As a child, when I saw sisters and cousins playing together, I always wanted a sister of my own. I would see sisters going to school together, sharing stuff and secrets, playing outside, having the time of their lives.

Wherever I looked I could see sisters having the best of their time together. As for me, all I had were elder cousins who’d never include me in their fun and an elder brother who thought I was a baby. So naturally, I wanted a sister of my own. Hence, I prayed wholeheartedly day and night for a sister. Thus, after eight years of my existence, I was blessed with a baby sister.

Expected reaction: I was over the moon.

Little did I know what awaited me next. I was now the elder sister. So is that a bad thing? Let me tell you: it has been the worst thing that happened to me. I was expected to behave and display perfect manners for the little one to copy. More annoyingly, I became the official unpaid babysitter for the rest of my life.

While my younger sister basked in all the attention and limelight, I had to retreat in the shadows where I could only try and set the best example for my sister to follow. That fantasy of going to school together ended with her being the centre of attention as people quizzed me about her.

Not just this, I had to help her out in everything, homework included. How unfair! I kept thinking, I never had anyone to help me out with homework.

Little did I know what awaited me next. I was now the elder sister. So is that a bad thing? Let me tell you: it has been the worst thing that happened to me. I was expected to behave and display perfect manners for the little one to copy. More annoyingly, I became the official unpaid babysitter for the rest of my life.

I would have tried to accept this new situation and stopped complaining altogether, had it not been for the fact that my angelic little sister grew up to be a monster. She has been the most annoying person to roam this earth, I hope the dinosaurs agree. She goes to all lengths to plan mischief and frame me up for every scolding delivered. She has inherited this right of prying into everything that I own, sneaking in my cupboards and drawers, and, above all, claiming my precious books.

She makes sure to act tiny enough to never partake in any chore around the house, giving me hideous giggles as I end up doing them. She’d bury her nose in a book as I do all the cleaning, her share included.

After all that she does to annoy me, I have all right to be mad at her, but the higher authorities work in her favour. I keep plotting against her, but somehow she emerges as the winner every time, using her antics to win me over as well. It is a situation I cannot understand.

Yes, I prayed for a sister, but where did this cute little monster emerge from? It is a question that makes my head spin, perhaps it will do so for a lifetime.

In her defence, she is the little one and I should stop whining about and act grown up. She has the nerve to tell me this. Deep down in my heart though, I have come to terms with being the elder one. In some ways I have learnt to use it to my advantage, from controlling the remote control to deciding her television hours, I put my authority to action.

Moreover, she has to follow my example, whereas I never had the pressure to live up to any. Hard luck for her! Thus, I believe, it is not a gloomy picture after all, even if she gets to blame her grades and results directly upon me.

Despite everything that she does to annoy me, she is the sister I prayed for. For that I love her so much and will annoy her with cuddles for the rest of my life. That’s my revenge.

Published in Dawn, Young World July 8th, 2017