empathy

EIGHT

Avoiding confrontations of any sort isn't like Anastasia at all. She rather runs straight into them, finding enjoyment in making people squirm once they realise they won't be able to win against her. 

And yet she has found herself avoiding the Cullens like the plaque. She doesn't like how they'd stare at her during lunch, how they'd pay more attention to her than the class or how they simply seemed to be everywhere.

So, ditching school today feels a whole lot more relaxing than it usually does. Not only does she not have to put up with incompetent teachers but she also has a whole day to do however the hell she pleases - without the Cullen and Hales watching her every move.

Starting with picking up Jessica and making their way to La Push, where they simply lounge on the hood of her Jeep. Jessica rambles about her crush which seems to have switched from Edward back to Mike Newton.

It pisses Anastasia off - without any reason since she doesn't really listen to a word she says either way. But still, she isn't in the mood for any of this; not even as background noise.

Taking another drag of her cigarette, she inhales its toxins deeply before letting go of them at once. Her eyes watch the smoke blend into nothingness and she blows gently at what little grey is left behind; little twirls appear in it.

"Are you even listening?" Jessica huffs, her fingers coming up to snap in front of Anastasia's face. "No." the black-haired girl slaps her hand away.

Huffing in annoyance, Jessica harshly pulls the remaining inches of the cigarette out of Anastasia's hand; throwing it onto the ground before jumping off the hood to stomp on it.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Anastasia's glare is deadly. Her eyes are narrowed, her cheek slightly narrowed inwards from where she is biting down on it to keep herself together.

The metallic taste of blood clouds her mind but Anastasia is too busy glaring at Jessica to notice.

"My problem? What is your problem? All I've been trying to do is be nice and befriend you and..." Jessica starts to ramble, just to shut up when Anastasia slips off the hood. "I don't need you to be nice to me. And I certainly don't need nor want you to be my friend." she rolls her eyes, her fingers fishing the keys out of her pocket. "If you don't want to be my friend, then why are we here?" Jessica's voice raises.

"Because you're naive. You let people run over you like it's in your nature. You let them use you and don't even notice. And because of what? To gain popularity, to be liked and to be adored? Well, newsflash. No one likes nosy Nancy.  No one likes someone that judges because of their ethnicity or because of their preferences in who they date. No one likes people like you." Anastasia looks her up and down, her eyes shining in distaste as she spits the words at Jessica.

"You were a means to an end. You told me what I needed to know, played eyes and ears for me but honestly, I'm getting tired of you." she adds before getting into the cat.

Glancing at Jessica, whose eyes have become glassy as tears pool in them, Anastasia drives off; her way leading straight home.

Her father should be passed out by now.

Frowning as crying reaches her ears the moment she enters the house, Anastasia's eyes fall onto the snoring form of her father while her nose scrunches up in disgust at the smell of alcohol, vomit and cigarettes. 

Crossing the living room, her face falls as her eyes meet the curled up figure of her little sister. Her pitch-black hair so similar to Anastasia's is hiding her face that is resting between her knees and her body is rocking back and forth from the sobs leaving her lips.

"Antonina." her voice is unusually soft and her eyes meet a pair of green ones. It's like looking into a mirror. 

Antonina, her little sister, is the spitting image of her; well, of their father. But Antonina's nose and cheeks are covered by freckles she inherited from her mother - a woman that left her on the doorsteps of their father when Antonina was merely a year old.

"Come here." Anastasia crouches down with opened arms, catching her sister with ease as she lounges herself at her.

Pressing her sister's face into the crook of her neck in a weak attempt to keep the smell from her, Anastasia carries her outside to her Jeep.

"Did he pick you up again?" Anastasia asks gently, playing her onto the backseat.

It's one of the reasons she usually doesn't attend school; their father has made a habit out of picking Antonina up early. The kindergarten is too oblivious to notice what is going on. 

Pushing a strand of Antonina's hair away, Anastasia sucks in a breath at the splinters of glass pierced through the skin right beside her eye. Too close for Anastasia to remove without accidentally hurting her. Shit.

"My tummy hurt." Antonina replies, her voice still thick with hiccups.

Letting her eyes fall onto the place where a bruise should still be seen on Antonina's ribs, Anastasia suppresses the emotions threatening to make an appearance. She can't do that to her sister - let her emotions win. She is too much like their father when she does. 

"We'll make a short drive, alright? To someone, who can make the pain go away. Is that okay?" Anastasia's eyes meet those of her sister, smiling weakly as she nods before leaning in to kiss her forehead.

"And we'll play a game on our way, alright? We see, who can last longer without touching their face and the winner gets as much ice cream as she wants, okay?" she asks her, relieved as she jumps on board immediately. 

Fastening her seatbelt, Anastasia gets into the car as well, driving slower than usual as her eyes dance between the road and Antonina, who is sitting on her hands. The drive to the hospital seems to drag on forever and Anastasia is getting more anxious with the minute.

Something she doesn't like at all - especially if it is about her sister.

Stopping the car, Anastasia lets her hand glide down her nods, smiling at Antonina through the mirror as she happily exclaims her victory. 

Helping her sister out of the car, she takes her hand as they make their way inside but quickly picks her up upon noticing she isn't wearing shoes. Oops?

"Hi, uhm..." Anastasia makes her way to one of the nurses, her tone back to its normal, cold and indifferent way - just not as extreme. "Oh, dear. Come on with." the nurse interrupts her and Anastasia follows in big steps as she walks away. "I'll go get Dr Cullen," she informs them before leaving the room again.

Cullen, great. 

---

So, a new character. Antonina. 

What do you think about the idea of Anastasia having a little sister?

Also, thank you all for reading this story! I hope you like it so far.