It was the 5th of July 2003. I remember that day really well. Mum decided to take us to a surprise family activity. She used to prepare “family days” every month because she wanted us to be together. Us, of course, it’s Nayah and me.

It all began when I was 9. I was a happy child until my mum had the brilliant idea to adopt a child.

My dad left home when I was just two, and I don’t have any memories of him. Thankfully, my mum raised me up and gave me the best childhood.I grew up in a neighborhood close to Vancouver. She had me when she was 18, so she was a teen mom. Her best friends were always at home, and they became my best friends: I could always rely on them. But everything changed when my mum decided to give me a sister. And that’s how Nayah arrived in my life and changed it completely. We’ve never been good sisters, or nothing even close. She irritates me for just being her, I can’t put up with her! Don’t get me wrong, Nayah is such a perfect person. That’s the problem and that’s why I can’t stand her. She’s polite and sensible. She’s really considered and responsible, and my worst fear is that mum leaves me for her. I don’t understand why she hasn’t done that yet. Mum loves Nayah like she was her real daughter, but I know she’ll never be. Mum has always tried to make our relationship stronger. This actually makes me sad because she has put so much effort into it, and it never worked until that 5th of July.

As I said before, once a month we used to do an activity to spend some more time together and that day, she surprised us with a camping day. We arrived there at midday and as soon as we got there, we put up our tent. I remember me complaining all the time as always while my mum and Nayah continued working and preparing the sleeping bags for the night. That made me lose control. They looked so happy together, and they seemed like they were meant to be. They remembered me when I was just a child, and I used to spend all the time with my mum: we used to be the best duo ever.

Forwards, I left them and went for a walk because I needed to breathe some fresh air and calm myself. Suddenly, something in my mind changed. I realized that Nayah was my sister and also my mum’s daughter. She never did anything bad to me, and I was just so unfair with her. That time I realized I was the main problem of not being a united family. I was responsible for every single family activity because I was the only one who refused Nayah. Then, I started crying. I felt so bad and horrible. The hate I had for my adopted sister made no sense because she never hurt me in any way. Suddenly, someone touched my back and I turned back. It was her. I could see in her face that she was a bit confused, and then she asked me: “Are you okay, Eve? Do you want me to call mum?”. I quickly responded: “I’m so sorry, Nayah. I just don’t deserve you” and she hugged me. I don’t remember expressing any kind of love or affection to her, so that impacted me, but I felt comfortable that time. Afterwards, my mum appeared, and she seemed shocked when she saw us hugging each other, but she understood everything somehow. No words were needed.

Finally, we arrived at home and mum asked us if we wanted to bake some cookies. Normally I would have refused and gone upstairs to my room, but I accepted. Nayah too. We used the same recipe that mum and I used to do when we were only the two of us and lived alone, and I didn’t say a word because that didn’t make me mad. Nayah deserved better, and I proposed to be the best sister ever. Just as she was to be since the day I met her.