𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 [a rini au]

- SEVEN!

a rainy day in the bay area was never nini's favorite, especially if it was sprung upon her on her commute home from the studio. she rode on the back of the bus–a mode of transportation she had gotten used throughout her life–and the dreary weather always made the trips unbearable. she had to stare out the foggy window, listening to the pattering of raindrops that were still painfully audible through her wired apple headphones. it didn't help knowing that the weather couldn't console her through the mental preparation it took to return home after a long day. a dry, warm evening would be much more comforting than a cold, wet one when it came to conquering the salazar-roberts home.

once the girl was dropped off on the side of her street, she took a few heavy breaths as she walked to her small home. she had been dreading the moment since the morning, considering how bad the last few nights had been there. nini was used to it, unfortunately, but she didn't know how much more she'd be able to take. slightly wet due to the poor quality of her umbrella, the singer hesitantly climbed up her front porch steps, twisting her key into the flimsy lock while holding her breath. once she pulled the door open, she was met with the familiar stench of smoke. this time, though, it smelt fresh. despite becoming desensitized to the lingering smell that had been coating her house for years, nini winced slightly as she slipped her wet shoes off in the crowded foyer.

she walked carefully through the anteroom, trying to contain her wet hair and clothing from making too much of a mess. she was too late to stopping a small puddle from forming at the foot of the door, but she made a mental note to wipe it up after putting her belongings away. nini wanted to disappear up the stairs, but right as she placed her hand on the railing, a shuddering voice traveled from the living room.

"you're not going to say hello to your mother?"

nini froze on the steps, releasing an inaudible sigh before retreating from the creaky staircase and rounding the wall into the living room. sitting on the fraying couch, a beer lined in condensation occupying the broken coffee table, was carol salazar-roberts. she didn't even need to turn around, for nini could see the cigarette smoke rising over her head.

"hi, mom," nini's voice cracked as she stopped behind the couch, waiting for her mother to make a move. with one more puff of smoke, carol craned her head over her shoulder. her eyes were beat red as they always were due to her lack of sleep. her hair was at least washed today, which nini was grateful for, making the girl wonder if the water was finally fixed in the house. her expression was distasteful, classically, but nini was determined to put her protective shield up and take whatever was coming.

"god, nina," carol groaned, running a hand through her blond locks. "you're soaked. did you drip all over my floor?"

"n–no, i didn't," nini submitted a white lie, trying not to glance at the tiny puddle she left in the foyer and was planning to clean up. "it's pouring out, though."

carol's eyes narrowed, clearly an indication of her spotting of nini's disingenuousness. "you're almost eighteen years old, and you're still leaving messes around my house. you should know better," the woman grunted, sticking the cigarette between her teeth. "you're almost worse than your mother."

nini's heart skipped a beat, but in the worst way possible, at the reference to her other mom. "clean up the foyer," carol ordered, head tipping towards the house entrance.

"yes, mom," nini hung her head, scurrying towards the bathroom for a towel as she wallowed in the disappointment carol expressed. as the girl searched for a clean one, she was suddenly startled by the slamming of a door. she jumped in her spot, rushing to the bathroom door and pressing her ear against it.