Eva could feel the fakeness in the air.

Hannah, Celene, Joseph, and Evangeline were all seated around the very same counter Eva had to eat her tasteless noodles on all by herself for dinner. The counter wasn't miserably empty like it usually was, but filled with so much food someone might even think it was a holiday. Hannah did really go all out on her splendid dinner - big bowls of risotto, mini pizzas, complex stew, even caramel pie and flan - a freaking French jelly - was on the counter.

When Joseph saw the generous food, he gasped as his jaw dropped. "Mom, did you make all of that by yourself?" he exasperated glancing at Eva. "You must be so lucky to eat mom's food all the time. The cafeteria food we have in Elite Boarding School is so tasteless and disgusting."

"Trust me, you don't get this everyday," Eva spat, making Hannah's honey colored eyes widen in warning, "This is all for you and Celene. Most of the time it's just instant noodles for me."

Maybe Eva was being the bad guy in this situation, but someone needed to acknowledge the truth - this is all fake!

"Not our fault we're her favorites." Celene snorted at Eva, leftover eyeliner adding to her petrifying glare. Hannah didn't comment on Celene's experiments with makeup, but Eva knew that Hannah would find it a huge deal if it was her instead.

Celene was right, it was no secret that Joseph and Celene were Hannah's favorites, and for the most parts it didn't really bother her. Eva did enjoy her four years of attention until the twins were born, and from there her parents' attention drifted away. Eva knew her parents still loved her - or at least dad did - but there was moments like these where Eva wished they loved them equally. What if it was me who went to a boarding school? Would she come back to such a welcoming home, or would such hospital privileges be reserved for her siblings only?

Eva settled for a the salad - that couldn't really be considered a salad due to the prestigious chicken-meat cubes within - because Eva was honest with herself, despite how inviting and luscious that delicious, slow-cooked stew looked. Eva grumbled, marveling over the the food and stabbing the meat at how tasty it was - No!

It wasn't that easy, Hannah needed to do much more than a fancy dinner to seduce Eva to be a part of her little perfect family act.

"So," Celene munched at her yummy stew, swallowing it down without really chewing it. Eva's heart softened at that, regretting her previous thoughts. She shouldn't give her siblings such a hard time, they were away from home, and Eva could only imagine how hard it was for them to be sent away from their families to live with a bunch of strangers all the while studying their hearts off to preserve their precious scholarship. "Today, when you went grocery shopping and I went to explore the mall, I met this really cool girl."

"Yeah?" Hannah's interest - that hadn't made an appearance in so long Eva feared it died - was all on Celene, honey colored eyes curious for more. "What was her name?"

"Violet," Celene shugged down some water, helping the chunks of food slide their way down to her stomach. "We shared the same love for the artist Harry Styles and the same sense of fashion. We swapped phone numbers and she invited me to this party tomorrow night."

"Party?" Hannah cringed, drinking some of her homemade orange juice to hide her discomfort. "I'm not so sure, love..."

"Please, mom," Celene pleaded, some of her childishness displayed in both of her hands palmed together. "I'll soon go to highschool here, and I still don't have any friends. This party is a great opportunity to get to know the people around here. Even Joseph can come with me."

"Me?" Joseph coughed, his head previously ducked in his plate.

Celene didn't need to throw in Joseph in the mixture to convince her mother, because Hannah's face relaxed the moment Celene said I'll soon go to highschool here. Hannah must be looking forward to finally having her twins around, even if that meant Eva being gone for college. She'll do that trade anyday, Eva was sure.

Hannah nodded, despite some uneasiness clinging into her face. "Okay," she sighed, "You can go, but only with your brother, just in case. I'll make sure to give you some money to go shopping, since you probably need a proper outfit to impress."

"You're the best mom ever!" Celene squealed, and Eva could swear her mom blushed at that.

"We're going to a party, yay, so much fun." Joseph rolled his eyes, stuffing his mouth with the food he didn't have the pleasure to eat in months.

Eva wouldn't let this opportunity slip away. "Actually, mom," She cleared her throat, all three members around the table focused on her. "Tomorrow night also happens to be my best friend's birthday party. Her name is, eh, Raven," Eva purposely avoided the mention of any boy's name.

Hannah nodded, offering less worry than she did to Celene. "Okay, darling, you can go. I'll make sure to give you some money as well."

Darling? Yes, Hannah just agreed to her daughter partying outside at night, and she gave her the money to buy an outfit to 'impress' but that wasn't as shocking as calling Eva darling. She's such a hypocrite, Eva thought. Instead of sulking and hating her mom about it, Eva evolved; she stopped caring and being so sensitive and used her mother's carelessness in her favor instead. Eva did feel quite horrible for using her mother's vulnerability, but she really wanted to go because she needed to fix the current awkwardness with Ryan.

Hannah nodded, satisfied that all her children were happy. "Soon, your father will join us, and we'll be a happy family again." Hannah had this dreamy look on her eyes, so much longing repressed in her as if all her problems would fade away if that dream of a happy family ever came true.

Eva had to gawk at that. If Hannah thought she could throw her horrible and ignorant actions behind and expect Eva to do the same than Hannah was greatly mistaken. Eva was sure that once Spring Break was over and her siblings were gone again, Hannah would go back to her old ways if not worse.

It was always harder once Hannah had to say goodbye to them after getting used to having them around - it was like getting used to wearing a scratchy sweatshirt, switching it for a cotton top, and then switching back to the sweatshirt and expecting it to be nice, forgetting how painful it was to wear and having to get used to the harshness as it scratched the skin all over again.

The promise of a family brightened Celene and Joseph more, filling them with so much hope and fueling their expectations that Eva feared the impact of the harsh reality on them. Hannah nodded again, straight, red hair bobbing along. "I might pull some strings and assure you both a place in Prich High School."

"Prich High School?" That caught Joseph's attention. "Isn't that private school ridiculously expensive? How can you afford that?"

Hannah shrugged, although from the glint in her eyes it was obvious that this meant so much to her. "I've been working nonstop for the past years to assure you the education you need - so, so much tutoring and extra hours at school." Eva could testify on that for sure. "Anyways, it probably won't last you till college, but we'll figure it by then. What matters now is that you have a perfect education. I mean, I can't just enrol you into a public school after studying in the Elite Boarding School, it won't be just for you two."

So that was why my mom worked so hard... Hannah had no issues in neglecting her child if the compromise was giving privileges to another. Hannah was contradicting herself, and Eva didn't want to feel jealous, she wanted to be happy - they were her siblings, after all.

However, it seemed like some emotions were just out of control, just like her stupid, stupid love for Zarek.

really short chapter, i know, but you can consider this the calm before the storm *grins evily*

btw, i think we're halfway through the story. so expect a climax anytime soon ;)