Poor. [ZM AU] IIII

» 09.

[sorry for not updating sooner, been busy with school booooo]

 waiting for my mother to return home was pretty torturous. i hadn't been so excited in all my life and i just couldn't wait until she walked in through the front door. safaa and waliyha were the firsts to come into, following my father who didn't bother to even acknowledge me. i have a feeling that he's slowly giving up on life, which i really think shows how pathetic and weak he is. especially when we have people in this family who show nothing but love for one another; my mother, safaa and doniya.

waliyha looks at me in a weird way as soon as she enters the small house we don't even own, "why are you smiling? it's so not like you." i didn't even bother to shoot her a nasty remark because it would mean stooping to her low level; also it would be wrong and i'm her older brother.

instead i kill her with kindness.

"why aren't you smiling? you have a beautiful smile." i say to her sweetly and she blinks a few times whilst staring at me, making sure she heard me right. safaa snorts, before running up to me and wrapping her small arms around my good leg. i duck down slightly so i can kiss the top of her soft coconut smelling dark hair. the little sunshine.

"weirdo." waliyha mumbles as he walks up the stairs shaking her head, but i see the slight curving of her lips as she fights off her smile. aw, that's adorable. kind zayn is the best zayn.

i'm still staring eagerly at the door, waiting and waiting ever so patiently for my mother to bound through the door with her exhaustion masked behind a big fake smile, to promote her love and happiness for her family. we're what keeps her going.

it doesn't come though, not for a while and my leg eventually decides to get tired, so i have to sit down. safaa watches me with a concerned expression on her chubby little facial features.

"zaynie. what's wrong?" she questions me in a timid voice. her eyebrows are furrowed, worry evident. i want to wipe it away.

"nothing saf, don't worry. everything is okay, always will be." i tell her, and i'm honestly speaking the truth. with the amount that penelope has given.. we'll always be more then okay.

"zayn-"

but she was broken off as both of our attention diverts to the front door where my mother walks in wearily, carrying herself in a way that i didn't expect. her eyes were red and puffy, and her face was paler then usual; like she had just met a ghost. her shoulders were slumped and eyes firmly on the floor. an exasperated sigh leaves her lips, and i desperately need to know what's wrong.

fumbling for my crutches, i approach her, worry must be so very clear on my face; just like how safaa was with me.

"mum, what happened?" i ask her, balancing myself well so i could place one hand on her cheek lightly for comfort. she avoids reaching my eyes, but i can already sense she was upset. she can't hide it from me.  her right hand shakily meets mines. she strokes the back of it.

silence dwells between us.

"mummy, what's wrong? why are you sad?-why is everyone sad?" safaa's little voice rings out and my mother looks up to see my sister. a small but sad smile appears on her face now.

"i got fired."

+++

i feel tension fill the air now, and my hand drops from her face as i shift myself so i can step backwards. what did she just say? fired-how?! WHY?!

she was the best worker in that whole damn company; nobody could ever work half as hard as she did. why would someone fire such an amazing person?!