Studio 22 | Mary-Kate Olsen

Chapter Thirty-Five

January 8th 2023 - New York City - Studio 22

My first day back to work was a Thursday. Normally I would be complaining, why start the new working year on Thursday but after spending Christmas break with Sage and his daring behaviours I was welcoming the start.

I entered the building earlier than I normally would, I was slightly eager to leave the apartment this morning. We spent christmas eve until the 27th at our parents house, Sage managed to stay sober the whole time. He may have drank a little more than he typically would have but at least he didn't take anything illegal around our parents. But I don't know what would have been better. He was snappy, like a teenager going through puberty and his aggression increased as the days ticked by. I was relieved when I saw him making the neat little lines on one of my fashion books in the lounge when we got home. He'd get the relief he's been craving and he'd be a little more pleasant to be around. Only he wasn't. The apartment had been relatively put together since Cyprus' attack. Sage has been maintaining his dignity and not letting loose completely. His friends have also been staying in line. But the night we got home I was barricaded in my room as Sage tore the place up.

The sober period he was forced to do clearly left him needing a hit more than ever and I was worried about what I'd face the next morning when he had passed out. I was left to clean up the mess. He had so much anger bottled up inside him, I don't know where it came from. He wasn't an angry person. Luckily I had the best friend in the world who came over to help me tidy the place up. Sage was asleep on the kitchen floor and we stepped over him as we went back and forth tidying the whole place. His room was completely ruined and it took the longest to clean up. It's like he had a psychotic break. Jazz forced me to stay at hers the following night. She claimed I looked like I had no sleep and I needed to get some proper rest.

I went home the night after and Sage had seemingly levelled out and was living in his semi stable drug haze. It was 'safe' at home once again. Only I haven't felt safe there since Cyprus got into the apartment. I religiously check we've locked the doors. I was living on edge, Felix said he dealt with it but how was I meant to trust that? I didn't trust that. So I got my NYPL sorted. Pretty much straight after the attack. It was one of the things I did whilst MK was out at work. With me being honourably discharged it was easy to obtain. And I could carry my pistol, I could keep it in the house, in my nightstand right by my bed as I slept. I could protect myself and my brother. Did I feel completely safe? No. Was I terrified I'd have to shoot someone to not get hurt again? Yes. But it was something. A little comfort. Enough to help me sleep.

I was relieved to be back in the calm space, despite knowing I would be busy with it being the first day back. It was still better than being at home and gaining a headache from my brother and his idiot friends. I set myself up at my desk, turning my computer on and logging into my accounts before going to the coffee station and grabbing myself a coffee.

"Why is family so hard to be around when you're an adult?" Alice asked me sitting on my desk. I see she had come to work early too. "Tell me about it... Christmas brings out the worst in people," Cameron said, joining her perching on the other side. "Early to work... it must be bad," I say surprised to see Cam not Alice, she often came in early. Cameron was queen of being late. "It was awful! My mother tried to set me up three times. Blue, Three!" I chuckled loudly before sipping my tea. "My brother is still the biggest sore loser in the world and games are officially banned in our house," Alice explained. "What about you?" "My parents are great, I only stayed with them for three days." "Why have you chosen to come here at 8 am?" Cameron asked me. "My brother is less pleasant to be around and we're going to get a sibling's divorce if he continues to be a moron." "Explains more... Don't you live with him?" "Yes." "Ooh, good luck with that." "Thanks... I'll be sleeping on your sofa next week." "No you will not, you're too punctual to live with me." We laughed it off before talking more about our breaks. We then all actually started to work early. Cameron went to the third floor, to the fabric room to begin getting a sample board together and Alice went to her desk to do her research paper.