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AMARA WARNER.
I groaned as the light pierced through my eyelids, stabbing into my skull like a thousand needles. My mouth felt like a desert, dry and gritty, and my head throbbed with a relentless rhythm. With a groggy moan, I shifted on the bed, trying to escape the discomfort. What had happened last night? My memory felt like a fragmented jigsaw puzzle, pieces missing or blurred by the haze of alcohol.
Then, the sound of footsteps approached, the creak of my bedroom door hinges announcing an unwelcome visitor. I cracked open one eye to see my brother Aaron standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of concern and frustration.
"Amara, wake up," he said, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Why are you still asleep? It's past eight, and the kids are still up."
I groaned again, the effort of forming words feeling monumental. "Leave me alone," I muttered, my voice gravelly and rough. "Just let me sleep."
He stepped further into the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of me sprawled out on the bed, clearly worse for wear. "You've been drinking again, haven't you?" His tone was accusatory, tinged with disappointment.
I closed my eyes, unable to meet his gaze. Guilt washed over me, mixing with the remnants of last night's indulgence. "Maybe," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Aaron sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Amara, when are you going to stop this?" His voice was soft now, pleading almost.
Never...?
I bristled at his words, feeling a surge of anger rising within me. Who was he to lecture me? He was barely older than me, barely out of his teens himself. "Mind your own business, asshole," I snapped, my temper flaring despite the pounding in my head. "Just go put the kids to sleep and leave me alone. You're killing my buzz."
He took a step closer. "One day you're going to kill yourself," he said quietly. "Just get up and help me put the kids to sleep. Jenna is all kinds of hyped up right now and I don't know how to calm her."
With a heavy sigh, I dragged myself out of bed, my limbs feeling heavy and uncoordinated. Aaron watched me silently, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. I could see the worry etched into the lines of his face, a silent plea for me to pull myself together.
"Alright," I murmured, resignation coating my words like a bitter pill. "I'll help you with the kids. But don't expect me to be all happy and patient with them."
A tired smile tugged at the corners of Aaron's lips, gratitude shining through the exhaustion in his eyes. "I'll take what I can get," he replied wearily. "Let's just get this over with."
Together, we made our way down the hallway to where the kids were still wide awake, their energy levels seemingly boundless. Xander was scribbling down something on a journal but as soon as he saw me walk in, his smile dropped and he ran to his bed. Jenna... Jenna was bouncing off the walls, her laughter echoing through the house like a cacophony of chaos.
