Orphic ➱ Stranger Things

C H A P T E R T W O

C H A P T E R T W O
The Disappointment

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The sun peeked into the young girls room. It shined over the bed then to the pillow which was covering her face. She's still clad in yesterday's clothes. Suddenly, Steve Harrington bursts through the door and marches over to his sister, shaking her awake.

"Hey, hey! Wake up!" Steve yells as he vigorously shakes her shoulder. Roni swats him away and pushes her head farther into her pillow. He sighs and leaves the room. A minute later he comes in with a bucket of water. He pours the cold liquid onto the bed.

The blonde jumps up, struggling to breathe. She glares at him.

"Good morning, sunshine," Steve smiles innocently and exits the room. Roni glares at the back of his head.

30 minutes later, Roni stomps down the stairs and into the dining room chair, a permanent frown painted on her face. She sits across from her brother, with her parents sitting on opposite ends of the table. Roni begins to eat her meal which consists of; eggs, bacon, and toast. A simple breakfast.

"Thanks for messing up my mattress, dimwit," Roni uttered sarcastically. Steve shoves his food into his mouth and smiles proudly. She continues to glare at him.

Mother clears her throat. "Good morning, Veronica. Nice of you to join us," She quipped. Roni sighs and blows hair from her face.

"Nice hair," Steve laughed at his sisters wavy hair which was blown around.

"Thank you, it was wet before but your blankets helped so much," Roni gave him a fake smile as his fades.

"You used my blankets to dry your gross hair?! Mom!" He looked to his mother for help. Roni smiled mischievously. Mother sighed at her daughter's antics.

"That's enough, you two!" She looked between them both as they quieted down. Mother settled on looking at Roni. "Can't you put on something pink or purple and a little bit of lip gloss."

"I'd rather eat my own hair," Roni stabbed a piece of egg on her fork and shoved it into her mouth.

Father finally put down his newspaper, "Watch your mouth, Victoria," He scolded. Roni and Steve both wince at their father's words.

"It's Veronica, father," Roni ringed her hands out underneath the table uncomfortably. It wasn't the first time her father mistakenly called her a completely different name. There wasn't anyone in the family name Victoria or anywhere close to that. Being called a completely different name hurts.

Awkward silence ensued. The only sounds heard were of forks meeting the plate and the birds chirping. "Uh, well, your father and I have some news. Would you like to tell them, dear?" Mother asked excitedly. Father grunted in answer. Her smile faltered slightly.

"Your father has a business trip today and I'm going with him. It's like an anniversary trip, isn't that exciting?!" She picks up a piece of food with her fork and eats it.

"Super," Roni says sarcastically, putting her chin in her hand, pushing around her meal. She knew the real reason why her mother was going on a business trip with her father. To make sure that he doesn't cheat...again.

Mother ignores her and turns her head towards Steve, who's finishing off his plate.

"That means that Steve is in charge. So, please take care of your sister and make sure she doesn't get into trouble. And Veronica," Mother looks at Roni who prepares herself for the words. "Please put on a dress or at least a skirt. Just look like a daughter I could be proud of."

Roni rolls her eyes to keep the tears in. She drops her fork with a clank. "I'm going to school,"  She said monotonously.

She jumps from the chair. Steve watches her leave the table. He could see how her blue eyes shone with sadness. This always made his blood boil. But he couldn't stop it. His parents cared so much about how other people perceive how the Harrington's look and that to their parents, she was an embarrassment.

"Ugh, what am I going to do with that girl?" Mother huffed, drinking her hot coffee. Steve looks over at her.

"I don't mind her wearing black, maybe that's the style she likes." He shrugged, picking up his and Roni's plate. He walks over the sink to rinse them out.

"Maybe an all girls boarding school would do her well," She glances other to her husband who was munching absentmindedly on a piece of bacon. "She'll be around girls all the time, learn some proper manners, become a well-rounded lady."

Mother imagines her daughter becoming a debutante, going to a good college, marrying a doctor or a lawyer, having children. It was a life which most mothers wanted for their child.

But she sighs, her stubborn daughter would never want the life that she imagined. It wasn't until two years age that her daughter began acting this way. Before she would put on pink dresses, bows in her hair, and wore glitter. But she would get her dress dirty or 'lose' her bow.

Now she went to an all new level of rebellion. Her mother had hoped that this phase would be over but it seems to be getting worse. All she wanted was a child just as she pictured.

Steve glanced over his shoulder to look at the empty chair that his sister was once sitting in. Silently hoping that she wasn't too emotional about their parents words.