designs on a sketch pad she store from Emma’s room. When she turned 12 years, she asked her grandfather on the dinning table when saving food who her father was and everyone on the table froze with their mouths gasped open.

Mr Bale stood up from the chair he was sitting with rage and slapped her so hard on the face.

Mr Bale said with rage, “you will never, in your miserable life mention that stupid man in this house”

Mrs Bale with her hands tighten into a fist said “ in fact leave my house and don’t you ever think of coming back to this house ever again”

Mariana cried, begged them not to throw her out but they didn’t listen instead Margret stood up in anger and grabbed Mariana by the neck and throw her outside the house. Mariana fell on the ground and hit her head but Margret didn’t care she just looked at her and then went back inside the house and slammed the door hard.

Mariana stood there crying then she decided to leave so she went into the store room and picked up her stuff and left. Likely as she was walking helplessly and crying she mate a lady called Annie.

Annie asked, “ hey baby girl what’s wrong and why are you crying?”

Mariana cried, “my grand parents chased me out of their house”

Annie looked at the time and said “ but girl it’s late, look it’s almost 9 o’clock let’s go to my apartment”

Mariana sobbed “okay”

Well, Annie was quite an interesting lady in her early 20s who had everything she ever dreamt of, her parents lived in England and she only came to Africa just for fun and leisure.

Mariana looked calm a bit as they were going to the lady’s house.

“So what’s your name” Annie asked

“am…” stopped to wipe her tears “ am Mariana Bale” she sobbed

“alright baby girl, am Anastasia but you can call me Annie” Annie said with a smile .

Soon they reached Annie’s apartment and it was small than the Bale’s mansion but it was cool. It had two bedrooms and an amazing sitting room with lots of games. As soon as they entered Mariana was amazed by all the gaming machines she saw.

“wow! You love games” Mariana was amazed

Annie didn’t reply just smiled and walked into her bedroom to wear slippers and take off Snickers. When she came out of her room she asked Mariana to go and take a bath as she was preparing something for her to eat. She prepared sweets and some pan cakes. After a while Mariana was done bathing, Annie gave her some of her smallest clothes to wear and she showed Mariana her bedroom.

Mariana looked surprised to see her new room

“wow, is this my room” she said with her eyes wide open in shock. “I have never had anything like this before” she said

“Well, let’s go and eat” said Annie

Mariana nodded and went to the living room to eat.

While eating Mariana told Annie everything and why she was kicked out. Annie then assured her that she will take care of her and that she won’t luck anything.

They ate, laughed, played games and had fun the whole night.

The following day Annie took Mariana for shopping and she bought a lot of clothes and on the same day Mariana was enrolled into a private school. There after Mariana was happy again after her mother’s death.

A year passed and Annie’s farther called her

“Annie, you need to come back as soon as possible” Annie’s farther speaking on the phone with Annie

“but daddy I can’t” Annie answered with worry in her voice

“am not asking you to come but am commanding you. Am expecting you here in three days and that’s final else I’ll send my men to come and bring you back and you know how they are” her father sounding serious

Before Annie could say something, her father hanged up the call.

Later that evening when Mariana came back from school, she found Annie packing her clothes and her face was pale.

“What is it Annie? Are we going somewhere? Mariana asked with worry in her voice.

But Annie didn’t reply, she just throw her self on the bed and cried.

“What is it” Mariana asked with a shake voice

Annie stood up from the bed and hugged Mariana tight

“don’t worry everything is fine” Annie trying to assure her. “my father called me this morning asking me to go back home in two days”

“what!?” Mariana breaking from her hug. “no!” Mariana cried

“no baby girl, I’ll be back before you know it” Annie trying to comfort her

But Mariana cried because she knew that no one will help the way Annie did and that she will continue being a slave.

“Just when you think you have found your way, life will through you into another path” cried Mariana

“Don’t worry…. This house is mine so you won’t have to move or go in the streets and I’ll always be paying your fees” Annie said trying to force a smile on her face

“I still need you” said Mariana in a low and sympathetic voice.

“ I am going tomorrow and I will leave you with my credit card. I will be sending money for your up keep every month”

Annie hugged her so tight

“It’s not fair…. Why?... Every time it’s me crying, why can’t other kids cry” cried Mariana

They both hugged each other and cry their souls out.

The following day Annie went and Mariana remained alone. All she had now was just her paintings which she abandoned for a year and her school.

Two years after Annie left Mariana, Mariana managed to stay on her own with the little money that was in Annie’s account but it finished because Annie didn’t keep her promise of sending her money every month and to survive she had to work in night clubs so that in the morning she goes to school. Though it wasn’t easy for a young beautiful girl to survive in clubs but she managed by God’s grace.

Two years later Mariana finished her secondary school with flying color’s and a certificate in arts.

Mariana later managed to get a scholarship to study fashion and design at Evelyn Hone College for three years. Though it wasn’t easy to study and work at the same time, Mariana got a diploma in Fashion and design.

Now Mariana had sold all the gaming machines in the house and some things which she wasn’t using but she refused to rent out the other room because she hoped for Annie’s return and she kept it neat they way Annie left it 8 years ago.

Mariana was very beautiful with a chocolate complexion, long black hair, blown eyes, straight pointed nose, soft and delicate lips, a slim curved body, tall with long legs and she would blown off every body’s mind with her beautiful smile.