𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄

ᴇɴᴛʀʏ #2 | ꜱᴛɪɴɢ

002 | Sting

"So... (Y/N)..." Shreya began, the clinking of her fork against her plate stopping as she cleared her throat, gaining the younger girl's attention. "I... hate to being this up at dinner, but your parents' death anniversary is approaching fast... have you made any arrangements yet?"

"Oh..." she faltered in eating, her utensil pierced with a piece of broccoli halting. "Well... I was just planning on visiting their graves... maybe putting some flowers on them..."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's already been eleven years since they passed away, so..." (Y/N) shrugged casually, now circling the pieces of food on her plate around. "Nothing too fancy."

"Alright then," the woman smiled softly, eating the last of her food before standing up and setting her plate in the sink. "Can you two take care of the kitchen for me? I need to be at my yoga session by seven-thirty so I need to get ready."

"Will do, Mom," Amar nodded before too getting up and starting to clear the table.

Silence descended over the small space, the only sounds being the clinking of dishes in the sink as Amar cleaned and the brush of the broom's bristles against the floor as (Y/N) swept. This was a common routine in the household, having been cleaning since the moment they were old enough to do so— it was a ritual, something that they knew all the dance steps to perfectly.

"Are you okay, (Y/N)?" Amar asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, but whenever you talk about your parents, you always kinda... shut down," he announced, falling silent until Shreya announced her departure. "I know it's gotta be hard, but..."

He trailed off, awaiting her reply.

"I guess... it's because they died when I was really young," she sighed, setting her chin down on the broom handle as she stared out the kitchen window toward the street that cars would occasionally pass by on. "The memories I have of them... they're very faded, almost like they were strangers. It... feels almost foreign to me."

"Really?" He stopped washing the dishes to look back at her. "Sorry... I didn't know about that."

"It's fine," she shrugged. "I do miss them... but now I have you and your mom. You guys are my family now, and I'm happy with that." Sharing a brief smile, she turned to resume sweeping up the dust off the floor, missing the way Amar's gaze lingered on her, before then wiping the counters, upon its completion uttering, "Alright, since you're still cleaning, I'm gonna take my shower and then go to bed early."

"Seriously?" He laughed in slight bafflement, glancing towards the clock. "It's only nine?"

"Yeah... but I'm tired," she chuckled softly before ascending the stairs. "Goodnight."

"Night," he called after her, waiting until she fully disappeared from sight before resuming his cleaning duties with a sigh.

Stripping down in the bathroom, (Y/N) stepped into the shower with a sigh from how nicely warm the water was. After scrubbing shampoo and conditioner in her hair, soaping up her body, and shaving what she needed to, she reluctantly stopped the water and stepped out. Immediately, the cold air hit her as she toweled herself dry. Slipping on her pajamas of a large T-Shirt and some sweats, she then followed her skin routine before exiting and collapsing on her bed. Gazing up at the ceiling and pursing her lips, she let out a sigh before rolling over to turn the lights off.

Mom's and Dad's anniversary... huh?

Closing her eyes, she flinched at the sudden recollection of their car crash, the one that fate had decided to think it was funny by killing them while sparing her. After all, that was the one part of it all that was so vivid, even to her mind that, at the time, was only six years old.

(Y/N) squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

Fuck.

Eventually, she did drift off to sleep, and thankfully, her dreams were peaceful. The next morning, the sound of her alarm then snapped her abruptly from said dreams, a fact that made her want to groan. Fumbling around for the device, she turned it off and sat up, blinking sleepily before moving toward the bathroom to get ready for the day, already hearing Shreya moving around downstairs. Quickly finishing her routine just as Amar stumbled out of his room, she descended the stairs and helped Shreya with making breakfast. That morning's meal consisted merely of a breakfast sandwich, the two teens scarfing down the food before slipping on their shoes and exiting the house to walk to school.

It was only when they entered the main and more familiar part of town that sleek and expensive cars would pass by them quite frequently.

"Man..." Amar clicked his tongue, glancing every few seconds toward the street. "Wouldn't it be nice to ride in one of those, huh? If we were rich, I'd make sure we'd never have to walk to school again." He smirked at her as he continued, "Cause aren't you the one always complaining about your 'sore feet?' Maybe a drive would fix that."

"Hey!" She gave him a light shove and a roll of her eyes. "I'm not that bad. But... yes, I agree. It would be nice. If only we were rich."

"If only," Amar lamented.

As the two continued laughing and talking, they soon met up with Kana and Jess. The two girls were neighbors, so they were already outside their respective houses chatting whilst waiting for (Y/N) and Amar. As soon as they saw them, their eyes immediately lit up and smiles crossed their faces, a fact that never failed to make (Y/N) give a soft smile of her own.

"Hey, guys," Jess greeted, her long brown hair tangling as the wind tried to blow it every which way. "How's it going?"

"Good—you?" (Y/N) asked, laughing at her attempts to try and maintain her hair.

"I guess as good as it can be," she answered giving up with her hair snd deciding to just let it go. "My abuelita won't stop nagging me to get better grades so I can get into a better college, etcetera, etcetera." Rolling her eyes, she then shoved both hands into her jackets pockets as she continuing, "I wish she would just leave me alone with that. I mean, she wants me to follow my dad's footsteps and become a technician... but that's not what I want."

"Aw," Kana pouted, giving her friend a small pat on the back. "Sorry about that, Jess."

"It's fine," she exhaled softly with a small shrug. "I just hope she'll realize I'll never be what she wants me to be. Anyways..." She then gave a mischievous smirk, a complete one eighty to her previous attitude, "Have you guys seen the new transfer student? He's so hot!"

"Okay, seriously?" Amar groaned, already fed up with the other boy. "Him again?"

"Yes, him again!" Kana cheered, also trying to steer the conversation away from Jess's somber situation. "Amar, you may not realize this since you don't really pay attention to looks, but this guy is really good-looking!"

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes.

"Even I can attest he's cute, but I'm not as crazy about him as Kana over here," (Y/N) chimed in.

Kana smiled.

Amar's expression continued to wither.

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To be continued...