I dropped my dirty clothes into the laundry basket before heading to my study table to pack my bag for the day.
As I gathered my things, my eyes landed on a lone pencil case sitting on the edge of the desk. It was a gift from... a friend. She was everything I wasn't—pretty, kind, effortlessly sociable. Everyone loved her. And, for a while, I did too.
A frustrated groan slipped from my lips. Forget it, I'll figure it out later.
I grabbed my bag and the laundry basket, making my way downstairs. Lina was at the table, absorbed in a Sudoku puzzle from the newspaper, while Mom bustled around in the kitchen, washing dishes. I dropped my bag onto the dining chair and carried the laundry to the wash area, dumping it into the large basket.
"Don't forget to prepare your milk and drink it," Mom called from the kitchen as I returned to the dining room.
"Yeah, I will, Mom," I replied, letting out an exaggerated sigh. She chuckled, but I could tell she didn't notice how tightly my jaw was clenched.
I grabbed a plate and sat down to eat breakfast. Chappathi—my favorite. The mere sight of it lifted my mood, and I dug in, savoring each bite with dal.
After washing the dishes, I heated up some milk, adding sugar and coffee powder to make my coffee. But, of course, I didn't stop there. I grabbed the Bournvita and stirred it into the cup, giving the coffee a chocolatey twist. Perfect—just the thing to fix my energy shortage. Hmm, I'm a genius, I thought, smirking to myself, imagining an evil laugh in my head. The smirk was a little too noticeable, though, and Lina raised an eyebrow.
Did she just add something else to her usual caffeine-chocolate concoction? Lina wondered, her eyes narrowing as she observed her older sister. It's like she's planning to start an evil chocolate ice cream cult. Maybe she'll add choco chips or biscuits this time... anything other than kerosene, or worse—poison. A shiver ran down her spine as unpleasant memories resurfaced. She shot me an annoyed glare, trying to hide it.
What the—what's she glaring at me for? I paused mid-sip, caught off guard by the intensity of her gaze.
I decided to be the bigger person—or, at least, the cooler one. Lifting an eyebrow with an air of amused superiority, I glanced at her as though she were a mere child. Heh, that feels good. I should do this more often.
Lina, already seething, narrowed her eyes even further. Did she just look down on me?! Her glare intensified.
"Speed up, Lina has to reach school before 8:30," Mom's voice cut in, saving me from the inevitable escalation.
I gathered the dishes and entered the kitchen to wash the ones I used. "Lina, help me pack my lunch box and water bottle."
"Yeah, okay," she muttered, diving into the pile of dried clothes to grab a towel to wrap my lunch box.
By the time I finished washing the dishes and started drying them, Lina had already packed everything into my bag. I grabbed my keys and helmet. "Mom, WE'RE LEAVING!" I yelled, making sure she heard me even from the bathroom.
"Okay, BYE!" Mom's voice echoed from the bathroom.
I strode out with Lina following me, reminding her to lock the door. I put on the helmet and started the electric scooter, bringing it out of the garage. Lina opened the gates, and I drove out. She closed them behind me and handed me the keys before hopping on.
"You all set to go?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.
"Yeah, let's go!" she replied enthusiastically. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"What?" she huffed, tapping my helmet in annoyance.
"Nothing," I grinned, though I'm sure she didn't notice. I saw her narrowing her eyes at me through the rearview mirror.
As we drove to school, she talked non-stop about how she had been bragging to her friends about me. How her friends were jealous of her for having such a cool sister.
I almost choked on my saliva. "Why?" I managed, still reeling.
"Why? You ask?" she replied in one breath. "Well, their siblings are always picking on them. And here you are, taking me to school when I'm late, waiting for me for two hours when you could've just gone home, sharing everything you get with me. You think everyone's like you?"
I was left stunned. "Their siblings don't do that...?" My voice was filled with disbelief.
"Nope. And you know those YouTube shorts that are trending right now? That one about expectations vs. reality? Well, they're saying you're the sister from the expectations side and theirs is from the reality side," she said, laughing at my stunned expression.
"Oh."
The realization sank in. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh," she chuckled, amused at my slow response. I huffed, trying to recover.
We arrived at school—her school, not mine—and I dropped her near the office before heading off to college. The distance wasn't much, so the electric scooter was super convenient. No pollution, no noise. Though, sometimes, the silence can be a problem, especially on curves or bends. No one can hear you coming, and you're left honking all the way, which is a nuisance. But there's nothing I can do about it.
As I neared my college, I found myself drifting into an internal monologue, watching groups of students walk in—some alone, some chatting with friends, others getting dropped off by their families.
I discreetly eyed a girl getting dropped off by her father with a pang of envy, recalling all the times I'd asked Dad to do that for me, only to be brushed off with anger. I quickly shook my head, trying to push the thought away, and entered through the college gates, heading to the parking lot. I parked the scooter and turned around just in time to see her.