Colorful [a hsmtmts fic]

"Auditions"

After getting home that day I felt better than she had in months. As I walked into the house though, I could already sense that mom was mad. She was sitting in the recliner starring at the tv. Her face was unreadable, except for her eyes that were ever so squinted.

"Sapphire you were supposed to put the dishes away last night." Mom spoke as Rafael and I walked in the house.

"No Mom I took out the trash last night it was Raf's turn." I assured my mother in a monotone voice as I aimed for the hallway.

"Don't use that tone- with me." She hiccuped in between her sentence. Already drunk and it's not even 4, I thought.

"I wasn't using a tone." I answered turning to her. Raphael already made it to his room leaving me alone with Mom.

"Yes you were, now do these dishes. And wash your face while you're at it. There's shit all over you." She spoke as I turned to Rafaels room seeing the door closed. He must've had a bad day, I assumed. He didn't talk at all on the way home.

I put my bag in my room and did the dishes for my brother. That's all I ever did, pick up after my family, do their jobs for them. I payed more rent then mom did most of the time because she couldn't keep a job. Sure Rafael had a job to help but it wasn't nearly as much as I did.

After finishing up the dishes I went back towards her room and decided to confront Rafael to see if he was okay. Expecting to see him in bed, I saw him watching High School Musical.

"Hey thanks for getting me in trouble." I sighed sitting on his bed. Clearly he wasn't upset he just had other things to worry about.

Rafael has always been into singing. He had a band for a while and he really love playing piano and he was pretty good at it. I supported him through it of course but what I wasn't sure about was why he was suddenly interested in theater. It's not like he ever actually sang in choir or anything so it was suspicious.

"Sorry this is really important." He answered.

"Really?" I asked judging him slightly. "I mean I know you like singing but couldn't it wait 30 minutes?"

"You wouldn't understand Saf. I met this girl. If I'm part of the musical then I know I'll get the rep for it." He spoke eyes still on the movie. I wondered if it was the girl he was talking to in he hallway.

"I'm gonna audition too." I admitted to see his response.

"Since when are you into musicals?" He asked.

"I want to hang out with Seb. Plus I sing a little bit." She shrugged. "It's not like you are a musical guy either."

"But I actually sing for real. You just sing in the shower." He answered with a sigh. "And you aren't some lead so don't embarrass yourself and me okay?"

"I wasn't going to try to be lead asshole." I growled as he paused the movie.

"You've been warned. I don't want to have to explain to the ladies why my little sister is so lame." He spat. Now he's on about more girls. So much for the one he was interested in.

"Yeah I don't get your brain. Is it always just girls up there?" I asked knocking on his head. "Is that all you think about?"

"Leave me alone." He spat pushing me off lightly. "Go clean your face." He told me as I looked at him upset before going to the bathroom. A little bit of white and gray paint grazed the side of my cheek. I rubbed it out with water and took a deep breath looking in the mirror.

What a life, I thought. Tomorrow would be better. Tomorrow is auditions and screw Rafael and anyone else who thinks I can't do it, I thought.