Sinner

3| Family

Chapter 3: Family (Venus's POV)

I walked back into our house, letting out a sigh of exhaustion. I headed for the kitchen right away to grab a snack and saw Clarissa sitting on the counter trying to do her homework while our housemaid, Mrs. Betty was preparing for dinner. I walked around Clarissa, poking her stomach. 

She shrieked, looking up at me. "Don't do that, Vee," she said while chewing on her pencil. 

I frowned, pulling it away. "Don't do that. Tell me, where are you stuck?" I asked. 

"You'll help me?" She perked up. "I asked mom but she was going out with friends for tea," she shrugged. 

"I always help you, tell me." I leaned my elbows on the counter, peering into her notebook. I explained two questions to her and had her do the third one on her own. 

"And then I move the dot to right here?" 

"It's called a decimal. Remember that, hmm?" 

She nodded and then continued working. 

"What are you making for dinner, Mrs. Betty?" I asked, walking over to her and watching as she chopped up all the tomatoes. 

"I'm making some meatballs with spaghetti, garlic bread, and your father's favorite chicken." 

"Ew," Clarissa and I said in sync. "That chicken?" I asked. 

She nodded, her nose scrunching up. "Don't remind me, I'll throw up whilst making it." 

I chuckled, grabbing my bag from the counter, and turned to Clarissa. "I'm going up to my room, okay?" 

"Bye, Vee."

"Bye." I walked to the staircase and then up to my room, following the unnecessarily long hallway and stopping at my room, opening the door. I left my bag on my desk chair and kicked my shoes off while opening my closet. I need to shower. I grabbed a fresh pair of pajamas and headed for the shower. 

By the time I came out, my parents were both back home and dinner was nearly done. I take long showers. I sat on the barstool by myself, Clarissa was up in her room now. My dad came in, now changed into his pajamas as well. 

"Hello," he nodded at me, ruffling my hair. "How was your day?" he asked. 

Should I tell him? 

"It was fine," I shrugged. 

"Did Caden do anything?" 

I huffed, "Why do you always ask me about him? I'm your child, not him." 

"I only worry, honey," he chuckled, heading to the dining room and I followed suit. "What did he do? Your mood says it all." 

"He threw all my notes and notebook out of the window and then... gone with the wind were they," I huffed, rolling my eyes. 

"And what did you do?" 

"I tore his essay up." 

"You could have done more." 

"I'm not trying to start World War III with him. I even-" I was to tell him that I tried fixing things between us. I tried giving him another essay so we could end the torture, but I knew that would get me in trouble. 

He would automatically think that I was accepting defeat and bowing down to him. This is how his mind just runs. "Where's your mother?" he asked. 

We both looked to the door as my mother walked in with Clarissa behind her, trying a new kind of braid on her hair. "How was work, Tanner?" my mother asked.