I’m not allowed to sleep

Hi, my name is Isabella and I live in Paris. Please like and subscribe. I lived with my mom who was an amazing seamstress and worked at a fashion house. She would often take me to work with her and I loved wrapping different fabrics around myself and posing like a supermodel. So you want to be a model or a designer because you're killing it with that catwalk. Hmm, can I be both? Of course you can sweetheart, you can be anything you want. Mom and I weren't your regular mother daughter duo, we were best friends. I think that cute guy is looking at you mom. Don't look in his direction please. Is he? Oh, do I look okay? How's my hair? Mom, you gave him that weird smile, now he's gone. No problem, I've got you baby. Yep, that's how we were. Totally each other's pals. Life was good until one day the fashion house where mom worked laid off all their workers and things took a turn for the worse when our landlord gave us an eviction notice soon after. In these awful times mom had no choice but to turn for help to her half sister Amy. Mom had always told me they'd never gotten along so I'd never met her before. But when we got to her house I saw that my aunt lived in a huge mansion and the welcome she gave us was totally unexpected. Oh my god, a single mom, jobless, homeless. I feel so sorry for you honey, you must stay with me, I insist as long as you like and we have so much catching up to do. Wow Amy, thanks a lot. Please let me know the rent I'll arrange it. Rent? Oh nonsense, I wouldn't dream of taking money from my sister. Mom looked as surprised as I felt but I guess some people can change. She also had a daughter my age, Tanya and the two of them let us excitedly do the guest room and had the cook make a really special dinner. At the very next day my aunt called in a servant to move our things to the attic. Oh, it's a guest room and since you're not a guest I want to give you a more permanent arrangement. The attic is perfect, there's no noise and you'll sleep peacefully. Well if only she let us live peacefully. Tanya and Aunt Amy would keep calling mom and me for the smallest of tasks. Soon we were doing the dishes, cleaning the mansion and doing their freaking laundry and then she even asked mom to stitch for her. She would bring loads of fabric and I would do some of the designing with mom while she stitched her dresses. For free of course. Mom I hate doing all this, let's just leave. Sweetheart, I got you into a great school with all my savings and I can't afford rent. Let's try this for this school year. Honestly I don't mind the chores. Plus Amy and Tanya are family, no harm doing things for them. Well I don't like your family. Hey that's not very nice to say, but yeah me neither. And then mom hit me with a pillow and we both got into a pillow fight. We laughed and laughed until Aunt Amy yelled at us to keep it down. She's always such a buzzkill. Come on, let's sleep in this penthouse of ours. I knew mom was just trying to be optimistic about the situation. For her sake I also put on a smile and did everything Tanya. The brat asked me to do. "Eezabella, come here!" What do you think about this dress? Tell me I look cool because I totally do. Why on earth would you wear that thing? I stepped into her closet, picked out some clothes and laid them on her bed. Try this skirt. With this blouse you look awesome. Yeah I would look awesome in a garbage bag, but that's not the point. You clearly don't know anything about fashion girl. No wonder your mom was laid off. Now get out. What a huge jerk. I left her room and right then I realized I needed new clothes for school too. She went shopping at a thrift store and what we saw there was amazing. "Mom, this is a Prada dress. Oh my god, it's vintage." The moment I got home I started working on it and made it something entirely new and it sure made head turn on my first day at school. "I love what you did with your skirt. Is that Prada? Yes it is. I just cut the edges to give it that flare. Everyone was giving me compliments, but just then I heard Tanya's voice. And don't be fooled by her looks. She's not who you think she is. "Yeah, you got me. I'm a secret agent. My name is Bond. Isabella Bond." The girls around started to giggle and Tanya looked annoyed. What are you talking about and why don't you just tell them where you got the dress from huh? She got it from the thrift store. "Yeah, you heard me a thrift store. Suddenly all the girls who were praising me just moments ago looked at me with disgust. So what? I still look better than all of you combined. Girls don't hate me because you ain't me. I just flipped my hair and walked it to my class. Sure, Tanya's mom was letting us stay in the attic for free, but mom was paying for me to be at this school and I wasn't putting up with anyone's nonsense. Tanya and her friends kept being a pain in my butt at school and one day I was feeling particularly bad tempered when I got home only to find and Amy in a great mood. She seemed really excited. The moment she saw me she handed me the keys to the guest room and started giving mom and me instructions on cleaning. Someone very special is coming to stay for a few days and I want my mansion to be spotless. And while our guest is here, both of you will call me Tanya "Mam." Is that clear? Off you go now. When my aunt was out of your shot, I asked mom who the guest was. How would I know? You think "Mam" tells me anything? I'm sure it's someone just as awful as "Mam." I'd been meaning to go to the guest room for days because the last time I was there I'd left my sketchbook. But I looked for it everywhere and didn't find it. I was searching for it under the bed when I saw a boy on all fours looking straight at me. Hey, what you doing down there? I was so startled I hit my head. Holy piece of ouch! Oh, you scared me, man. Who are you? As I came up rubbing my head, I noticed that the boy was my age. And really cute. Sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm Josh and I'm staying here for just then Tanya came prancing into the room, wearing shorts in a tank top in the middle of freaking December. There you are, Josh. I was looking everywhere. Hey, you, you haven't cleaned yet? Hurry up, what do we pay you for? Ah, maids these days. So lazy and useless. Maid? How dare she? I'm done here, I was just leaving. Shall I fetch your coat since you forgot to wear