• If i was her daughter ~ tnn •

• !! two !! •

"Your schedule changed again?" Hana asked, glancing over at Ruby.

"Mhm. So now I've got one week for the first month, and three weeks for the second month. Torture, basically," Ruby responded with a sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Rubs," Hana mumbled softly.

"It's whatever," Ruby said, rolling her eyes.

Just then, a notification lit up Ruby's phone, casting a faint glow in the dark, rainy room. The heavy rain outside made everything feel even gloomier.

"Who is it?" Hana asked.

"It's my mum," Ruby replied, reading the message aloud. "'Hey baby, could you ask Autumn to drive you? I'm held up at work.'"

"Ask her to drive you to yours or...?" Hana started.

"Nope," Ruby mumbled, her voice heavy.

"Oh," Hana replied, the weight of the situation sinking in.

"Could you ask her, please?" Ruby said, glancing at Hana.

"Of course, but you could just ask her yourself, you know?" Hana teased.

"She's scary, so no," Ruby joked, smiling faintly.

Hana called out, "Mum?"

"Mhm?" Autumn responded from the kitchen.

"Could you drive Ruby to Roger's? Vivian can't," Hana asked.

"Now?" Autumn inquired.

"No, a bit later," Hana clarified.

"Sure," Autumn replied calmly, continuing to prepare dinner. After a pause, she asked, "Are you staying for dinner, Ruby?"

"I don't know," Ruby answered, her voice unsure. "I guess I'll stay. It's not like I want to go anyway," Ruby mumbled.

"Mhm..." Autumn responded faintly, focused on her cooking.

"Where's Dad?" Hana asked.

"He went to buy me some wine," Autumn replied.

"As always," Hana joked, rolling her eyes playfully.

"How was your day at school?" Autumn inquired.

"It was okay, but oh my god, Alice just kept talking to me and shooting me nasty looks. Like, girl, back off! What did I ever do to you?!" Hana exclaimed, her frustration evident.

Autumn giggled slightly, loving how Hana felt comfortable sharing her silly school drama. There was something comforting in hearing the youthful worries of her daughter.

As Ruby looked at her best friend, the pang of jealousy hit her hard. Vivian was a good mother—really, she was—but their relationship could never compare to Hana and Autumn's. There was an ease between them that Ruby could never imagine having with her own mother. Vivian was strict, always quick to reprimand her, while Autumn was so calm and understanding.

And then there was Siobhan, who was barely a presence in her life. Ruby didn't even say, "I'm at my mother's house" when she stayed with her. It was always, "I'm at Roger's house," because that's what it felt like—Roger's domain, where Siobhan was just another figure in the background. It made the warmth she saw between Hana and Autumn feel all the more distant.

She loved Siobhan, she really did, but it was hard when they barely even talked, and Siobhan had no real say in her life. The distance between them felt like an unspoken wall that was impossible to break. Ruby's eyes began to fill with tears as these thoughts weighed on her.