Hi, Beautiful ✓

thirty-three

33

VIOLA ANONYMOUS

you're really starting to get on my nerves
[3:21pm]

just tell me who you are
[3:21pm]

VIOLA GROANS FRUSTRATINGLY, HER hands tightly gripping the small device as she slumps down the staircase of her home. She walks slowly into the kitchen, breathing in her the smell of her mother's mouth-watering baking as she slides into a bar stool and leans onto the white marble bench, glaring at her mobile.

"What did that phone ever do to you?" Viola looks up, her mother sporting a 'Super Mum' apron with a thin hand on her hip, the other pointing her cake batter coated spatula accusingly at her daughter. Viola quirks a smile, giggling at her not-so-threatening mother.

"Didn't know we're eating cake off the floor now." Viola gestures to the white tiles where a thick, chocolate mixture has slowly started to puddle as she reaches for a freshly baked tray of cookies. Her mother gasps and slaps her hand away, glaring at her daughter as Viola feigns hurt. Nicole Lancaster rolls her eyes, placing the spatula back into the large mixing bowl, throwing a playful glance over her shoulder.

Viola sighs, tangling a hand into her thick chestnut hair. She stares into the reflection of her phone and rubs a finger over her brow nervously with a deep breath. After all this time, Viola had been successfully flying under the radar and as much as she likes to believe she still is, she can't help but feel like every single person is watching her—knowing that the stranger on the other side could literally end up being anyone.

"What's with girls and their attachment to phones?" Finny Lancaster saunters into the kitchen, ironically staring down at his own phone. He ruffles his twin sister's hair before pulling the fridge open and sculling back a large bottle of Gatorade.

Viola rolls her eyes. "Piss off." She grumbles before continue. "Fin, you know pretty much the whole year level, right?" She speaks nonchalantly as though to come off as nothing but simply wondering. She doesn't get very far as her brother raises a single brow and puts his drink down, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he leans against the counter opposite his sister.

"Why?" He asks slowly, curiosity filling his light hazel eyes. Viola shrugs and he presses further. "Why, Viola?"

She looks down at her phone and Finny groans dramatically, tugging on his neatly cropped, short brown hair. "What? I was just asking, relax."

"That better not be the reason why you're so obsessed with your phone. High school boys are gross. I would know, I am one." He gestures to him himself before pushing off the bench and making his way into the living room, yelling out to their mother that a few of his friends are coming over soon.

"Whatever." Viola mumbles to herself. She lets out a deep breath through her nose, completely forgetting that their mother is still in the same room, undoubtedly listening to the exchange between her two children. Viola chances a look at her, grazing up through her thick lashes.

She stands against the bench, a knowing smirk beaming. "That's my girl."