antics | b.e

chapter 10- light

ALEJANDRO

he was out of breath by the time he reached the top of the stairwell, miraculously the elevator panel had been smashed to bits by a clumsy janitor, sending it to sparks. the machine had stopped working completely, trapping those inside and stalling the giant metal box wherever it was.

alejandro panted, his lungs burning as he fumbling around in the pocket of his jeans to fish out his keychain. a light sheen of sweat formed on the line of his brows. he fixed his bandana before stepping through the threshold.

the first thing he heard was the sound of bass boosted music blaring through juniper's speakers, penetrating the walls. probably disturbing the neighbors too.

he felt bad about yelling at her, but she wouldn't listen to him if he spoke in a low tone. that's just how she was, the urge to be heard overpowered her conscience, not willing to sit still and quiet.

the points she made during the argument struck a cord in him. he didn't realize she felt like that, all the times he would leave thinking he had fulfilled her wishes adequately enough.. alejandro didn't exactly know what it felt like to be alone, nor did he want to find out. protecting juniper was always the first thing on his mind, he thought keeping her home would mean keeping her safe.

the music had turned into a soft hum through the walls. he could hear clearly what was going on in her room the closer he got.

sobs echoed from the hall, bringing his mood down to an all time low. he hated hearing or seeing his sister cry, it made him feel like he was in the wrong.

walking down to where her door was, he knocked softly. three times, and in the rhythmic pattern they created over the years.

"junie? you okay? i'm sorry for yelling at you...i'm thinking of making dinner...what do you want to eat?", his voice was frail, cracking at the end of his sentence. hearing the sniffles she let out brought tears to his own eyes.

silence was the only thing he was given, other than slight whimpers of pain. he looked to jericho, receiving a blank stare in return.

if fish could have an expressive face, alejandro bets that jericho would be looking at him with a deep frown. he started making his way to the kitchen once the fish looked away from him, swimming off to the other side of his bowl.

"thanks, jericho. you just live to make me feel better.", alejandro spoke sarcastically, shaking his head at how he was talking to a fish.

examining the different packages of pasta, deciding which one he wanted to make. alejandro wanted to make something they both enjoyed, and juniper's favorite food.

spaghetti and a cup of apple juice, more specifically the noodles cut up into small bits so she could eat them with a spoon. it always managed to lighten her up a little.

it wasn't anything fancy or luxurious, but that's what made juniper, juniper. she didn't need expensive things or flashy lights to make the best out of something. that must've been how she had stayed home, making random creations for alejandro to be greeted by when he came home.

it would always be sat on the kitchen counter, right in the middle of the oven. sometimes there would be a little sticky note attached to it, explaining the story behind it. like it was an adventure, heroic stories or a fairytale.

he frequently bought materials and subtly placed them around the house, knowing when creativity struck her she would turn the apartment upside down looking for supplies.

their parents weren't around to appreciate them, they certainly wouldn't be proud of what alejandro had to resort to just to remain alive. drug dealing wasn't his first option or line of work, but it was one that got him fast and easy money.