Chapter Text
The weather outside seeped into Katie’s small room, the hail panging against her window with small thuds. The glass was smeared with who knows what of build-up over the years, small dainty pink curtains hung over the sides. The paint was chipping on the sill of the window.
Her nails made small sounds as they scratched against her forearm, her eyes drifting to the driveway expectedly. She wondered what time Don would be home. Maybe he’d pull in soon.
She could only sigh as she tossed her legs over the bed, giving up on the earlier idea. It was late, and she had school tomorrow. Don was working a double shift, Quackity and Schlatt must be busy with something else of his to stop by today.
The stairs creaked under her feet as she made her way to the kitchen, wrapping her hand around the handle of the fridge.
It was a faulty, old white fridge with sticky brown residue splotched all over the surface. The inside was no different, the corners collect musky dried up liquid. There was pretty much nothing in the area, random bottles of sauces and rotten fruits here and there.
“Katie?” familiar creaks accompanied the voice, a small figure peeking around the corner of the stairs; seemingly making sure it was his sister, and not some intruder.
“Fariis! Hey man, want me to make you something? Plenty of options, as usual.” Katie played at obvious sarcasm, and Fariis chuckled at it before coming down the stairs to meet her. He sat at a chair behind the counter, placing his head on his hand.
“Uhhh.. do we still have that pizza?” Fariis fumbled, tapping a finger against the counter. Katie nodded, pulling out one of the cheap boxes.
Don worked two jobs to provide as much as he can, Katie working one as well, but most of it went to bills and debt. In result, as bad as Don felt, there was only enough left over to buy crappy frozen food most of the time.
“Sure do.” Katie hummed, pulling the plastic-wrapped pizza and leaving it on the counter as she preheated the oven.
“..do we still have apple juice left?” Fariis seemed almost hesitant to ask, feeling as though maybe that’s too greedy, or he was nagging too much.
“Ahmmm… no, unfortunately not. I think Dons going shopping soon, I’ll let him know.” Katie double checks the fridge, moving around a few containers. Nothing.
“Okay,” Fariis replied, a small smile on his face. He felt bad, but he didn’t want to deny the offer.
One time he tried salvaging the rotten apples from the fridge, but he only made a mess and got in trouble. Don tried a little harder to keep juice in supply after that.
The pizza didn’t take much longer, Katie cutting the slices before she knew it. She called Ash down, and the three of them sat together chatting silently about their day while chewing the pizza.
After everyone finished up, Katie reminded her younger brothers to get to sleep soon for school the next morning, as they wished her goodnight from the top of the stairs.
Katie stayed behind, collecting the dishes and placing them in the pile of glass that already inhabited the sink. It stank, and she plugged her nose as she walked away from it.
She stuffed the remainder of the pizza slices in a plastic bag and sectioned it at the front of the fridge. She swung open what she called the “junk drawer,” and dug through the piles of random appliances and trinkets to retrieve three items; a piece of ripped paper, a sharpie, and a piece of tape.
Sticking it on the fridge, she scribbled a quick message for her older brother who’d be home later that night.
‘Made Pizza. Eat b4 u sleep Don’ she finished up and tossed the remaining items back in the respective drawer, turning around to trudge up the stairs. Dons been dropping some unnecessary weight, and Katie assumes it’s because he’s occupied with work most of the time. Thats why she’s been giving him reminders here and there.
She quickly changed into a loose gown, old and tattered. Dragging herself under her sheets, she stares back out her window, judging the drive way.
Her jaw tightened the more she stared, her eyes screwing shut.
Tomorrow is a new day.