Cuuuurrr...
A woman poured a glass of orange juice from a box into three glasses. She also put some ice in them to keep them cold. The woman took the snacks from the top cupboard and set them on a tray.
"Avians!!! Hurry up and bring the snacks and drinks, you're so slow!" a woman exclaimed from the living room.
"Y-yeah... I'll bring them right away." The woman called Avians picked up her tray and brought it to the living room.
There were already her parents and the woman who called her earlier, who was none other than her own younger sister. A woman with brown hair and brown eyes that were as beautiful as the color of her hair. She looked so beautiful.
Unlike Avians who couldn't take care of herself and didn't feel as beautiful as her sister. Her long black hair looked quite messy, covering part of her face.
Avians slowly placed the three glasses of juice she had poured onto the table as well as the snack she had brought.
"Here's your snack, Zoey..." she said.
"Good, now get out of my sight. You're blocking the television screen with that ugly face of yours!" said Zoey.
Avians got up and walked to the back of the sofa. She saw the television program her family was watching at the time. An interview with the richest man in their country, a young and handsome billionaire.
"Oh look, mom, it's starting!" exclaimed Zoey, turning up the volume.
"Good afternoon, welcome to the Miranda Talk Show, where this afternoon we will be interviewing a very famous and handsome man. Please welcome Mr. Adrian Foster!"
A man wearing a black suit and dark hair walked into the interview room and sat down on the sofa.
"Aahhh he's so handsome!" Zoey exclaimed while hugging her pillow.
Even the Avians who saw Adrian's face were amazed by the man's good looks. His black hair and gray eyes made Adrian look so charismatic. Coupled with how he responded to the host with a smile and a firm but still gentle voice.
Even the look in his eyes showed that he was a very nice man.
'He's like a prince...' the woman thought.
The host was interviewing Adrian about his two companies that were so big and successful that they went overseas. The companies are in the field of technology and also sweets.
"You're so great, you've been the leader of the TechNC company even from a young age, how old are you now?"
"I'm 30 years old now," Adrian replied.
They had a casual conversation like a CEO coming to a talk show.
"TechNC is indeed a big and well-known company. I'm very proud that you were accepted to work there, Zoey. You are indeed a child that I am very proud of. Unlike your sister who couldn't find a job..." Zoey's mom Cecillia said, praising her youngest daughter.
"Of course, I am beautiful, talented and also very smart. Of course I can get a good job. Unlike Avians who can only burden the family..." Zoey said as she turned to her older sister who was standing behind the sofa.
The woman could only look down with a very depressed look in her eyes. She knew that she lacked the talent and confidence to get a job. She was too pessimistic and scared when people looked at her.
But she tried to help with the housework and did everything. From cleaning, shopping, cooking and more, she did it all.
'I'm useless, there's nothing I can do, that's why Mama loves her more. I...' Avians turned to go to the kitchen and put down the tray she had been carrying.
Her chest felt so tight from the constant cursing from her own family.
"Even back then, Mama never once praised me for the good grades I got. But she always treated Zoey more even though she never once followed what Mama said and disobeyed more often..." she murmured while wiping her tears from her beautiful blue eyes.
The woman remembered that her parents loved her so much before Zoey was born, but after she came among them, all the attention and affection was given to Zoey. Including everything she had.
She disguised the sound of her low cries with the constant flow of the dishwashing sink.
*****
Later that evening after dinner, Avians washed the dishes as usual while her family left for their room.
Just as she finished washing the dishes, Avians was startled by Zoey standing behind her.
"Zoey... What's wrong?" asked Avians.
The woman held out a piece of money to Avians.
"Go to the supermarket and buy me some snacks, don't take too long!" she ordered.
"But... It's already 10pm, it's quite lonely on the way there... I don't dare to go out at this hour, tomorrow, okay?" asked Avians.
"No way! I'm going to eat the snacks now, you're being told to protest so much! You're just living off the land, don't protest when I tell you to! You're unemployed, you're slow, you don't know yourself!" Zoey snapped and left Avians.
Having no other choice and not wanting to make a scene, Avians was forced to go out to buy the food Zoey had asked for.
The Avians went to a supermarket not far from their house, a 15-minute walk away. Avians couldn't go by car because she couldn't drive. Her parents had never taught her and only Zoey was allowed to use it.
She walked to the supermarket and bought the snacks Zoey liked and her drink. Because she had bought so many things, Avians knew what her sister liked and didn't like.
"Thanks, come again!" said the supermarket cashier after Avians walked out of there with her groceries.
"Huftt... Now go home and rest. My legs and arms are already hurting..."
Carrying two bags of groceries, Avians headed back through the deserted streets to her home.
As she was walking, a motorcycle suddenly sped past her from behind.
"Huh?!" Avians reflexively dodged, she was almost hit by the motorcycle. "So dangerous... I could've..."
BRAK!!!
Before she could finish speaking, a loud noise was heard not far in front of her. Avians immediately rushed to the sound and saw that there was a black car, crashed into a tree and was quite badly damaged.
There was no one there but her, worried about the person inside the car, Avians ran over to the car.
"Sir? Are you okay?" she asked frantically.
She looked down and through the broken glass window, Avians could see an injured man inside the car. On closer inspection, she was shocked that it was the same man she had seen on television this afternoon.
"Mr. Foster?!"