Family Nonetheless

by Luminous Comet

Every Day's The Same

Adagio was faintly aware that she was waking up, just a few moments before she heard the click of her radio clock and the start of one of the station's rotating "Good Morning" songs. She sighed and tugged the blanket a little closer around herself. She blinked, yawned, stretched in her little warm cocoon, and got ready to get up soon. But first, she would stay in bed, for as long as circumstances would let her. It was only a matter of minutes anyway.

As if cued by the thought, the door to her small bedroom was shoved open. She flinched, gritting her teeth and pressing her eyes shut. Maybe this time, if she tried really hard, she could just fall into a spontaneous coma.

"Dagi, Aria stole my fucking cereal!"

"It's not your cereal, dumbass! We bought it together, so it's mine too!"

Adagio had paid for it, but pointing that out would give away her non-comatose state. She tried to block out her sisters' voices and focus on the song on the radio.

"Well what am I supposed to eat, then!? You want me to go to school hungry!?"

"There's leftovers in the fridge, eat those!"

"What, Dagi's weird vegetable kish thing? Ugh-yuck-pew!"

Quiche. It was a quiche. And she had spent two hours on it so Sonata wouldn't stuff herself full of sugar before bed. Though right now, she wished the cavities on her. Maybe that would stop her from having a shouting match from right next to her bed into their kitchen.

"I dunno! I'm hungry too, Sonata! Don't yell at me about it!"

"I'm gonna keep yelling as long as you're yelling!"

"Shut the FUCK up!" Adagio emphasised the curse by flinging one of her pillows against the back of Sonata's head. She angrily kicked off her blanket and slammed her hand on the radio clock to silence it. She wasn't going to hear much of it anyway. "Can I get one morning without you two bickering like toddlers!?"

She staggered up, trying to clear her voice of sleep with aggressive vocal exercises, while making her bed. Sonata daintily put the thrown pillow down in its spot with her 'don't kill me please' smile.

"You two need to get to school. I need to go to work. And I'm already going to have a rough day without this shit. Now please tell me you at least did your makeup already."

She finally looked up at Sonata properly. Infuriatingly, her eye-shadow was perfect. "Yup-yup, not blocking the bathroom this time."

"Do you want an award?" Adagio asked bitterly. Sonata's lips parted, but her stare seemed to convey the sarcasm this time and she quickly just turned to leave the bedroom instead.

With a slow sigh, Adagio tried to let it go. She had more important things to do than be mad about every single thing. And there were a lot of things to be mad about. Instead, she took off her nightshirt, got dressed, brushed her hair and tied it back, and finally headed into the bathroom to put on her face.

When she came into the kitchen, stomach empty, she was relieved to see that Aria had at least washed the bowl and spoon she'd used. Her sisters were sitting at the table, on their phones, passing the time until they absolutely had to leave. Adagio took a plate with half a vegetable tart from the fridge.

"Pack some quiche for lunch," she said while cutting off a piece for herself. "Eat it, trade it, I don't care. I don't want to find it in your backpacks later. You got that?"

"You go through our backpacks?" Aria barely looked up from her phone to ask.

"Got that?" she asked more pointedly, getting mumbled resignation as a response. "Good. Now don't miss the bus, be safe, I love you."

She grabbed her purse and ate the quiche from her hand while pushing her way out the front door. If she tried, she could have probably made the last part sound more convincing, but she was in no mood to.

---

With their previous income dried up and their savings dwindling, Adagio had to grab for every job she could get. Luckily, through personal interests, she had managed to pick up some skills that at least qualified her for assistant positions. Some days she had a shift at the boutique, on others a few hours at the music store. On some, she had to rush from one end of the mall to the other when she was double-booked.

It wasn't as terrible as she had feared, but it was still draining, most of all the constant happy, smiley attitude she had to put on for customers. No day of work went by without the desire to shout, bite, or strangle. Maybe if their music career never did take off again, she could try to be an actress.

Aria got to be as grumpy at her part-time job as she wanted to be. Nobody at the comic store seemed to care. Adagio wouldn't be surprised to find out some of the customers were even into it. And while Sonata also had to smile at her fast food job, bright smiles were her default setting. And yet, both of them complained to no end.

Work was stressful and just the anticipation of having to hear the others complain too made the end of her workday much less of a relief. She trudged home, knowing she'd be met with the same old evening routine again.

But as it turned out, today was much worse. She could already hear them shouting as she fished in her purse for her keys. She sighed and leaned her forehead on the door. Maybe she could just sneak past them and slink right into bed. Or stand out here until they had finished. But even while she thought about it, she put the key in the lock and turned it, steeling herself.

"What's the big deal!? You don't even like him!" Aria snapped, pushing Sonata's shoulder.

"I'm trying to make friends, Aria!" Sonata's voice squeaked, tears at the corners of her eyes. She was blinking rapidly, giving away that she was trying to tear up on purpose. "Why do you have to be such a bitch!?"

She really should have stayed outside. Adagio could see Aria fuming and her fists clenching. "Okay, stop," she said weakly, but it was enough to get both their attention. Now both of them were glaring at her. "What is this even about?"

"She made fun of me!" Sonata shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Aria. "In front of others! She makes everyone hate me!"

"They all hate us!" Aria snapped back again. "We're monsters to them, remember!? You're a monster! A broken, whining monster pretending to be anything else!"

Sonata's breath caught in a hiccup. The tears weren't fake anymore now. Adagio sighed and dropped her purse to reach out for both their shoulders. "That's enough now. I've been on my feet all day and I don't need--"

Sonata slapped her hand away. "Shut up! You're not our mom! You're not even actually my sisters! I hate you!" She sobbed and shoved Adagio aside, running out the door she had still left open.

Adagio weakly reached out to try and grab her arm, but she was so tired she couldn't quite follow through. She looked at Aria, who tightened up her body language, crossing her arms and pulling up her shoulders.

"Fine!" she scoffed after a still moment, "I'll get her back!" She went out the door after Sonata and slammed the door behind her.

Comments

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

With a slow sigh, Adagio tried to let it go. She had more important things to do than be mad about every single thing. And there were a lot of things to be mad about. Instead, she took off her nightshirt, got dressed, brushed her hair and tied it back, and finally headed into the bathroom to put on her face.

Doesn't she mean put makeup on her face?

With their previous income dried up and their savings dwindling, Adagio had to grab for every job she could get. Luckily, through personal interests, she had managed to pick up some skills that at least qualified her for assistant positions. Some days she had a shift at the boutique, on others a few hours at the music store. On some, she had to rush from one end of the mall to the other when she was double-booked.

Talk about one busy schedule. I'd hate to be that busy with work.

Sonata slapped her hand away. "Shut up! You're not our mom! You're not even actually my sisters! I hate you!" She sobbed and shoved Adagio aside, running out the door she had still left open.

Saw that coming a mile away.