empathy

FIFTEEN

"What is wrong with men?" Anastasia asks Jasper, truly curious about that. A book in her lap like usual, her eyes narrowed and her head tilted to the side a bit. "I'm afraid I wouldn't have the time to write you a list," Jasper replies flatly, not missing a beat before looking up at her.  

"Her adolescent body is just old enough to show the perks of her growing breasts. Breast so perfect as they smile at him through erect nipples. But this isn't what caught his eye, it's the way they sway with the movement of her head, bobbing up and down every time she nods. Oh, how fascinating her virgin body is. She sure must be one, the innocent of her slim waist telling so much," she reads out loud, watching his brow raise. "That... doesn't even make sense," he mumbles. "The innocent of her slim waist. What does that even mean?" Anastasia asks him. 

"Don't know," Jasper frowns. "Where did you find the book?" he questions. "Uhm, around. It was on one of the shelves. It sounded trash, didn't think it'd be that trash," she shrugs. 

"Guys!" Emmett storms into the library, skipping over to fall onto the ground next to Jasper; the honey blonde barely looking over to him while Anastasia sends him a look of annoyance. "You won't believe what just happened," Emmett ignores her, his tone showing nothing but childlike excitement. 

Proceeding to tell them all about the latest breakup of Tyler and Lauren, detail for detail. Though, Anastasia stops listening after about two seconds; the awful book in her lap seeming like a way better option. It's a comedy, pure comedy. And sadness.  

---

"Anastasia!" Jessica calls after her as she makes her way to her Jeep, a cigarette hanging from her lips and a lighter raised to light it up. Simply rolling her eyes, Anastasia takes her first drag before turning around; raising an unimpressed at, a towards her jogging, Jessica. 

"Uhm, a few girls and I are throwing a get better party for Lauren," Jessica starts. "You want to join in?" she adds as Anastasia doesn't answer. "I really don't," the black-haired girl replies simply. "Why not? It's going to be fun. We'll go down to the rez and make a bonfire and..." Jessica rambles on. "No," Anastasia rolls her eyes before turning on her heels, continuing her way and throwing the finished cigarette to the ground to step on it before she is already inside her car and driving off. 

The way to the kindergarten isn't far and Anastasia can already see Antonina along with a few other kids waiting outside with Phoebe, the kindergartener. 

"Ana," Antonina hops off the wall they sat at to run into her sister's waiting arms the moment she steps out of the car. "Hey, you. Did you have fun?" Anastasia pulls away to look at her, her hands still on her shoulders as she gently strokes up and down. "Mh-hm. Tamara and I made sand cakes today," Antonina grins happily. "That does sound fun. Do you want to say goodbye?" Anastasia gets up, helping her sister in the car once she did so. 

Taking a quick stop at the grocery store, they head home, where Anastasia prepares Lunch for the three of them. Unfortunately, their father will be there, too. It won't be good. 

His brown eyes are staring at them from across the table, Anastasia's hand places softly on her sister's knee as she tries to comfort the little girl. Neither of them two speaks as they eat their food, neither of them dares to breathe too much or too loud and neither of them dares to lose their focus on him. They have to watch him, have to make sure to foresee his motives before they end up caught by surprise. 

"You finally going to school?" his voice is loud, too loud. He isn't exactly screaming but the authority braided with alcohol and indifference make him seem taller, bigger and just more frightening. It's loud, too loud. "No," Antonina seems even smaller than she already is. her voice quiet, tense and shaking as she grabs after her sister's hand under the table. His eyes narrow but he doesn't comment further, for now. 

"And you? Finally getting your ass up?" he turns to his other daughter, Anastasia's eyes not daring to meet his for longer than a second. Maybe two.  "I'll graduate this year," she means simply, the sisters flinching as he rids the table of everything he can reach. The plate shatters on the ground, drops of tomato sauce splashing around it. Knife, fork and spoon fall to the ground, a clanking sound echoing through the room. "I'm sick of yall destroying my life," he mutters, getting up to make his way over to the fridge. Going to get himself a bottle of beer or a bottle of bourbon. 

"Go to your room," Anastasia tries to push Antonina outside of the room, trying to be as gentle as possible. Her eyes are trained on her father as he drowns the last sips of bourbon in the bottle he found; shirking away just in time to avoid the bottle as he throws it against a wall. Incoherent slurs leave his lips. "Clean up," he orders Anastasia, a new bottle already in his hands. "Well, go on. And hurry the fuck up," he steps closer, bits of spit flying from his lips and landing over her. "Go!" he gets louder, his hand coming up to her shoulder to force her down on the ground. "And you better make it spotless."