clothes, ma'am? Ah, no, thank you. Josh, what do you think of my clothes? Uh, yeah, great. You look great, Tanya. I agree. And you're welcome to look. Gosh, she was such a shameless flirt and soon enough it was obvious what Aunt and Tanya were up to. Josh was the son of Aunt's rich friend and clearly both of them had one goal. Set Tanya up with Josh. Tanya was desperately trying to impress him and making a fool out of herself in the process. And evening, she brought out a jigsaw puzzle she'd been working on for months. You see this? I did it in just four months, can you believe it? Um, am I missing something? Duh, look, it says two to four years. I finished it in record breaking time. I almost burst out laughing. And just then I caught Josh's eye. He was trying really hard not to laugh too. Later that night it was snowing outside and I picked up my skating shoes to go to the frozen lake nearby. Just as I was sneaking out I heard a loud noise from the kitchen and I found Josh there. Hey, did I wake you up? I just wanted some hot chocolate and I can't find anything. Oh, well good luck. Wait, can you make it for me? I could, but I'm not gonna. I'm going out. Okay, fine. Can you at least switch the stove on? You, you don't know how to switch the stove on? Yeah, well I've never done it. Wow. Why are you rich people like that? Like what? You're so spoiled. You'll go to the best schools and travel the world blah blah blah. But you don't know something so basic. Is it beneath you to learn that? No, I just never needed to. Well, now you do. And you look like an idiot. Goodbye. I ran off to the lake. And as I started skating I felt I'd maybe been too harsh with Josh. Just then I heard someone yell my name and I looked around to see him behind me. What are you doing here? I came to tell you that I think you're really judgmental. You don't even know me and you've just decided that I'm some spoiled brat. And I'm, ah! Suddenly, Josh lost control and crashed right into me. We landed in a heap. I got up on my feet immediately but Josh went stint in pain. Ouch. I think I hurt my ankle. Help me up now. Okay, but say please. Say please help me oh Isabella. She is okay. Please help me oh Isabella. I helped him up and he leaned on my shoulder. But at this rate we'd get home by dawn. So I carried him back home. Brought you back safe and sound your highness. Just put this on your foot. It'll get better. Shall the servant take her leave now? Thank you for everything. But tell me you're not really a maid are you? I ended up telling Josh everything and he was rather shocked. He seemed like a really nice guy and our friendship grew over the next few days. Josh told me how his mom and Aunt Amy had a business together. His mom was a designer and he was in town to apply to top fashion universities. I showed him some of my designs one night and he was really impressed. The next time we met Josh brought some admission forms for me and made me fill them in. You can be a top designer. I know it Bella. Bella? Did you just give me a nickname? Um yeah. Tell me do you like it? He was so close to me and just when I thought he'd kiss me I heard Aunt Amy's voice. Oh you're here. What are you guys talking about? Josh was asking me where fashionable ghost shop and I told him the truth. They go to the booty. Josh started to laugh and my aunt just glared at me and left. The next day I took a day off from school and went out with Josh. When I spotted some kids sledding in a park, I had an idea. I brought a sled from a kid and made Josh sit with me. And then off we went, "Oh God, please slow down!" Just hold on tight, I won't let anything happen to you. Well, we ended up flying off the sled and rolling in the snow. I couldn't stop laughing. And just then Josh leaned over and looked deep into my eyes. And then he kissed me. And it was the most perfect kiss. Josh left a few days later and soon after I received my interview letter from the university, I prepped day and night for it. But on the day, right when I was about to leave, I couldn't find my sketchbook. I had to show my designs at the interview. When I went downstairs, I screamed when I saw Tanya burning my sketchbooks on the stove. No, no, no, no, what are you doing? Oh, you think you can steal my boyfriend and be some big shot designer, huh? Not on my clock. I just lost it. I leapt forward and gave Tanya a much deserved slap. How dare you! Just then, mom stepped in looking like an angry lioness. Zippet Amy, I've had enough. I've put up with everything, but I will not put up with you or your dumb brat hurting my daughter. And you can do whatever, but one thing is certain. My daughter will be something big one day and you'll just be jealous morons. That day, mom, and I left that crazy house. I had to go straight to the interview without my portfolio and I was feeling so nervous. But just minutes before I started, I spotted Josh running to me and behind him was his mom. Oh, Josh, you're back. We went to your aunt's house and you weren't there. I knew you had an interview today and I needed to show you something. He then showed me an Instagram page and what shook me was that all the models were wearing dresses I had designed and mom had stitched. What? These are my designs. Yes, and your aunt was selling them and claiming them as hosts. The moment you showed me your designs, I figured she was up to no good. My missing design book and all the dresses she made mom stitch, it made sense. That witch was making us work without a penny or any credit. Josh's mom went inside where the interview panel was waiting and she told them how her brand was using my work. The panel was pretty impressed seeing my work on her Instagram page and I got in. Josh's mom cut all business ties with Aunt Amy and even hired my mom. I heard Aunt was in a great deal of debt and had to sell almost everything, including her house. Well, she deserved it. I got into fashion designing school with Josh and graduated with flying colors. He asked me to marry him soon after. And of course I said yes. By the time I was 25, I became one of the top fashion designers in my country and when my work was showcased at Paris Fashion Week, I was my own showstopper. I could never be what I am today without my first inspiration and my best friend. I don't know if you know this, but ever since I was a kid, the person I've wanted to be the most is you mom. I love you.